Here’s Why Triumph’s 2,500cc Triple Engine Is So Special

Summary

• The Triumph Rocket 3 features the largest engine in any production motorcycle, providing immense power and torque.
• The Rocket 3’s engine is designed with weight-saving features, making it lighter and more efficient than its predecessor.
• The Rocket 3 combines the thrill of power with practicality and reliability, offering a smooth ride and easy handling for all speeds.

Back when displacement meant something (although the meaning was tapering off quite rapidly), manufacturers were out to create the baddest and biggest engines for their motorcycles, especially cruisers. Remember, modern cruisers today are light and flickable, but back then, it was all about metal on metal, marking the territory with oil stains, and vibrations that would shake the muscles off your finger bones if your skin wasn’t there.

During such a time, Triumph brought out the Rocket III — 2004, to be precise. This British power cruiser was unique, featuring a longitudinally mounted inline-triple engine that produced gallops of torque and a rowdy exhaust note. But despite having the largest capacity engine on any production bike of the time, the cruiser was nothing more than a cartoon caricature — it was slow, heavy, and unyielding to rider inputs.

The modern iteration of the Rocket is completely different. The Rocket 3 is agile, easy to live with, and stylish; it retains its original DNA but in a much more sophisticated package. Part of the reason it is so good today is its 2,500cc inline-triple engine, which is now the largest engine you’ll find in a production motorcycle — it’s even larger than what many regular cars get. This engine is a sweetheart, and it’s time we started appreciating it before emission norms eat away at its displacement.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Triumph and other authoritative sources, including Motorcycle News and Cycle World.

Nothing Can Replace The Rocket 3’s Displacement, Not Even Some Car Engines

Engine Displacement: 2,458cc

In the early 2000s, cruiser manufacturers seemed to have been in a competition to produce the largest engines for their motorcycles. However, inline-triple engines are now what constitutes the soul of Triumph, and the inline-triple history dates all the way back to the 1968 Triumph Trident. So, the British brand decided to stick to the same engine format, only making it a lot bigger to compete with its American rivals.

Triumph tasted victory in this friendly competition in 2005 with the Rocket III, featuring a 2,294cc engine. The largest engine in a production motorcycle ever. But it seems like that wasn’t enough, and to move with the times, Triumph did away with Roman numerals and moved to Arabic, plonking an even bigger engine in the next generation of the bike, the 2020 Rocket 3.

The good ol’ adage, there’s no replacement for displacement, no longer applies to vehicles, but Rocket 3 is an exception. The new 2,500 inline triple brings the highest-ever capacity in production motorcycles and near superbike levels of power output with it. To put things into perspective, the cylinder bore of the Rocket 3 is 4.33 inches — larger than that of the Dodge Hellcat V8. The Daytona 675’s cylinder bore looks measly in comparison. Fortunately, the new engine brings with it new updates, especially in terms of weight savings.

Triumph Rocket 3 Engine Highlights

• The new crankcase assembly is 39.68 pounds lighter than that of the Rocket III, saving 24.25 pounds on the bike
• The new lubrication system saves 8.59 pounds and the new balancer shaft saves 7.93 pounds
• The engine is beautifully finished with machined fins on the upper and lower crankcases — a throwback to older air-cooled Triumphs
• The engine is longitudinally mounted on the frame with the clutch placed in front of the engine, mated to a helical-cut gearbox

The Torque Wants To Twist The Chassis And Test Your Grip Strength

Max Torque Output: 163 LB-FT @ 4,000 RPM

The power delivery of the Triumph Rocket 3 is something every biker must experience at least once in their lifetime. It’s unlike anything else — not even the most powerful Harley-Davidsons come close to the sheer thrill of opening the throttle on the motorcycle. The Rocket 3 produces 11% more horsepower than the Rocket III, and peak power comes at 6,000 RPM — it’s a thrilling ride for sure. In fact, the power is unloaded right from 3,500 RPM, which tapers off near the 7,000 RPM redline.

