How Big is Too Big? – Question of the Day
Size does matter
Yesterday, Triumph announced the 2024 Rocket 3 Storm GT and R, the latest iteration of its plus-sized cruiser. Triumph says they are more powerful than the previous Rocket 3 models, claiming 180 hp at 7,000 rpm and a whopping 166 lb-ft. at 4,000 rpm.
While Triumph made changes to add an extra 15 hp and 3 lb-ft., one thing it didn’t do was increase the engine’s displacement, which is probably for the best considering the Inline-Triple is already at 2,458cc, or 2.5l if you prefer. That’s about the same size and power of my Toyota RAV4’s four-cylinder.
We’re all familiar with the phrase “there’s no replacement for displacement,” but at a certain point, an engine becomes too much for you to want to handle. The Rocket 3 is an extreme example, but even motorcycles with engines half its size can put out more power and torque than most riders are capable of fully harnessing.
So, for our Question of the Day, we ask: how much of an engine is too much for you?
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Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
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Depends on the purpose of the bike. Two up full on touring requires size, comfort, wind protection, electronics & luggage and as a result power and girth.
I've had an FJR1300, a GL1500 Goldwing, BMW R1100RT, Honda VTX 1800C that I updated for touring, and am now riding a BMW K1600 GA. Granted the smaller BMW and the FJR are sub-600lb bikes, but I think none are too big, if you're able to handle them. I had a slew of smaller bikes when I was younger. I can appreciate the idea that smaller bike is easier to handle, but they're also less capable for long-distance riding.