Triumph Motorcycles has been building Rocket 3 motorcycles for 20 years. Yet, somehow, I had never ridden one until I found myself in the Côte d’Azur on the 2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm GT and Storm R. After 150+ miles riding just about every type of road extant along the French Riviera, it turns out I was missing quite a bit. The two 2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm models are nothing short of amazing.
The 2025 Rocket 3 Storm models are the third generation of the two-liter-plus triple that debuted in 2004 under the Rocket III moniker. Before a triple configuration was finalized, the Triumph engineers, knowing the competition then, wanted a big motor. A transverse inline-four was too wide, and they were not about to go with a V-twin. A longitudinal triple fit the bill and, initially, the designers thought 1600cc might do the job. Eventually, the engine builders realized they could pack a bunch more displacement into it without undermining the design, and the 2294cc triple was born. Along the way, we saw various iterations of the Rocket III, from tourers to roadsters to cruisers.
The Rocket III name switched from a Roman to an Arabic numeral in 2019, and the new Rocket 3 engine pumped up to 2458cc—more powerful than many modern automobiles. There is no replacement for displacement, right? I, for one, wholeheartedly agree.
The latest Storm-designed Rocket 3s are muscle cruisers that, as powerful as they are, are still easy to ride, even in traffic.
The 2025 Rocket 3 Storm GT and R Strom rock 180 horsepower—up 15 horsepower 1000 rpm farther up the rev range. The incredible 166 ft-lb torque peak comes at 4000 rpm, as it did with the previous version, though there are three more ft-lbs of torque in play. Need I say that this kind of power can blast these 700-pound cruise missiles to exhilarating speeds in a heartbeat?
The sound off idle is that luscious triple resonance that so many riders love. As the revs increase, the song smooths into a lovely growl. It is never discordant, and always more musical than mechanical. It is just so nice to hear this roar all day in the saddle without it being overwhelming. It is never intrusive, always melodious, and does not make me think I need a less restrictive exhaust pipe for more dBs; it’s just right. The stylish exhaust system has stainless steel hydro-formed headers and triple silencers.
My first ride was on the 2025 Rocket 3 Storm GT. The GT has subtle differences compared to the R. The most distinctive deviation is the GT’s forward footpegs—the R’s pegs are mid-mount. With the key fob in my pocket, I powered up the triple, and it roared to life instantly, settling into that inline-3 growl.
During warmup, I bounced a bit fore and aft to get a sense of the suspension on the Storm GT, which seemed firm, though not hard. Riding in varied conditions proves comfortable. The Showa inverted 47mm fork has fully damping adjustability and fixed spring preload with 4.7 inches of travel. The rear wheel has a half-inch less travel, and the piggyback-reservoir Showa shock has remote spring preload adjustment. I was pleased with the setup from the factory, and no adjustments were required.
While the 2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm GT is no lightweight, it fits comfortably under me without feeling bulky or cumbersome. The widest portion is the headers inside my right leg, which throw off a bit of heat at a stop. Fortunately, there is room to move your leg away. The GT’s seat height is under 30 inches, and a full inch lower than the R. Also, the GT’s seat is slightly more sculpted than the R, and includes an adjustable pillion backrest.
The three-partition TFT dashboard is easy to read and has multiple setup and display choices, which will satisfy riders who like simple and those who want all the data they can get. Functionality includes a digital speedometer and analog-style tachometer, trip computer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, service interval indicator, ambient thermometer, clock, and ride modes. Triumph has stayed with the twin round headlight setup, and all lighting is now LED. The headlights sport the Triumph logo.
The GT has an easy-to-use single-rocker-switch cruise control, and its three-level heated grips utilize a simple button switch next to the left grip—both are options on the R. I needed the heated grips in the chilly French morning, and I liked the dedicated button instead of digging through the menu to activate them. The handlebar controls are straightforward, illuminated, and have an immediately comfortable feel.
The GT has slightly more laid-back ergonomics than the R. The R has a flatter handlebar bend than the GT bar, which is swept back nearly five inches. I preferred the GT’s riding position, despite my expectation that I would like the R more due to its mid-mounted pegs. But, after putting a day on both bikes, I slightly prefer the GT. Go figure.
Regarding ergonomics, the pegs on both bikes are adjustable. The GTs pegs can be adjusted forward or backward about one inch from the standard position. On the R, the pegs can be moved about half an inch down from the factory position. If you like, you can have a GT with the pegs in the R position, or vice versa. Further, the handlebars, pillion backrest, and seat are swappable between bikes, giving buyers a broad choice of ergonomic options.
