At 77 years old , l got a 2020 Kawasaki W 800 Cardinal Red Retro Street…..it looks like half 1958 Road Rocket and half Triumph 110 …it’s a work of Art….I passed my bike driving test 61 years ago.
Here's a couple of quotes I like to share: You only live once and you're going to be dead a long time. So chase your dreams & have some fun. (Ken Kaplan) You don't stop riding when you get old, you get old when you stop riding. (unknown) Hope you got a chuckle, or gained something beneficial!
Summer of 1972; I used to hang out at a local BSA/Triumph/Bridgestone motorcycle dealer, I was 17 at the time and had a real Jones going for the '72 Rocket Three sitting in the showroom (was identical to the one in this video, I'm in the US). I'd always loved British bikes and wanted to buy one as soon as I was 18 (Mom and Dad wouldn't sign for me to get one as a minor). I turned 18 at the end of that summer and was hoping and praying that the Rocket would still be there, it had languished in the showroom for several months. Sale price was $1800. There were also a new Lightning, and a new Bonneville, both with the oil in the frame and modernized looks. I hated how they looked and wasn't interested in either one, I really wanted the Rocket Three, but it was just out of my reach financially, and insurance was going to be high. No matter, it sold about two weeks before my birthday, and the dealer wasn't getting any more of them. My fallback, the one I ended up buying, was a new '72 Daytona 500. Triumph had not "upgraded" the classic look on the smaller bike; I loved the looks, it still sounded great, and in all honesty, I would probably have killed myself on the Rocket. I really came to love that twin, and did several long trips on it over the next couple of years, before I got the yearning for something faster. I'll always have a place in my heart for the British Twin because of that bike.
I like your funny name and reason for same. Best old boys T Shirt I have seen is: "This nap is not going to take itself"! - does that make sense the older we get? sure does
Thanks so much.Absolutely gorgeous.I'm 74 and have lived in Madrid for the last 46 years, but I well remember my youth and all the great Brit blkesSo nice to see you chaps maintaning these "Glorys" Jeep well and all the very best.Graham
The name is right on too. That BSA was a rocket. It's a Lightning with a big kick in the pants fast. Right on, sound was glorious with straight pipes. Man, do I miss the 60s. Thanks for bringing back memmories.
Great video, love the view from the handlebars & of course, the sound. It's too bad that BSA-Triumph wasn't more decisive about getting triples developed better on the market sooner, they missed a golden opportunity to be ahead of the Japanese . The story of the triples shows what went tragically wrong in the British Motorcycle Industry.
I love the faith Dave has in the brakes, "use your heels use anything" that takes me back to the good old days when people and the police weren't to precious.
I had a 1955 A10, a 1967, BSA 250 C 15 and a 1969 BSA, a 65 thunderbolt and always wanted a rocket three, but never quite got there…. Gorgeous rare motorbikes….
That does sound brill ! I live in Wisconsin and I packed in biking last year (again !) (Kawa 1000)... Climate is awful coz its either pouring sweat 95 degrees (F) with mosquitoes, or MINUS 30F (62 below freezing). The roads are flat and grid pattern (no bends). The other bikers are harloids and strut (waddle) around making out they are tough. I passed my bike test in Harrogate in March 1964 and Tampa Florida in 2008... Brit bikers complain about the rain but the rest of it in da yookay is top banana !
Full screen - and I was back on my bikes in the 70s. I lent my Honda 750 K2 to a friend and in turn, he lent me his Rocket 3 for the day and off we went. He was determined to dislike my K2 and I was equally determined to dislike his BSA; but at the end of the day, we both came back with a different point of view. Happy days and thanks for sharing this.
Thanks Dave, yesterday we had a full day out on a 73 Commando and BMW R90s a day as you have just described Watch this space I am currently editing Cheers Mike
I know what you mean about the brakes,a friend brought his gs 1000 over to visit me on the IOM took it for a couple of quick spins, fell in love with the brakes,what an eye opener light years ahead of the old clunkers I was used to.
