Triumph Rocket III
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| Manufacturer | Triumph Motorcycles Ltd |
|---|---|
| Production | Since 2004 |
| Engine | 2,294 cc (140.0 cu in) DOHC liquid-cooled straight three |
| Bore / stroke | 101.6 mm × 94.3 mm (4.00 in × 3.71 in) |
| Top speed | 145 mph (233 km/h) |
| Power | 127.1 hp (94.8 kW) (rear wheel) 148 hp (110 kW)@ 5,750 rpm (claimed) |
| Torque | 144.6 lb·ft (196.1 N·m) (rear wheel) 163 lb·ft (221 N·m)@ 2,750 rpm (claimed) |
| Transmission | Gear (Primary) / Shaft (final drive) |
| Tires | 150/80 R17, 240/50 R16 |
| Wheelbase | 1,695 mm (66.7 in) |
| Dimensions |
L: 2,500 mm (98 in) W: 970 mm (38 in) |
| Seat height | 740 mm (29 in) |
| Weight | 797 lb (362 kg) (wet) |
| Fuel capacity | 24 l (5.3 imp gal; 6.3 US gal) |
The Triumph Rocket III is a three-cylinder motorcycle made by Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. At 2,294 cc (140.0 cu in) it had the largest-displacement engine of any mass-production motorcycle, as of September 2004[update].
The name "Rocket III" is derived from the 1968 BSA motorcycle, the Rocket 3, which was also produced as the "Triumph Trident."
The Rocket III Project started in 1998 led by Triumph Product Range Manager Ross Clifford and started with a lot of research – especially in the US, where big cruisers were selling well. The main competitors were the Harley-Davidson Ultraglide and the Honda Goldwing so the initial idea was to develop a 1,600 cc performance cruiser.
The in-house designer was John Mockett, designer of the Hesketh V1000, the Tiger and the new "retro" Bonneville. He started work with David Stride, Gareth Davies and Rod Scivyer working around an in-line three cylinder engine. At the start of the project a in-line four and V6 engine configurations were looked at but the longitudinally mounted triple design led to the design concept code named C15XB Series S1.
Mockett experimented with 'futuristic' styling that included "raygun" mufflers and a large chrome rear mudguard, but consumer focus groups did not like it. The S2 model was a simplified version with a more traditional rear mudguard and several features that were to make it through to the final design. Once again, the feedback from market research was that it was still too radical so the lines were simplified and smoothed out to create the Series S3.
Part of the reason for the secrecy was competition from other manufacturers. Yamaha had launched the 1,670 cubic centimetres (102 cu in) Road Star Warrior in 2002, and Honda had launched the VTX1800, so Triumph decided to up the ante and go for a displacement of 2,294 cc.
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