After all the exhaustive research into which upgrades to make to my LRS, I've gone and sold it...

It was not an easy decision. The clincher was a ride two weeks ago which set off a back problem I have and had me laid up for three days in agony.
It's just as well I dithered for so long deciding on what modifications to make to my bike because I could have thrown a lot of money at it and still had a bike that I didn't dare ride in case the riding position set off a bomb in my back.
Every time I rode it I was getting what I call attack anxiety, where I get warning signs from my lower back that an attack is coming on and I was worrying that when I stopped the bike I wouldn't be able to get off it.
The seat is just too low and my hips too bent for the lower back condition that I've got (ruined facet joints).

In the end I decided it wasn't worth the risk of spending a lot of money on cam, breathers, tuners, exhaust, risers, bars, foot controls etc etc, if I still couldn't ride it with confidence at the end of it.

I tried a Fat Bob. It was better but the lower back warning signs were still there. Even a Heritage felt a little too low. The only Harley I would really want would be a Road King Special, which is about the most comfortable bike I ever ridden, but it's out of my price range unfortunately.

So the dear old LRS has gone and I've got one of these:


Sorry guys, to break the faith, but my back health took the matter out of my hands.

How does the Rocket compare? In riding position it feels rather like a Fat Bob on steroids. It's heavier than the LRS but actually feels lighter. How a 700 lb bike can be this nimble and feel so light on its feet, even with a full tank of gas, I've no idea. But it does.
I'm getting just the same Harley cruiser vibe, which I love, but I can ride this all day and still get off it at the end.
The seat isn't that comfortable. The pillion pad digs into my back and I could do with more wriggle room. I will be fitting a Corbin Gunfighter seat. But the riding position is inherently better for my back, even if my butt could do with more luxury.

TBH, it doesn't feel as special, as premium, as hewn-from-solid, as the Harley. But it's special none the less, it rides and handles incredibly well and brakes are eye popping.

And then there's the performance.....

Dear God almighty about sums it up. The LRS had some grunt but the thrust from this thing is a whole other level. It's like riding a giant turbine, or a jet engine. Plenty of sports bike will out-accelerate it above 100 mph but the sheer wall of force you get from the merest whiff of throttle is like nothing else I've ever experienced on two wheels. And in stock form they're quite restricted on the ignition and throttle side. Remapped with throttle opening restrictions removed they're making 175+ lbs of torque and close to 190 bhp.

I hope I have another Harley in the not too distant future. I'm itching to get modding and tuning. But it would have to be something quite different from the Rocket as there's no point trying to compete with it in terms on performance, maybe a bagger when money allows, as it would make a proper tourer which the GT isn't really.
I quite fancy an air-cooled 1200 Sportster, maybe a high-miler as a project bike.

Until then, it's adios. thanks for the ride guys and keep it rubber side down. Until the next time.

 

This is the HARLEY DAVIDSON FORUMS. Bye.

https://www.thetriumphforum.com/
I ride with a number of Triumph motorcycles, they are great bikes.

 

Sheesh. Tough audience.

Good luck with your new bike, it’s a beauty.

 

Good luck with the new ride.

I had a similar "excursion" to another brand about two years ago. I bought an Indian Challenger and it was one of the most comfortable, long-ride bikes I had ever ridden. Unfortunately (at least for me), it was riddled with issues that had me either constantly taking it to the dealer, or tried working on it myself with various degrees of success.........Indians are designed by engineers with little rider input, IMO. Without a doubt the most aggravating bike I've ever worked on. After my last attempt to do just some simple maintenance and finding bolts that were cross threaded at the factory, I gave up. Sold it and bought my RKS that I couldn't be happier with after almost 14000 trouble free miles.

So, seriously, good luck with the Triumph. I'm actually considering a T120 for around town.......I started riding BSA's back in the day, and I worked on old Triumphs, so I'm vaguely familiar......I still twitch when I hear "Lucas electrical system", though.....

 

Maybe you should have tried putting a more comfortable seat and different bars on the Harley instead of adolescent performance mods. But I don't see how the handle bars and thin seat on that Triumph will improve your riding position or your back issues but hey, I'm not the one who'll be riding that thing so adios.

 

Good luck, ride safe .

 

good

 

Good luck with the new bike...

 

Looks like the bastard offspring of a R1200C- barf.

 

Neither of those bikes would be my choice if I had a bad back. Especially your choice of seats .

See guys with a cute bike, complain of bad back and go buy another cute bike.

Though on my truck, seat at wrong angle bothers my back. Wrong tree for stand same thing. So if this works for you enjoy. But not sure it is a triumph vs Harley thing