In September of 1968, the Rocket 3 went on sale, along with the Triumph Trident, Honda 750, Norton Commando and Kawasaki 500. Every one of these bikes was quicker and faster than any mass production bike for sale the year before. Never had there been such a jump in performance across the board in everyday production bikes. What a year!
And the Rocket 3 was the fastest clocking 131.8 mph during speed distance tests at Daytona, if I remember correctly it covered over 100 miles at that speed before they ran out of time.It stood till 1972 and the Z900
The BSA ROCKET 3 was my first bike when I was in the Airforce in 1976 in South Africa. I wish I never sold it. Today you just can not get it in South Africa. It sounded beautiful with those exhaust pipes and was a crowd puller.
Can tell all the people looking at this the Triple BSA -- Trident were a faster bike than the CB 750 four and so was the Commando. Z900 was fast but no match for even a 650 Triumph on tight bendy roads, If there ever was a nut case Motorcycle it would have to be the Kawasaki 500 mac something. Two stroke madness , no brakes.I wobbled in corners like it had a flat tire but if you had the skill to ride one they were fast for there time.. Yes I am sixty six and still ride often. 72 Commando. 70 Tiger .BSA 69 Firebird..
I remember sitting at the top of Sutton Bank, and watching a Triumph Trident and Suzuki GT750 going down. When they reached the bottom, they both opened it up - and the Trident left the GT for dead. When will that have been ? About 1979.
You might like the classic bike channel we created and we have done a proper test on this bike and many others ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u3wUnv53QdI.html
Mike Fry - I'm in the US. When I was a kid my Uncle was stationed in Vietnam Nam as a Merchant Marine. Over there he was only allowed to ride a 90cc bike. But when he came home on break he stayed at my parents (my) house. All he ever talked about was when he was done over there he was going to buy a BSA Rocket 3. He called all his nephews 'brother'. He'd say to me "Brother, when I get back I'm buying a Beeza Rocket 3". We were excited because he said he would let us ride it when we were old enough. Long story short. He never bought one because he kept shipping out and I think my mother (his sister) told him that if he brought a motorcycle home she wouldn't let him stay there. LOL. He bought a big Cadillac instead. Anyways, I never forget my Uncle Gerald and the BEEZA Rocket 3. If I were to buy an old classic it would be that one. It's why I watched your video. Cheers, ride well.
I only rode a triple once and I had the impression it was really smooth it wasn't my thing but I can appreciate it and this one has a bit of a exhaust note to it. seems very nice I hope the rest of it is sorted out
Yes Richard Casey, quite correct, it's a '72. Some of the '71s had black frames, often done at dealers, but the burgundy paint job is 72 specific. It was one of the last 110 to leave the factory (in March 72) before production finished. None of the last batch went to the states (this one went to Melbourne!) as sales were so poor by then.
Yes it is true the speedo usually has 5-10 mph higher than your real speed on old bikes. This was a trick to make rider think they were going faster than they really were.
John Hall yes I grew up being gearchange ambidextrous in the 70s but first time I had ridden one in about 20 years funny how you keep the muscle memory once moving it was fine :-)
John, today my wife and myself had a enjoyable two hour ride on a 70 650 Tiger, I'm 66 the old girl on the back is a couple of years younger and is still telling me what to do, But the leader of the not just Australia but the world said " you can still ride a motorcycle like when you were nineteen" I said very nicely thank but I would have been more fun for me if you were not on the back!!!
Weather here shocking, Kent England! Almost nothing compares to a good motorcycle ride, even with the wife on the back! Does it have the 8" TLS full width front brake and if so how does it perform? Have you seen this? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--Dq29LKzMkQ.html
I had a Honda and a BSA @ the same time and used to jump from one to the other. However I personally preferred the right gear-shift as a more balanced option when riding, in particular when braking! This system was worked out over many years of TT racing and if you look at the natural motion of the body, the legs and arms balance in opposition! But politicians and legislators many of which probably have never ridden a motorcycle know best! So dead against EU bureaucrats and their meddling especially the enforced Type Approval crap! ABS on mopeds... I ask you!
I have been riding brit bikes since 1971 but I havnt ridden one for a while the reason I asked is he has a Norton with a reverse shift and I didnt want to damage his gearbox, I have owned all sorts of bikes with different shifts but always best to ask if you are being trusted with a precious piece of engineering Those are typical british B roads and not at all scary if you are used to them Thanks for your comment
BSA Rockets were great looking bikes in the day but you had to know about engines and be prepared to work on them. They had a bad reputation for reliability compared to Japanese bikes. Japanese bikes may not have had the same charisma but they just went hard no matter what.
Seeing as how It is Christmas maybe you can do a BIG THUMBs UP for this video where I do a complete review of the bike where we have not just one but lots of shots of the bike ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u3wUnv53QdI.html&ab_channel=LemonDrizzleGang P
What a fool comment - Mike has just borrowed it from a mate, rode it perfectly well esp. for a guy who hadnt ridden an R3 before. Good lines, kept the revs up, didnt crash it. Well done Mike
Outdated when they were first hewn. Slow, stupid looking and fragile. It's like a Carry on film on two wheels. Let's be honest, I'd fucking have one too! But they were worse than shite. Gimmee a good 750 four anyday. Oilstains!!!