My mechanic in Michigan let me ride a '69 Rocket 3 that he had. Set out to go around the block but was gone for good while as it was totally captivating ride. Always liked the Buck Rogers exhaust with the "bread box" tank myself.
I remember taking a friend's Triumph Trident for a spin. I loved it. Not too many years later I bought a 1977 Triumph Bonneville, and it too was fantastic. Great memories.
I had 3 Tridents and sold one to a guy in New Zealand. Still have the 71 Trident and I noticed the same front brake as the Rocket Three. They are wonderful bikes, sound different from the twins and are a lot of fun to ride. I also put an electronic ignition on the bike. One kick after you tickle the carbs. Still have the Amal carbs. Have other English bikes so I am used to them. No complaints about the bike. Like the 75 Trident which was actually a BSA with 5 speed and electric start. People tell me I can install the electric start on the Trident. Will just put up with one kick instead of modifications to install electric start. Take care and ride on.
The BSA and Triumph triples were a gift from England to the world. I never owned one, but I did buy a new Bonneville. The triple was just too expensive for this young dad with 3 cute rug-rats depending on me!
I had the last BSA ever produced. It was an A65 Lightning, with small tank. It had been exported to California, and I reimported it in bits. Then found it had a special engine and frame number, indicating it was the last of the last. I sold it into North Wales. R
You talk about the 70s bike which I never saw. We had a 3 cylinder bike here in the States in 69. My pictures of it were destroyed way back in a break in and vandalization that took place. Those bikes weren't around long. A one year thing I believe. Yes, the bike you are videoing is a complete different animal than what we had. It looked just like the 69 Lightning but with three cylinders-hence the name Rocket Three. Triumph then revived it after BSA went bust.
Well that's nice to see i had the same bike new in 1971 but with a white frame and orange and crome tank. I put other exhaust on the bike With three little pipes on the end That sound was incrideble. I had more three cyl the trident and built one with a rickman frame Now i am 70 and have a thruxton 1200 r Stil like the style of a british bike.
I had a 1972 A65L and was so ugly so put a tank from one of these 1971-72 A75's on it. If I had an A75 would attach a 1973-83 Triumph T140 front end for the disk brake like I did on my '72 Lightning. You can also buy e-start kits and convert to 5 speed to end up with T160 specs. (A very few A75's had 5 speeds) I actually own a T160 with an 850 kit (lots of torque) and PWK carbs and Boyer ignition but have spent a small fortune on it and have had to spend 20 hrs of wrenching for every hour of riding. Leaks oil from several places, not a lot but enough to stain the chrome on the exhaust. Maybe I will put one of those chrome tanks on it. The clutches on the 1968-76 Triumph and BSA triples can be a nightmare.
Yes Don, I was a Marshal at Castle Combe 1967, 68, 69, and saw Percy on the 500 Daytona Triumph, and then for the first time on the Works Trident, he blew the Track record into the weeds. 88 mph to 93 I think it was.
Hi from New Zealand. I was 13 when the Rocket 3 came out and it HAS to be the best sounding bike ever. 10 yars ago and I saw the first one i had seen for years and the rider pulled up for a coffee, we talked and when he left I asked him to Give it a rap, and he did, bloody purring it was. Such a great sound, gotta be the GOAT.
Bought a 1972 Trident from a buddy. He’d made it into an 867 with Routt barrels, put clip ons and rear sets, Jardine 3-1 header, with Dunstal quarter fairing on it. A totally awesome ride. Very quick and fast for the day. I put it back to cosmetically close to stock, and sold it to a collector friend when my kids were young. A friend of mine in Kamloops Fire Rescue, had the identical bike to this one. They were wonderful! (Note to younger folks, Trident cylinders were vertical while the BSA triples were slanted 23* forward.)( except the later Craig Vetter designed triumph which used the BSA engine)…..😉
My first visit to the Manx was in 2012, after buying tickets for the pits grandstand, the howl of the Honda 4s at full throttle was almost ear splitting, MV 3s were loud, but not harsh, we heard something much different coming our way, on full chat, a beeza Rocket 3, what an awesome sound, we didnt have long to wait when a second beeza 3 , again on full chat flew past in an orchestral whaling yowl, best way I could describe it, I believe one of the bikes was an Australian team.
