Triumph Rocket 3 Storm 2024 Review

Triumph must have won a heated battle of ‘Paper, Scissors, Rock’ against other manufacturers when it nabbed the Rocket moniker, because it might just about be the most apt name for a motorcycle in the history of motorcycling. 

With a 2458cc triple-cylinder engine, a peak power figure of 124hp, and a whopping 225Nm torque that peaks at 4000rpm, the new Triumph Rocket 3 is indeed a rocket. 

A small little drag race amongst the country’s motorcycle media revealed as much, with the quickest riders almost breaking the 11 second barrier without actually trying. 

But despite the Rocket 3’s straight-line prowess, it actually handles quite nicely too. It is heavy, of course, and it takes a bit of physical effort to get those big fat tyres from one side to the other, but it holds a nice line and never feels too slow in the twisties. 

A bike like this shouldn’t make sense. It is ridiculously excessive and is more than anyone needs. But, as I’m sure the Triumph engineers said when developing this bonkers machine, why the hell not?

The new Rocket 3 isn’t all that new. It was first introduced in 2020 as a replacement for its predecessor, the Rocket III (clearly no time wasted on finding a new name).

There are two variants - the R and the GT. The R is the racier of the two, with mid-mount foot controls, a more aggressive handlebar, and a taller seat height. It checks in at $38,890 ride away.

Meanwhile, the GT offers forward foot controls, a lower seat height, and swept-back bar. It is more of a deluxe power cruiser with heated grips as standard, a pillion backrest, and a bigger windshield. It checks in at $39,890 ride away.

For 2024, the range gets a power and torque increase, flash new (and lighter) cast aluminium wheels, moodier styling, and a new name – Storm. The Storm moniker has been tacked on the end for no apparent reason other than adding a degree of menace and mystery to the platform (although Triumph has used the Storm moniker before).   

All of that adds up to quite a hefty price increase from 2023 – more than $2000 in fact. And since its launch in 2020, the price has risen by close to $10k.

Expensive? Yes, very much so. But take a ride on one and you’ll see why the high price tag is (somewhat) justified.

Without a doubt, the star attraction of this monster machine is the 2458cc, liquid-cooled inline 3-cylinder engine. As mentioned above, it punches out a mind-bogging 225Nm of torque at 4000rpm, and an equally impressive 134kW (or 180hp in the old money) at 7000rpm. Wrap you’re head around those figures for a sec.

Of course, I should also note that the Rocket 3 weighs 317kg in R form and 320kg in GT form, so going by power-to-weight ratio, it isn’t quite as untameable as the figures might suggest. But it’s still bloody quick!

Power and torque have increased by 15hp and 4Nm respectively, but the previous iteration was still so quick that most riders won’t notice the difference outside of a drag strip.

In the real-world, the Rocket 3 pulls like few other motorcycles. With a simple roll of the throttle, the bike accelerates like the Millenium Falcon in hyperspace. You’ll want to make sure you’re holding tight (even more so for your pillion), because it gets up and goes like a...err...rocket.

That unbelievable torque is available in large doses all through the rev range, meaning you’re never searching for more. The result is a bike that lets you be lazy with your gear changes, ultimately making it surprisingly easy to ride. The Triumph Australia crew challenged us to ride a few gears higher than normal and see how potent the torque is at all stages. And it was.

The Rocket 3 handles well for a big fella. The fat tyres don’t help its cause, but it will roll through a corner with relative ease. This is partly to do with the firm suspension, which I’ll touch on shortly, but the decent ground clearance and clever geometry also help to hide its weight and prevent it from being too cumbersome. On a jaunt through the Adelaide Hills, our motley group of moto journos moved at a rather quick pace in the twisties.

The good vibes continue with the brakes. Meaty 320mm and 300mm discs (two at the front, one at the rear) and Brembo Stylema calipers do an excellent job of pulling the big beast up in a hurry, while the cornering optimised ABS presented no issues either.  

Electronics include traction control, the aforementioned cornering ABS, switchable ride modes, and a TFT display with all the usual practical functions. Overall, fairly standard stuff. A quickshifter and smartphone connectivity can be added as optional extras.

And at nearly $40k, the Rocket 3 needs to look sharp. And it does. It is big and brawny, but it also is crafted in a way that ensures it looks every bit as premium as the hefty price tag suggests. It’s an imposing, yet stunning motorcycle, and the typically beautiful Triumph paint schemes help too. My personal favourite is Carnival Red/Saphire Black.

For a bike at this price point, it should have all the gear. And yet smartphone connectivity and a quickshifter are both still options. Granted, a quickshifter is probably not entirely necessary on a cruiser (though it would be fun on the drag strip), but it still bothers me that it doesn’t come standard.

Likewise, heated grips are only an option on the R version (they are standard on the GT). At close to 40 large, I’d also like heated seats, electronic suspension, and maybe even radar cruise control, thank you very much. It makes me wonder what you are actually paying for. The answer is the engine. And that's probably fair enough.

Elsewhere, I found the suspension to be a bit too firm, especially in the rear. Fortunately, there is easy adjustability including a remote preload adjuster, but you still get belted around by rough roads and potholes if you’re not paying attention. That said, the firmness does contribute to the bike’s surprising sportiness, so it’s a compromise.

The R and the GT both offer different experiences. The R has a more upright ride position and is a little easier to turn. The GT, meanwhile, is more laid back and offers long-distant comfort. But while the R is sportier, the GT is a more sensible machine. No one is buying the Rocket 3 for its capability on twisty roads. If you want sport, go buy a sportsbike or a naked bike. The GT is more in the ballpark of what this platform is designed for and doesn’t give up much in the way of handling. Plus it comes with heated grips.

I suspect there won’t be many people buying the Rocket 3 as a daily driver. Not at this price point. It is big and heavy, and not that practical in tight urban environments, or any environments, for that matter.

But it’s also wickedly fun, beautifully obnoxious, and phenomenal in more ways than one. So it might be that riders will look to this bike as the second or third bike in their shed. Or maybe as a weekend warrior. Or maybe even as a canvas to build a dream drag racer. And we’re assuming those people have the cash up their sleeve.

Regardless of which way you look at it, however, the Rocket 3 is an impressive feat, and Triumph deserves to be applauded. Sure, we don't really need it. But do we want it? Hell yeah!

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 12-valve, inline triple
Capacity: 2458cc
Bore x stroke: 110.2mm x 85.9mm
Compression ratio: 10.8:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 180hp/134kW at 7000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 225Nm at 4000rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Clutch: Wet
Final drive: Shaft

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Full aluminium
Front suspension: 47mm Showa inverted fork, adjustable for rebound and compression
Rear suspension: Showa piggyback resivoir RSU with remote preload adjuster
Front brakes: Twin 320mm discs with Brembo M4.32 Stylema four-piston radial-mount monobloc calipers, Cornering ABS
Rear brake: 300mm disc with Brembo M4.32 four-piston caliper, Cornering ABS
Tyres: Avon Cobra Chrome – 180/80 R17 front, 240/50 R16

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Rake: 27.9 degrees
Trail: 134.9mm
Wheelbase: 1677mm
Seat height: 773mm (750mm)
Claimed wet weight: 317kg (320kg)
Fuel capacity: 18 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: From $38,890 ride away ($39,890 ride away)
Colours: Carnival Red/Sapphire Black, Sapphire Black/Granite, Satin Pacific Blue/Matte Sapphire Black
Warranty: 24 months/unlimited kilometres