But horsepower is not what makes the motorcycle special; it’s the torque. The Rocket 3 produces a mind-numbing torque of 163 LB-FT, peaking at 4,000 RPM. Let off the clutch, and you’re already in the meat of the torque band. Triumph claims the Rocket 3 produces 71% more torque than its closest rivals, and we don’t disagree. The mid-range produces effortless acceleration and throttle response enough to propel the massive motorcycle from 0 to 60 MPH in a mere 2.79 seconds. That’s quicker than many liter-class superbikes!

Triumph Rocket 3 Engine Performance

(Specs sourced from Triumph, Cycle World, and Motorcycle News)

The Triumph Rocket 3 Gets The Basics Right: Soundtrack, Practicality, And Reliability

The Triumph Rocket 3’s big bore, long-stroke inline-triple engine produces music for the ears. Inline triples already have a gorgeous exhaust note; even something as measly as the Trident 660 has a terrific exhaust note that’s gruff and bassy — turn that up to eleven, and you have the Rocket 3’s exhaust note. This is thanks to the exhaust routing, with three headers heading into a combined cat box followed by a triple-exit muffler. The exhaust note is growling, almost as if it’s warning other cruisers to not test it.

Apart from the exhaust note, the Rocket 3 engine also ticks all the other basics. For example, the power band, while ridiculously torquey, is paired with a new torque assist hydraulic clutch. So, the clutch action is light, and you won’t be working out your forearms in stop-and-go traffic. Although, we don’t recommend taking this bike out in traffic — the engine heat will cook your legs medium rare. Even the helical-cut gearbox is precise with a smooth and light lever actuation.

And as ludicrous as the engine is, it’s incredibly easy to use at any speed. Thanks to the generous power delivery that’s actuated by the ride-by-wire throttle and predictive, lean-sensitive traction control, you don’t feel the brunt of it at all times. Ride it at a sedate pace with a gentle throttle, and the Rocket 3 will surprise you with its composure. But the moment you whack the throttle open is when the horses are unleashed, trampling anything else in their path.

You might think an engine that produces so much power may need regular maintenance and may not be so reliable in the long run, but you’d be so wrong. Here’s the thing — most high-performance motorcycles run high compression ratios and are stressed out to the max, which causes failure. But this engine is not so stressed, thanks to its big bore displacement and a longer stroke compared to other high-performance engines. As a result, the Rocket 3 has a first major service interval of 10,000 miles!

Strapped In An Absurdly Agile Frame That Handles Like A Naked

Frame Type: Full Aluminum Frame

The Triumph Rocket 3’s inline-triple engine is superb, but it’s made even better by what surrounds it. Like the Rocket III, the Rocket 3’s engine is longitudinally mounted, necessitated by its size. Unlike the Rocket III, which was cumbersome, the Rocket 3 feels much more agile and friendly, thanks to the cast aluminum frame. The frame also saves 29.50 pounds over its predecessor, the steel twin-tubed Rocket III.

The frame also has a sharper steering geometry and a shorter wheelbase, and it is suspended on Showa suspension at the front and back. The result is a motorcycle with handling capabilities the old Rocket III and many Harleys can only dream of. The Rocket 3 tips into corners easily, holds the line well (with a bit of bar pressure), and blasts out as soon as the straight is reached. Even going from left to right is fairly easy and accurate. However, the ride quality may feel a bit bumpy due to the short travel rear shock that has to work hard. Sometimes, the rear end jacks up under hard acceleration due to torque reaction from the shaft drive that is left unchecked by any kind of parallelogram setup.

Triumph Rocket 3 Chassis And Suspension Specifications

(Specs sourced from Triumph)

Experience The Biggest Engine In Production Motorcycles

The Triumph Rocket 3 comes in two flavors, the Rocket 3 R and the Rocket 3 GT. The former is a muscle roadster with world-leading torque, incredible handling, and comfort, and the latter is a grand tourer that prioritizes laid-back, high-speed cruising and effortless touring abilities. The Rocket 3, in either option, is a gorgeous motorcycle that will never leave you wanting more, especially in the acceleration department. Today, it stands as the ultimate muscle bike, surpassing the legacy of the Yamaha V-Max in many ways.

Triumph Rocket 3 MSRP

(Prices sourced from Triumph)