We were at the TT in 2013 and we heard John McGuiness preparing the Paton fo the upcoming Classic they let him take it out for a lap, my ears were bleeding from the sound it was so loud, we were also at the classic the year they did the Norton Rotary lap and we watched all 7 leaving the start line ....... crikey !!!
@@LemonDrizzleGang Would you believe it, I was in Nobles Hospital that year, old man troubles, I couldn't pee! I wanted them to let me out to watch Norton rotories, they wouldn't wear it, I did hear them tho. They were in no hurry to see me I was in there 3 hours in agony passing blood, they gave me some pills, take only 1 a day till they are all used. Stepping out side a second 💊 went down my throat haha.
Yes it is, I had a couple of tridents in the day and even the tappet rattle trilled me, particularly on the overrun Not an easy engine to keep tuned and serviced but what a feel, what a sound , a little like a Le Mans winning jag xk on song.
Nice video, thanks for uploading. As a BSA man (owner of a 1952 A7 Star Twin) always fancied a go on a Rocket 3. This video makes me want it even more.
I had to stop the video briefly because of envious sickness . The sound and looks were totally overwhelming. I was 14 back in 1972 wonderful bikes back then. Great to see this Beautiful bike, thank you.
I'm still in love with the BSA Lightning and love the sound that comes from those twin pea shooters. I have a friend who owns 47 motorcycles most are BSA's and Triumphs, He owns six or seven BSA Rocket III and six or seven Triumph Tridents. He also has several Triumph TRX's that I never heard of until I met this guy. He also has a MV Augusta, a six cylinder Benelli, a couple Harley Davidsons, Excelsior/Henderson, Indian Chief, and many others. The Indian and a couple of the Bonnevilles have been professionally restored and they are beautiful. But the one that tickles my fancy is still the 1966 BSA Lightning.
@@grahamt33 I know the newer bikes are a lot better thanks to the counterbalance shafts taking the vibrations out, and it's been a long time since I rode an old BSA, but that 360 degree crankshaft makes the most beautiful sound. Alll the newer twins are 270 degree except for the Kawasaki W800. If you look at the crankshaft of a W800 it looks just like a "W". Both pistons rising and falling together. I love ALL motorcycles and if I were to buy one today I can't tell which one it would be.
@@genegoodwin8925 Hey Gene - Thanks for the reply - very interesting. I well remember my rides on a Thunderbolt [!] and later I owned a T140V - that was not exactly vibration free but ok if you maxed at 70mph - beautiful torque though - I sold it for a transalp and regret it to this day !
Watched it again, all the way through. I loved the sounds and the commentary, but the countryside was awesome! You don't get close villages and hedges in NZ, more open wide roads, better visibility and open corners to enjoy. Have been in UK twice, need to enjoy some of Wales and Shropshire next time!! Typical old BSA/Triumph engine thrash and clash noise but brilliant exhaust! Thanks. The bike looked gorgeous.
Thanks for watching - i lived in Aus for 25 yrs and The Adelaide Hills reminded me of north Wales, I spent 3 months in NZ (north island) beautiful country you have there .. and good beer - cheer Mike
.......well.......anything more than one is multi................but then I know what your getting at..Think some one made short runs with Austin Seven engines..
Without a doubt one of the best sounding bikes ever, this is the reason Triumph have kept the threes going! My Brother in Law and his mate purchased a Triumph 750 Trident Rickman oil in the frame, with a three into one and a letterbox fairing in the 80s/90s, they raced it mainly in the North west, and I had the luck to give it a wallop a couple of times, mainly on private roads, as you can imagine with the 3 into 1 and an open pipe it sounded amazing.
