Been having some probs with my bike lately and suspected that carbs were out of whack so I took them down to the Triumph main dealers for a coat of looking at.
While they were setting them up, I saw this monster on the forecourt.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=1008&Page=1#
Turns out its the demonstrator so I wangled myself a spin instead of standing around waiting for my carbs to be tweaked.
When you stand next to it you expect it to be an unwieldy heavy lump, with a mans clutch and brakes only just up to the mass.
It just lifts off the sidestand very easily, the weight is all low down and the seat is too, so you can get both feet down, even a no leg such as myself.
The clutch is light and it pulls away as tamely as a cooperative bull on a chain.
Once you get out on the road the placid bull can be provoked with just a little twist of the loud lever.
Theres loads of speed cameras around this place, so at first the fun was confined to letting the traffic move away and winding the throttle on to reel it back - its addictive, the torque is absolutely monstrous and when you get the revs up a little it makes a ‘look at me’ triple engine note, Brrrararaappp! Wooohhooo!
As soon as the traffic clears and the cameras its time to open up, I’m in third doing 30, wind it on and before you can think ‘ey up old lad’ you’re doing 80 with no effort in the slightest.
In top gear its chugging along at just over 2000rpm and 70mph, smooth as silk, but drop it down a cog and you know you’re riding a bike, you get a kick in the butt if you abuse the right hand and the vibrations are there just to let you know - without being too intrusive.
A few tight bends came up, with a lump this size you think about the line to take well in advance, you brake early - too early every time - those stoppers scrub speed off far better than you would imagine, and you take the corner steady, at first, the next corner you take it a bit faster, and suddenly you realise it works on windy roads even though you know it shouldn’t.
The acceleration is sportsbike quick, actually its quicker than just about every other bike off the mark, even the handling is tidy the brakes are capable, but if you want stealth technology this ain’t the bike for you, car drivers stop at sideroads and wait for you to come past, wagon drivers actually notice you from their cabs up in the clouds, you’re not competing any more, this bike makes you the main attraction.
Being short of leg, the pegs were a smidgeon too far forward, I had to look down every time I stopped and started just to find them, I’m not used to feet forward riding, though its not as far forward as say a Harley.
I took my own bike out having refitted the carbs, solved one problem but there is still something else not right, it felt like riding a bicyle compared to the Rocket, each of whose individual pots have more capacity that my entire bike.
I want one of these, this is just such a capable machine.