From the moment I first saw the Triumph Rocket 3 I fell in love with it.
I was in the Lake District in Britain which has some spectacular scenery and great biking roads.
All I saw of this bike was the rear end, with its massive rear tire, 3 exhausts and a lovely burbling sound on the over run.
I have had five of the modern day Triumphs, including the 900 Speed Triple and Trident, but I have never owned a cruiser before.
In fact my last bike was a Blackbird, which I found fantastic; but also boring.
It did everything well, but unless you want to ride at 100 mile per hour all the time you never really get the best out of it, at least that was how it was for me, I know others will disagree.
From the moment you see the Rocket, you either love it or loathe it.
Personally, I love it.
It's just so big and looks so serious.
I bought one of the last "Classics", which has foot boards and a heel and toe gear shift, together with slightly swept back hand grips.
The heel and toe was a first for me, and took a little getting used to, but I soon got the hang of it.
When you first sit on the machine, for me, it was a little intimidating.
I'm used to a sporty riding position, just leaning on the bars to change direction.
With the Rocket, you have to physically turn the bars at low speed, and I'm still getting used to this.
The fact is, this is a very user friendly machine, despite its size.
It's like riding a huge armchair, particularly if you have the riders backrest fitted.
The riding position is not too radical (for me) either.
Your feet sit forward, and your arms are spread, but you don't feel that you are reaching for anything, or that your legs are too wide apart.
On the road the bike feels very "planted" and handles well.
I like the fact that you can almost move around on the thing, the seat is wide and comfy, and the foot boards mean you can move your feet around too! The Rocket produces the same amount of torque as a Hayabusa, but at 2,500 revs as opposed to 7,000.
But there any comparison ends.
Unlike the Hayabusa or Blackbird, you don't feel that the bike continually wants to climb the power curve.
In other words, open the throttle and this bike takes off, but it is also quite happy just to potter around at low speed.
Whilst the Rocket will out drag most any other motorcycle, you want to make sure that you lose some of that speed before you hit a bend! Ground clearance is limited and this is one big beast! This bike is just great for lazy, relaxed riding, but with all the punch to surprise and bring a big grin to your face - even a fifty year old man!