Outrageous power – and it handles!

2.5-litre triple is bigger where it didn’t need to be, but smaller where it did…

Triumph’s new Rocket 3 packs a punch at its world launch

Bigger isn’t always better. At least, not when it comes to tax bills, Earthbound asteroids or James Corden. So Triumph’s decision to upsize their already gargantuan Rocket III, holder of the ‘world’s largest production motorcycle engine’ record since 2004, has the potential to be a risky one. Surely inflating the Rocket even further will make it even more of a heavyweight handful? Can even more grunt be contained by a motorcycle chassis? Do bikes really need to go beyond 2.3 litres? That’s the challenge facing the all-new Rocket 3 (note the subtle change from ‘III’ to ‘3’). Or, rather, both Rocket 3s. There are two versions: roadster R, with a higher seat, flatter bars and midmounted footpegs; and grand touring GT, with feet-forward controls, wider bars and a lower seat, plus a flyscreen and adjustable pillion backrest. But all the components are interchangeable between both models, and they share the same core engine and chassis. Speaking of which…

Masses more motor

Into the skip of history goes the Rocket III’s 2294cc triple, replaced by a totally clean-sheet 2458cc engine – the ignition coils are the only part carried over from the old model. Huge 110.2mm pistons eclipse the old 101.6mm items, with a reduced stroke (down from 94.3 to 85.9mm) letting Triumph use shorter conrods to reduce the engine’s height. As well as being shorter, it’s also a staggering 18kg lighter.

Peak torque of 163ftlb is identical to the previous Rocket III Roadster, but the engine now holds onto that grunt for longer as revs climb. Where the old Rocket’s torque fell away sharply above 2500rpm, the new triple has a flatter, fatter delivery. And because there’s more torque at higher revs, headline power is up as well from 146 to 165bhp.

But all that brain-boggling potential is carefully controlled by the ride-by-wire throttle. Output is restricted in lower gears and top speed is electronically limited to 138mph. There’s nothing overwhelming, brutal or intimidating. Open the throttle wide and it simply whooshes along with unflappable, implausible force and a gentle buzzsaw growl. Shut the throttle and there’s an addictive burble on the overrun.

The colossal torque spread means you can ride it however you like. If you’re feeling lazy you can leave it in one gear and let the immense grunt from 2500 to 5500rpm do the work. If you want to feel that mightier muscle, you can work the new sweet-shifting six-speed gearbox and chase the 7000rpm redline. If you like changing clutchlessly, there’s even an optional two-way quickshifter in Triumph’s accessory catalogue. For all its ludicrous numbers, this is actually a completely usable motor. It’s quick, of course, but this is a gentle giant – it pulls in a pleasing, thrilling, exciting way rather than a brain-curdling, terrifying, white-knuckle ride.

Shorter, sharper chassis

Forget the Rocket III’s cumbersome bulk, heavyhanded handling and somewhat industrial chassis parts; the new machine is totally different. A cast aluminium frame is half the weight of the previous twin steel spine setup, which plays a big part in the Rocket’s huge 40kg weight reduction. Steering geometry is sharper and the wheelbase is shorter. All this means the Rocket 3 has an appetite for corners that the old bike couldn’t dream of. Turn-in is easy, it holds a line mid-corner with little input, and briskly flicking from left to right feels absurdly accurate for a bike with a fuelled weight that’s still north of 320kg. Clearly it doesn’t dart about like a Street Triple, but it’s so much more agile than its monster-truck 150-section front tyre and 240-section rear suggest. Suspension is by Showa, with adjustable damping at both ends. The front’s set firm, letting you haul hard on the necessarily powerful Brembo Stylema front brakes without the bike trying to tie itself in knots, though you can feel the ABS jumping in. Ride quality is pretty good, but the short-travel shock (giving just 107mm of wheel movement) has its work cut out and

‘An appetite for corners the old bike couldn’t dream of’

bounces around a bit. Accelerate hard and you can feel the rear of the bike jack upwards too, the torque reaction from the shaft drive being unchecked by any kind of parallelogram linkage.

Tons of tech

The Rocket 3 is a technological heavyweight, with all the rider aids and digital assistance you’d expect on a flagship machine in 2020. A Continental six-axis IMU is tucked away somewhere, informing the lean-sensitive ABS and traction control. Other standard gadgets include cruise control, keyless ignition (and steering lock), and a hill-hold function activated by squeezing the brake at a standstill. The round TFT dash, pinched from the Scrambler 1200, is controlled fairly intuitively from backlit switchgear, though the ‘joystick’ on the left bar occasionally gets confused for the indicators. Triumph are in the final stages of signing off a Bluetooth connectivity module and smartphone app, which between them will allow a rider to answer calls, control music or operate a GoPro camera using the joystick. There’s even the ability to display turn-by-turn satnav directions on the dash. If this all sounds familiar, it’s because the tech was announced a year ago when the Scrambler 1200 was launched – and unfortunately, it still isn’t available for us to test today.

Delicious details

Up close, the components appear decent quality and well thought through (as you’d probably expect for your £20k). The exhaust headers are a particular highlight – welds are neat, while the twin-skinned hydroformed curves apparently proved a nightmare to design. Cables and hoses are tucked away cleanly, while wiring runs inside the handlebars. Details such as the Monza-style petrol, coolant and oil filler caps show consideration way beyond simple function, and it’s nice to have both a USB charger inside a foam-lined cubbyhole beneath the seat and a 12v DIN accessory socket above the clocks. Flip-out pillion pegs (almost invisible when folded in) are a clever design, though we’ll have to wait to see how solid they feel under a passenger’s feet.

Big bike, short range

The only area where the new Rocket has taken a step backwards is tank range. Fuel capacity has reduced to 18 litres from the old Roadster’s 24 litres. And while that might sound a fairly typical size, it has to feed a very thirsty motor. Triumph claim the new 2.5-litre motor averages 41mpg, giving a theoretical 160mile range, but during our ride the reality was closer to 35mpg, cutting that to less than 140 miles. The fuel light came on before 100 miles, cutting the fun short. It might not hold true for every element of the lighter, shorter, sharper Rocket, but when it comes to its fuel tank, a little bigger would be better.

The new Rocket 3 is better in almost every single way

It’s still massive but it’s 40kg lighter than before and handles with graceful ease

Crack the throttle and you whoosh forward with a sense of implausible yet controlled force

Fatter pistons mean reduced stroke for a more compact engine

All the details feel well resolved with no messy cabling spoiling the show. If you want more weather protection the GT model (left) has a flyscreen

The saddle is generous and comfortable with a 773mm seat height on the R model and slightly lower 750mm position on the more relaxed GT

Fold-out pillion pegs are virtually invisible when they are tucked in for solo riding. It’s a clever design but we’d like to see how they feel for a passenger

Round dash is retro yet modern. Triumph are about to sign-off some clever connectivity for it too

There’s a USB port in a neatly padded cubby hole and you also get a 12v socket for plugging in other accessories such as heated clothing