Too Much Fun: Triumph's 2294cc Three-Cylinder Rocket III Motorcycle

"Oh...my...God." That's the typical response coming from riders getting off the new Triumph. It doesn't really matter if the tester is a cruiserphile, a road racer, a touring rider...a vintage nut. It's all the same when it comes to the Rocket III. "This bike is too fun!"

The declaration "too fun" may seem subjective, but it's actually a near-perfect description of this bike's phenomenal torque output. At 2300cc you'd expect an adrenal goose, and the Triumph delivers. Like a rainy-day run on a wooden rollercoaster or a date with a Victoria's Secret model, a ride on the Rocket III is an experience that exceeds everyday expectation. It's such fun to uncork 141 foot-pounds of grunt right off the light, in fact, that you might wonder how much fun is healthy. And then, as you hurtle along, shifting through the gears in a torque-curve plateau large enough to build condos on, you'll know. This is way too much fun. With the magic of sheer cubic inches, the Rocket III dominates the big-cruiser landscape.

The long-anticipated Rocket III Triumph, with outrageous capacity and styling to match, is finally ready for action. Yes, it's hulking. Some think it's an eyesore. But no one—we repeat, no one—can call the Rocket short on character. Almost absurdly its own thing, this is a motorcycle with its own drummer. Heck, it's a motorcycle with its own band!

The standout feature of this new motorcycle is undeniably its massive three-cylinder mill, which boasts pistons similar in size to those found in a Dodge Viper. The engine's exterior dimension and finish is a bit automotivesque as well, but Triumph stylists made it work, punctuating the huge cast-alloy cases with chrome accents, and, well, building a bike around it that was brutish enough to provide a bit of balance. The fuel-injected triple bursts to life easily and settles into a rather delicate whir, reminiscent of BMW's K75 series, so popular here in the '80s and '90s. This bike is many things a V-twin cruiser is not, beginning with the no-bark, all-bite sound. A slew of aftermarket pipes is inevitable, of course, so one can make the Triumph sound truly evil.

The torque produced by the 2300cc engine is not only profound, it's very well managed. Our Dyno run revealed a max of 141 foot-pounds at 2500 rpm, but torque comes on right off throttle, reaching 140 foot-pounds quickly and remaining in peak range for another 1500 rpm. Conveniently, this is the range of rpm where most street riding is done, so the Rocket III pilot is always in the grunt, at least until the motor is wound above 5000 rpm where horsepower becomes the name of the game (132.4 at 6250 rpm). This bike hurtles, for sure. Keep in mind that's 30 more horsies than the Rocket's next-in-displacement heavyweight contender, the Vulcan 2000, dishes out—thanks to the Triumph's late-breaking redline of 6250 rpm, compared to the Kawasaki's 4750 rpm cutoff. While power might not be comparable between these bikes, weight is: the Triumph, full of fluids, tips the scale at 802 pounds, while the Vulcan weighs in at 820. Another Rocket challenger, the venerable Yamaha V-Max, may be much lighter in stature and displacement, but it is one of only a couple of cruisers on the market today that come close to the Triumph in performance. Here's how it lays out on the drag strip: Triumph is king, by a shred, at 11.55 seconds at 118 mph compared to the Max's last recorded run with us of 11.62 at 116.9. For reference, the V2K gave us a 12.43 at 104.2. The VTX and Valkyrie models run mid-12s as well, while Harley's V-Rod gives the Rocket good chase with an 11.88 at 113.8.

There are two times you'll want to be sure you're holding on to the Triumph with both hands. The first, when you lift off from low rpm and the bike's torque combines with a somewhat abrupt throttle response and a bit of drivetrain lash to snap your giggling head back (or into your passenger's helmet). The second instance you'll want a firm grip is when you hit any ruts at high speed, since the bike's taut rear suspension has a tendency to kick your butt right out of the seat! On the level, the bike does run stiff all around—a necessity, really, for its combination of weight, power and low profile. The chassis is supported by stout 43mm upside-down forks and twin rear shocks, which are adjustable for preload only. While the bike's rigidity can jiggle your fillings in certain situations, it's actually a benefit in smooth, long corners, where the Triumph hooks up solidly and tracks a line without the disconcerting wallow or hinging many cruisers of this size suffer.Ground clearance is good by cruiser standards, and the bike's steering feel is far from vague. In tight, high-speed cornering the Triumph is occasionally more exciting than it ought to be, especially before a rider dials in a smooth throttle hand.

We know styling is subjective, but it's impossible not to loiter on the subject of the Rocket's motif. Everything about this bike screams uniqueness—even eccentricity —and we absolutely love it...even if we don't like it. This bike is not a black T-shirt. Not a boob job. Not another classically styled V-twin cruiser. Hallelujah.

From a distance the Rocket is like a cartoon come to life. It's impossible to ignore the bike's smackdown stature, humongous engine and, yes, the good-looking 240-series Metzeler rear tire. On the right side, your eye is drawn to the trio of header pipes exiting the longitudinally mounted triple. From the left, it's that giant chrome-finish auxiliary airbox cover that garners attention. (The main box is actually under the seat, where channels draw in air and elaborate ducts feed it to the throttle bodies.)

It's not until you move closer that the many artsy details become evident. Check the side cuts on the shiny radiator shroud for example, and how that line is echoed in the sexy shape of the front turn-signal stems. We like the flashy fender tip, though only a few favor the crazy beak-like horn cover under the sporty dual headlights. The wheels are gorgeous on this bike, just right for the meaty tires and full fenders. The stanchion wings are another sweet addition, and we like the way the engine guard bars are as functional as they are aesthetically pleasing. Note the footpegs and shift/brake mechanisms are mounted to these bars, which feature nice detailing to hide the linkage. Of course there was no other place to mount these accommodations, since the twin-spine frame uses the engine as an integrally stressed member with no cradle tubes. We consistently yawned over two elements: the look of the rear taillight, which is efficient, but seems unimaginative, and the same-ol' mufflers on this bike. Triumph does sell silencer caps for its exhaust system, which is unusual in the sense that the bike features a single pipe on one side and dual pipes on the other. We're thinking three upswepts on one side could look pretty wicked, eh?