Triumph has updated its Rocket III cruiser for 2013, adding more blacked-out components and a new seat, but perhaps the most significant change is what Triumph took away: the electronic torque limiter.

Previous versions of the Triumph Rocket III and the Rocket III Touring variant had its power and torque neutered in the first three gears. The reins are off for 2013 however, with the Rocket III’s 2294cc engine delivering full power in all gears. According to Triumph, the 2013 Rocket III offers 146 hp at 5750 rpm and 163 ft-lb. at 2750 rpm, the same specifications as the 2012 model, but without the restrictions in lower gears.

Previously, power was reduced by 2 hp in the first three gears while torque was reduced by a more dramatic 15.5 ft-lb.

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Over the past few model years Triumph strove to create some sense of how the Rocket can be used, eventually creating a touring-friendly model with windscreen and saddlebags as standard, called the Rocket III Touring. Then came the Rocket III Classic. More pulled back handlebars, floorboards rather than pegs, and two-tone paint helped define the powerful motorcycle as something appealing to the cruiser crowd.

For 2010 Triumph adds a fourth dimension to the Rocket, revealing an additional aspect of the bike’s character as a muscle bike.

Watch the scary video of this beast after the jump.

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