Triumph Rocket 3 Goes 0-to-60 in 2.73 Seconds

John Burns
by John Burns

I don’t know if I knew 0-to-60 was even that big a deal with motorcycles? I mean, we used to put it in the spec charts at the Big Magazine, along with 0-to-100, but only because it showed up on the computer as thee Don Canet was on his way to pegging the quarter-mile time of a given bike. With most powerful motorcycles, for me anyway, not looping out off the line has always been a more pressing concern than getting the absolute best 0-60 time. Zero-to-60 has always been more of a car guy thing, bless their hearts.

In any case, maybe the new Rocket 3 is uniquely qualified to record Triumph’s best ever 0-60 time, given that its world’s biggest, 2458 cc triple is mounted low and forward inside a long wheelbase, and the huge footprint of its 240-section tire out back.

I was totally impressed with the new Rocket 3 when I got the chance to ride it last November, but I didn’t ride it nearly as hard as the guy in this video Triumph sent us a couple weeks ago. Filmed at Circuito Cartagena in Spain, it’s less than a minute long, but it does give you a good idea of the performance the new Rocket 3 is capable of, if you are. Hoooooo.

The rider is quoted but never identified, though of course Triumph’s Chief Commercial Officer achieves top billing. Hooray! No doubt the rider is one of Triumph’s Spanish test crew, many of who are based just up the coast at Triumph’s Barcelona facility. Great test riders equals great motorcycles.

Triumph Press Release:

TRIUMPH’S ALL-NEW ROCKET 3 SETS A NEW RECORD

The Ultimate Muscle Roadster sets a staggering 0-60 mph time

The all-new Triumph Rocket 3, featuring the world’s biggest production motorcycle engine at 2,500cc, delivering the highest torque of any production motorcycle you can buy with 163 lb-ft/221Nm @ 4,000 rpm, has demonstrated an incredible acceleration by setting a staggering new Triumph production motorcycle record of 0-60 mph in 2.73 seconds.

Paul Stroud, Chief Commercial Officer for Triumph Motorcycles said; “Triumph has once again demonstrated truly outstanding capability. With the new Triumph acceleration record achieved by the Rocket 3 R, we again enter uncharted territory because never before has a Triumph motorcycle reached such an incredible acceleration. Our goal was to showcase the exceptional performance of the Rocket’s unique, all-new 2,500cc triple powerplant. We have now achieved this, making the entire team incredibly proud. With the Rocket 3 line-up, we have consistently shown that we can build the highest capacity production motorcycles, capable of offering incredible performance and capability in return.”

The record-breaking moment

The 0-60 mph acceleration was reached at exactly 2.73 secs on Sunday, October 6, 2019 on the Cartagena track in Spain. The rider of the record-breaking Rocket 3 said, “It was great to experience this truly incredible acceleration. It’s hard to describe just what this motorcycle is capable of. The Rocket 3 R was well prepared and I felt very confident – even in this racetrack set-up. As early as the first attempt we made, I felt that the acceleration was so strong and that we would be successful. The Rocket 3 R ran perfectly and the track and weather conditions were ideal. The whole team did a fantastic job.”

After the 0-60 record, the team were also able to enjoy taking the Rocket to its limits on track, even sliding it into corners at speed and showing just how nimble and dynamic the handling is. The rider further commented, “It is remarkable how easy it is to take the new Rocket through corners. This bike handles more like a Speed Triple rather than a muscle roadster.”

The special record-breaking Triumph Rocket 3 R

In preparation for the record attempt, a team of engineers from various disciplines prepared a pre-production version of the all-new Rocket 3 under the direction of Triumph’s Chief Engineer Stuart Wood. In addition to achieving optimum grip, the team attached great importance to making weight savings across the bike, but even so the Rocket 3 R was in near-production set-up: only the mirrors and number plate holder were removed as required for the racetrack environment.

The Triumph team were supported by the British tire manufacturer Avon. Stuart Wood commented, “Their expertise fed directly into the project. The record would not have been possible without our partners. Avon has been our tire partner for the Rocket 3 project and ensured the necessary grip and stability. The Avon Cobra Chrome tyres already used on the Rocket 3 line-up were developed especially for this model and offer exceptional grip and incredible durability.

To find out more regarding the new Triumph Rocket 3, please visit our website.

John Burns
John Burns

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