2006 TRIUMPH ROCKET III Complaints

The contact owns 2006 Triumph Rocket III. The contact stated while riding the motorcycle at approximately 50 MPH, there was a vibration. The contact noticed the rear output shaft bearing assembly had deteriorated. The contact also mentioned that the shift lever was loosened and not installed properly. The contact made it safely to the destination. The contact notified a local dealer and provided the dealer with a video of the failure that was experienced. The motorcycle had not been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The output shaft bearing part was ordered by the contact. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 14,000.

TRANSMISSION DANGEROUSLY JUMPING OUT OF GEAR BETWEEN 1S AND 2ND, HITS NEUTRAL SPOTS UNDER POWER. ADDITIONALLY GETTING DANGEROUS STEERING SHAKE BETWEEN 45-25 MPH DECELERATIONS. BIKE HAS UNDER 9,900'MILES. DEALER FOUND A TRANSMISSION OIL SEAL INSTALLED BACKWARDS BY FACTORY, UPON TEAR DOWN/DIAGNOSIS OF TRANSMISSION TRIUMPH SO FAR REFUSES ANY HELP, BIKE TOO OLD THEY SAY. BIKE IS A $6,300 TOTAL LOSS' DUE TO REPAIR COST EXCEEDING $6,400+ FOR TRANSMISSION ALONE.

FIRST NOTICED AFTER PURCHASE IN 2013 WHILE SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, THE MANUAL FIVE SPEED TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF SECOND GEAR. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME, UNDER VARIOUS LOAD CONDITIONS AND ROAD HAZARDS. SPEAKING WITH TRIUMPH CORPORATE SERVICE, THEY RECOGNIZE THE FAULT, HAVE RECEIVED THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS WORLD WIDE, AND OFFER ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, A PART UPGRADE AS A REPAIR. THEY DO NOT HOWEVER COVER LABOR TO EFFECT THE UPGRADE AFTER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY PERIOD. NOT EFFECTING A RECALL AND PUTTING THOUSANDS AT RISK. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AS IT CAUSES ERRATIC MOTORCYCLE BEHAVIOR WHILE IN TRAFFIC. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TRIUMPH ROCKET III MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,300.

TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SOUND LIKE A TURBOCHARGER WHILE RIDING IN 5TH GEAR. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP LIGHT THE SHIFT PEDAL WAS LIMP, I HAD TO PULL IN THE CLUTCH HANDLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. BY APPLYING AND RELEASING THE CLUTCH I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. THE TRANSMISSION IS STUCK IN GEAR AND THE SHIFTER MECHANISM DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THIS I WILL HAVE TO PULL THE ENTIRE MOTOR OUT AND SPLIT THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE CRANK CASE. I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS BIKE CHANGING OIL AT HALF OF THE RECOMMENDED INTERVALS, I HAVE OWNED THIS MOTORCYCLE SINCE MARCH 2006 AND ONLY HAVE 12000 MILES ON IT. THAT IS ONLY 2000 MILES A YEAR TO HAVE SUCH A COSTLY LABOR INTENSIVE PROBLEM AT SUCH A LOW USAGE AS WELL AS DEFECTIVE STICKING OF GEARS THAT I READ ABOUT IN BLOGS FOR SIMILAR MODEL YEARS INDICATES AN INTRINSIC DESIGN PROBLEM BY TRIUMPH. *TR

WHEN ACCELERATING THROUGH 2ND GEAR THE BIKE JOLTS AS IT APPARENTLY SKIPPING A TOOTH ON THE GEAR. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE FORUMS AS WELL AS A WORKING WITH TRIUMPH DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND IT HAS OCCURRED ON HUNDREDS OF THESE BIKES. TRIUMPH ACTUALLY HAD AN UPGRADE KIT TO REPAIR THIS KNOWN ISSUE BUT ONLY IF IT HAPPENED WHILE THE BIKE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. MY BIKE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY ITS AGE BUT STILL ONLY HAD 8K MILES. TRIUMPH REFUSED TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE. SINCE THEY KNEW ABOUT THE ISSUE AND IN MY OPINION (AS WELL AS THAT OF MANY OTHER OWNERS) IT IS A HAZARDOUS SAFETY ISSUE SO THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX IT AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE REPAIR KIT HAS A REDESIGNED GEAR THAT FIXES THE ISSUE. SINCE I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR IT MYSELF I HAVE PAID FOR A VERY EXPENSIVE PAPER WEIGHT. *TR

2006 TRIUMPH ROCKET 3, THE TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF SECOND GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING. TRIUMPH HAS A TRANSMISSION UPGRADE THAT ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT FIX IT OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM CAN RESULT IN A CRASH IF THE TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE OR WHEN MOVING FROM A STOP WITH TRAFFIC BEHIND THE MOTORCYCLE. *TR

TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE ACCELERATING. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BUT TRIUMPH IS CONTENT ON LETTING THEM FAIL AND THEN THE CONSUMER IS STUCK FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. THE TRIUMPH FORUMS HAVE SHOWN THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THOUSANDS OF OWNERS. IF THE VEHICLE IS STILL IN WARRANTY THEN THEY HAVE AN UPGRADE KIT THAT THEY INSTALL. HOWEVER THEY ARE PLAYING THE WAIT AND SEE GAME SO THAT THOSE OWNERS THAT HAVE THE ISSUE AFTER THE WARRANTY IS UP THEY CAN CHARGE FOR THE UPGRADE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE FAILURES CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME. I HAVE READ SOME OF FROM FAILING AS EARLY AS 3K MILES ALL THE WAY OUT TO 35K. TRIUMPH DECIDED TO NOT DO A RECALL AND TO GAMBLE WITH LIVES TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET ALL OF THE PRODUCTION RUNS FROM 2004 THROUGH 2006 TO BE OUT OF WARRANTY. I CONTACTED THE CLOSEST DEALER TO ME AND HE DENIED THAT THERE EVER WAS A PROBLEM. HOWEVER I GAVE HIM THE PART NUMBERS FOR THE UPGRADE KITS AND A LIST OF WHAT WAS IN THEM. HE NEVER RESPONDED AFTER THAT. THE KIT PARTS ARD LISTED BELOW: # T1000008 FOR SILVER ENGINES # T100000) FOR BLACK ENGINES PARTS LISTED AS INCLUDED IN THE KITS INCLUDE : SMALLER DETENT ARM 2NDGEAR GOES FROM 8 ENGAGING DOGS, TO 4 SPARK PLUGS CHANGES FROM DPR8EA-9 TO DPR7EA-9 NEW FUEL SENSOR NEW SEALING WASHERS FOR OIL TANK NEW CAM CHAIN GUIDE PLUS SOME MINOR WIRING PARTS THESE PARTS TAKE CARE OF 2 KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THESE MOTORCYCLES. BOTH OF THEM CAN END IN EITHER A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE (TIMING CHAIN BREAKING CAUSING TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE) AND THE TRANSMISSION LOCKING UP PROBLEM. AS AN OWNER OF ONE OF THESE BIKES I AM CONCERNED THAT IT COULD HAPPEN TO ME AND I THINK THAT TRIUMPH SHOULD FACE THE PROBLEMS BEFORE SOMEONE ACTUALLY IS HURT OR KILLED WHEN THESE ITEMS FAIL. BASED ON WHAT I HAVE READ ON SEVERAL FORUMS I HAVE THE INITIAL SYMPTOMS WITH THE BIKE JUMPING OUT OF 2ND GEAR WHILE ACCELERATING SO IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT WILL HAPPEN TO MY BIKE. *TR

THE TIMING CHAIN HAS STARTED MAKING A RATTLE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO BREAK. AFTER GOOGLING IT I FOUND OUT THAT HUNDREDS OF OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE CHAIN BREAK CAUSING COMPLETE ENGINE DESTRUCTION. SOME HAVE HAD THE MOTOR SEIZE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. THE COST OF REPAIRING THIS IS VERY HIGH AND APPARENTLY TRIUMPH CHOOSES TO LET THE MACHINES FAIL AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES SO THAT THEY CAN CHARGE THE CONSUMER FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR

TRANSMISSION AT AROUND 3000 RPM WITH A SLIGHTLY HEAVY APPLICATION OF THROTTLE IT WILL JUMP OUT OF SECOND GEAR, IT SEEMS HARD TO GET IT INTO SECOND AND THIS HAPPENS UP AND DOWN SHIFTING. OTHER TIMES THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL ONLY. THE BIKE IS UNSAFE TO RIDE IN THIS CONDITION. TRIUMPH HAS UPGRADE KITS THAT COVER FROM VIN 000000 TO 337294, # T1000008 FOR SILVER ENGINES AND # T1000009 FOR BLACK ENGINES. THIS KIT HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON MY BIKE AND IT FIXED THE ISSUE. TRIUMPH ONLY PAID FOR THE PARTS, I WAS STUCK WITH A $1500.00 BILL FOR LABOR AND FLUIDS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE JOB. CURRENTLY TRIUMPHS STAND ON THE UPGRADE KIT IS "THE "UPGRADE" KIT THAT YOU HAVE HEARD OF IS NOT MEANT TO FIX ANYTHING. IT IS SIMPLY A COLLECTION OF PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN CHANGED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE MODELS PRODUCTION. IT IS ONLY GIVEN TO DEALERS THAT ARE ALREADY TAKING THE MOTOR OUT OF THE FRAME FOR SOME OTHER REASON, SO THAT THEY CAN PUT THE NEWER PARTS IN WHILE IT IS APART. THERE IS NO NEED TO EXCHANGE ANY OF THE PARTS IF THERE IS NO NEED TO GO INTO THE ENGINE. AS LONG AS YOUR BIKE IS OPERATING AS EXPECTED, THERE IS NO NEED TO CHANGE ANYTHING." INCLUDED IN THE KIT ARE THE PARTS TO DO THE FOLLOWING: REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT DRIVE CHAIN TENSION BLADES AND CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET. REPLACE CLUTCH PRESSURE SPRINGS. REPLACE ALTERNATOR BOLT AND WASHER. REPLACE TORSION DAMPER SHAFT BEARINGS AND SHAFT OUTER COVER. REPLACE OUTPUT SHAFT SECOND GEAR AND SPLINED DOG RING. REPLACE OUTPUT SHAFT THIRD AND FOURTH GEAR SPLINED BUSHES AND TWO SPLINED WASHERS WITH THE SHOULDER SPLINED BUSHES. REPLACE THE INPUT SHAFT BELLVILLE WASHERS AND THRUST WASHER AND INSERT A NEW SHIM ADJACENT TO FIFTH GEAR AND NEW OUTPUT SHAFT NUT. REPLACE THE DETENT ARM. REPLACE THE GEAR POSITION SHAFT. REPLACE OIL TANK SEALING WASHERS. REPLACE THE FUEL TANK LEVEL SENDER AND BRACKET. REPLACE SPARK PLUGS AND THE COILS. MODIFY THE INSTRUMENT AND MAIN HARNESS. MODIFY THE IGNITION SWITCH HARNESS AND MAIN HARNESS CONNECTOR. *TR