Triumph Rocket 3 in the test: The gentle giant

The first impression: what a trumm.

The manufacturer says: In 2004, Triumph launched the first Rocket with three cylinders and the unprecedented capacity of 2.3 liters on the market. Since then, the brand plays in its own league. More muscle bike, more torque and power go so far not in a production motorcycle.

Meanwhile, however, the old Rocket III - whose production was discontinued two years ago - looks like it fell from time, like an anachronistic colossus with the charm of an open-pit excavator. "It was clear to us that we needed to think and develop from scratch for the new Rocket," says Stuart Wood, the chief engineer at the Triumph plant.

The result is a new platform and two motorcycles: more modern, lighter, more potent. The new Rockets now have 2458 cc and 221 Nm of torque - still far more than any other series engine in a motorcycle.

The spectacular values ​​are shared by two optically different vehicles. The Rocket 3 R (the Roman III had to give way) is a sporty roadster; The Rocket 3 GT, with its front-mounted footrests, small windscreen and wider handlebar, invites cruising and traveling. Stuart Woods says both models have the same chassis and suspension, identical spring elements and tires. He explains: "The machines get their own character through the driver's different sitting position and more active ergonomics."

We noticed this: For the presentation, Triumph invited to Tenerife, the Canary Island, which consists mainly of the volcano Pico del Teide. The Teide erupted for the last time in November 1909 and these days became a tourist attraction. The visitors drive up to the crater rim; knowing that there is an overwhelming force underneath them.

This fits the Rocket 3: On the way up to the Teide, on the winding course with tight turns and fast straights through the lava fields, it becomes clear that the new Rocket 3 is an amazingly agile driving machine and also a self-contained volcano.

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One reason: Compared to the predecessor model, the Rocket 3 with a weight of 315 kg now weighs around 40 kg less. Also: The engine with the three cylinders in series now produces 167 horsepower. But what makes the engine - and riding the Rocket 3 - unique is the torque. The unbelievable power is already starting from 2200 revolutions and extends like a plateau evenly to 5500 U / min.

The train on the electronic ride-by-wire throttle is therefore also like an eruption. Hard acceleration from the curve, hard braking before the hairpin: Especially the R-version, which offers more room for maneuver in the saddle with the upright posture and flat bar, can be as neutral and sporty as a sports bike despite the long wheelbase and the fat tires : Nowhere else is there such a lot of power as it is served gently. Only the limited angle puts an end to the fun; The scratching of the footpegs on the asphalt starts quite early on both vehicles.

Triumph delivers the Rocket with a comprehensive safety and electronics package. The rider can trust in four driving modes (Rain, Road, Sport and Rider), cornering ABS, traction control and a Brembo brake system: the front brake on both Rockets is connected to the rear. This is not new in mechanical terms, but Triumph regulates the rear brake force when using the handbrake through complex electronics that include speed, deceleration, banking and loading. Stuart Woods says: "Our claim is that the driver does not notice." It works great.

You have to know: Cheap is not the driving pleasure. On the paper, the three-cylinder swallows around 6.8 l / 100 km, in more aggressive driving also like to flow up to 7.5 liters. These are quantities with which one could also move a car. And the acquisition also beats the rocket powerful: The Rocket 3 R costs in Germany 21,950 euros, the GT 22,750 euros; Both versions (the R in red or black, the GT in black or silver / gray) are still in December at the dealer stand.

However, for this price, Triumph offers a comprehensive package: the Rocket 3 is fitted as standard with cruise control, hill start assist and the color TFT display, for example. The digital cockpit is connected to the smartphone; Optionally there is an arrow navigation, based on Google Maps, a free app, and for the first time a GoPro camera control via the Triumph joystick on the handlebar.

If the standard version of the R and GT (with additional windscreen, heating grips and backrest) is not enough, you can use the extensive range of accessories.

We will not forget that: Of course, the first exit on the world's most powerful production bike will always be present. Likewise, the pleasant surprise remains that 221 Nm does not necessarily mean a Munchausen ride on the cannonball. What really impresses, however, is how the processing - also called "packaging" - has developed since the first Rocket of 2004. In Triumph nothing seems screwed; no cable hangs around more loose. The electrical system has disappeared; even the cables on the handlebar disappeared into the pipe.

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