A mate of mine in Wales has a Rocket 3 sitting in his living room. Never registered, never ridden, zero miles on the clock and like a brand new showroom machine.
@@LemonDrizzleGang Yes, he has bikes. He lives near Newcastle Emlyn, great roads around there. We used to be truck drivers at the same company, damn we had some fun. I haven't seen him for years as I live in Australia, currently under house arrest ;-))
@@aussiesam01 Stunning part of the world we are further north Gogledd Cymru, I lived 25 years in Australia but moved back a few yrs ago with my Aussie wife and kids - we went through the covid lockdown for months here so sympathise with you - cheers Mike
A great narritive by the owner and your "Isle of Man" ride along, was a desperate video game for me. As an American I was muscle memory twitching for the brake and twisting back a damn throttle! You've no "side of the road" there... Yet I will enjoy every of your videos! I purchased a Norton 750 Commando new in 1972 and wish to do the same with a used Triumph, Norton or Guzzi as you provide the most excellent research. Thank You, Lemon Drizzle Gang
The best sounding Trident I ever owned had a straight through 3 into 1. Had to be very careful starting it outside the girlfriend’s house late at night. Use to push it down the road and annoy her neighbours!
In my opinion the 1975 Triumph T160V Trident, with the euro spec handlebars, is the best looking motorcycle ever made! Love the howl of that three cylinder!
The prettiest of all the triples was the X75 Hurricane designed by Craig Vetter. I do agree with you the T160 Trident was also a great looking bike. I own a Rocket Three export very similar to the bike in the video but mine has the Dove Grey chassis colour whereas this bike here is black chassis.
I purchased a new 75 Trident in about 77. It being a leftover. I got it for $1995.00 US. The point that sold me on it was the sound. Nothing in the bike world at that time sounded like it. I used to think it sounded a lot like a Ferrari. Unfortunately I was young and it soon slipped out of my hands with low miles and looking showroom fresh. That bike was smooth, fast ( for it's time, I saw 125+ several times), and handled good. It was however, heavy compared to my Bonnies I previously had owned. I had a 69 T120 with Bob Chantland 750 aluminum barrels and "R" cams that was just as fast and handled better. Sure wish I had them back now.
When I had one of these in 1972 (ish) I put a Trident front end on it, complete with disc brake - what a difference! Also, I heard your reference to Richard Darby at 3D Motorcycles in Wolverhampton. Amazingly, about thirty odd years ago he was a really good mate of mine & we lost touch. I now have his contact details so I will give him a bell. Thanks so much for that.
Back in the 70's I had a chopped BSA gold flash & my friend had a Triumph Trident with a turbo charger on it. after a brisk ride at night the exhaust used to glow red hot on that Trident. Sadly it was too much for him. But we did have some great rides together (not that I could ever keep up with him).
I'm always amazed at how many export models made their way from the USA and Canada back to the UK. If you're buying one make sure it was shipped to the US or Canada.
We had a ‘71 R3 back in the day. Glorious sound. You didn’t mention what happens when you get to 4000 rpm and it takes off like a….Rocket! Caught me out the first time I rode ours. That grab bar at the back is your last hope to stay on 😺
I've never had the chance to ride a triple, but they sound great, and it's nice to ride vicariously, along with you. Thanks for these videos! I just closed the shipping on a 750 Triumph, so I'm riding high right at this moment!
The reason that I have a (Triumph) triple now is because back in 1975 I heard a Rocket3 with open pipes roaring through Bristol, with the sound echoing off the tall buildings...
