Triumph Rocket 3 Storm

Overview
If bigger is better, then the Triumph Rocket 3 must be one pretty great motorcycle. Displacing 2,458cc—that’s nearly 2.5 liters, America—Hinckley’s three-cylinder power cruiser is the largest-displacement production motorcycle this side of a Boss Hoss. Despite the adage, bigger isn’t necessarily better, especially when we’re talking about motorcycles. So it’s all the more impressive that the Rocket—weighing a hefty 700 pounds and occupying a fair corner of your garage floor space with its 66-inch wheelbase—is still a great motorcycle.

For 2024, Triumph gave the Rocket 3 Storm R and GT matte black engine finishes, two-tone paint, and weight-saving 10-spoke cast wheels. More significantly, it increased claimed output to 180 hp and 166 lb.-ft. of torque. Let that last number gestate for a minute… OK, you good? Suddenly the long wheelbase and 240-section rear tire make sense, right? While the Rocket gives plenty of stats with which to impress your mates, on the road, typically Triumph manners make the stats (almost) irrelevant. It’s a motorcycle you can actually live with. An adjustable Showa 47mm inverted fork and fully adjustable Showa shocks are paired with Brembo M4.32 brake calipers with cornering ABS. The Rocket has four ride modes that adjust traction control, ABS intervention, and throttle response. Hill hold control and cruise control come standard. We could argue the Rocket 3 is a great motorcycle despite, not because of, its inescapable presence, but that would sort of be missing the point. After all, you buy a Rocket because you want to know what 166 lb.-ft. of torque sent to the rear wheel feels like.