Yep that sums it up - though looking out of my office window on a wet Welsh day its more Rain on goggles Feet like blocks of ice Desperate for a cup of hot tea Cheers Mike
I think that same Twin leading shoe front brake was on my brothers' 650 Lightning setup as a Cop bike in NZ (late 60's 1970 odd), with the oblong greenish tank, you really had to pull on the brakes and then they were all or nothing - had a tendency to tighten and give suddenly good braking! Thanks for the vids and especially the sounds!! Don't mind the music either :) Graeme
Enjoyed that thanks for taking us on the ride. I have a genuine 72 R3 UK model. I converted my front end to a twin disc set up and AP racing brake calipers transforms it. I have a front conical hub twin leading brake on my B50 the bike only weighs about 300Lbs, you are right it works great on lighter bikes. 👍
I loved my 75k 160 triple but let's be honest the engine wore out faster than the tires did it disc brakes front and rear we're useless in the rain funny coming from a country where it's 95% rainy it hold two out of three pistons and I rode home on the 3rd piston and the Triumph shop I took it to be rebuilt get a midnight move and stole my bike and others I hope he rots in hell
These Gang videos are so cool. Thanks for the work and presentation. The possibility of translating subtitles is very important for us who know English poorly. We are no longer old enough to assimilate thousands of words with their regional derivations and slang. As you are producing at this moment, I consider the quality of the translated material to be very expressive, in this case the subtitles. I am so grateful for all this! Congratulations on top quality work. SHOW!
@@LemonDrizzleGang The subtitles I select myself. That's how I was able to understand everything that was said in the excellent videos. All you need is the subtitle translator activated. Some youtubers do not leave subtitles active. Hence it is impossible to select them. Grateful for the prompt reply.
The BEST thing I ever did to my 69 Trident was install a 5 speed gearbox out of a '73, that enabled me to run a 22 tooth front sprocket and a 46 rear. With light weight valve train components & Carrillo rods it runs up to 9,000RPM!
Ah yes, the comical hub front brake. I got really ticked off with the one on my T-Bolt, which as you say was shite even after I'd welded extra length on the arms. Blancmange or wood depending on the cloud cover. Later Bonnie forks and a disc brake restored confidence. The jury's out on whether I like the twin or triple zorst note better.
Not bad for a stopgap bike born out of frustration. The story goes Hopwood and Hele had tried to get the brass at BSA to allow them to build a muliti cylinder muliti valve modern engine for the future, but each time they tried to build a new bike they got knocked back, so Doug Hele decided to build an engine out of one and an half speed twins, the logic being that BSA already had the tooling and would give the bike the go ahead. Unfortunately this was not to be the the case and BSA once again said no, fast forward five years and BSA had just embarked on a massive reorganisation of Smallheath and the development of an entire new range of motorcycles based on a modular construction. The news that Kawasaki and Honda were building a big bike meant BSA needed something new before the arrival of their new crop of bikes., and that is when Doug Hele’s triple finally got the go ahead. Unfortunately in 1971 BSA/Triumph missed or had too few bikes to sell in the all important but very short US selling season. This would lead to a massive financial crisis and in turn attract the attention of the sharks and fraudsters and this great British engineering company was no more.
For the static sections have you thought of going up on the Long Mynd where the glided station is or up on the hills at the Ponderosa cafe near Llangollen? When the suns out and the sky is blue it’s gorgeous scenery. Although on a weekend it does get busy
Wow Cool, 2 videos in succession guys riding triples in the Sunshine!! and in England!! Amazing. Except for the hedges right up to the road, you guys could be riding in Horstraylya.😁 And what do you know, Ive got a restored '71 CB750 and a mint '74 T150v. If I park them next to each other, they start to rumble.
The reason those bikes sounded so good, especially when the revs got up, was that they had true hemispherical combustion chambers. Modern bikes have flattened cylinder head chambers to accommodate 4 valves and just don't sound the same.
Makes no difference whether the camber is produced by the piston or the head the chamber has the same volume. The main reason is stroke length. This has been getting shorter till it's over square. Allows for higher revs and minimises inherent vibration that long stroke engines had.
I'd vouch at the introduction of the BSA Rocket 3 in Daytona they took three bites out of the crate put them together on the infield and random around the banks of Daytona at 130 miles an hour completely stock mufflers and everything