When I selected first gear, I found the hydraulic clutch does not require much effort and engagement is easy and smooth—impressive with such a large-displacement motor. I don’t know the torque value at idle, but whatever it is, the triple moves the bike right off the line with alacrity. There’s no hesitation or drop in revs. I quickly rode up a hill, and the Rocket 3 felt like it was on level ground, and it simply wanted to run.
Subsequent gear changes are slick and easy, with no clunking, missed shifts, or stubborn action.
The controllability of the transmission and clutch operation make this 2.5-liter, 700-pound motorcycle feel remarkably smaller. I shouldn’t be surprised that, after a 20-year run, Triumph has this lovely beast completely tamed—that is, until one twists the throttle hard.
Some features and improvements on the 2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm GT and R are dry-sump lubrication, lighter crankcase assembly, and tuned balancer shafts. There’s also seamless ride-by-wire fueling, damped shaft drive, and an assist-and-slipper clutch. The unit works flawlessly, and I can’t envision riding this animal without one. Imagine the butt-clenching moment without a slipper if you botch a downshift when connected to an engine with this displacement and torque?
Both models run Metzeler Cruisetec tires—a 150 on a 17-inch front wheel and a massive 250 on the 16-inch rear wheel. The new aluminum wheels are each about a pound lighter than before to reduce unsprung weight and rotating mass. Given that I have no experience with earlier Rocket 3s (or IIIs), I cannot say whether this changed handling to any great degree, though lighter is often better. They are absolutely gorgeous to my eye.
Despite the fat tires, the handling is precise and requires only light effort for cruising. Both bikes utilize the same aluminum frame with a beefy single-sided swingarm. The Rocket 3 Storms share the same chassis geometry—27.9 degrees of rake, 5.3 inches of trail, and a roomy 66-inch wheelbase.
When riding aggressively, I hung off a bit to allow the bike to achieve the same turning radius with less lean, thus allowing for more cornering clearance. I did experience some peg scrapes, though when I ride cruisers, I generally determine at what angle the pegs scrape and then tailor my riding style to try to float the pegs just a bit off the deck. I found the R had a tad more clearance than the GT.
Another star of the show is the braking system. Triumph employs Brembo’s Stylema M4.30 calipers and 320 mm discs up front, with a Brembo M4.32 300mm radial monobloc caliper in the rear—that’s a lot of rear brake with the 240mm tire. Operation is always smooth and strong, with excellent initial bite and feel throughout the stroke. Throw out the anchor on this ship, and you will know just how well the brakes work. Although all three discs in concert is fine, all the braking I needed for most of the ride was in my right hand.
As part of the update, the 2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm GT and R now have enhanced electronics, such as a six-axis IMU for cornering ABS and traction control. There are four riding modes, Sport, Road, Rain, and Custom. Swapping between them changes the throttle map and traction control level.
In my first moments on the Rocket 3, my fellow riders took off so quickly that I had little time to acclimatize and did not notice immediately that the motor was in Rain mode. Yet, the GT was no slouch navigating city traffic. Once on the highway, I graduated to Road mode, though I had a newfound respect for Rain mode.
The Road mode changed the throttle response noticeably, requiring a bit less twist for even more go. There is a nice increase in power between Rain and Road. It didn’t take but a few minutes to want to sample more, so into Sport mode I went. Yowzah! It adds considerably more power and noticeably faster throttle response.
Keep in mind that the Rocket 3’s fuel capacity is 4.6 gallons, and the big triple’s claimed fuel consumption is around 32 mpg. If you twist the throttle hard, your mileage will vary, so don’t stray too far from a gas station.
The Rocket 3s can do it all. Do you want to cruise around town at 30 mph in 4th or 5th gear? No problem. Come out of a lazy switchback two gears too high? Just twist the throttle. Scorch the ground from a standing start and drag race through the gears, or do some fast transitions on a twisty road? Again, no problem. While certainly not a sport bike or sport-tourer, the Rocket 3 is a jack of all trades, leaving little to be desired from its performance under all types of riding.
Outside of its performance, the 2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm models have modern creature comforts. All models will include keyless ignition and steering lock, a USB-A charging port under the seat, and a 12-volt socket at the top of the dashboard behind the windscreen. The GT has a slightly wider and taller screen than the R. Bluetooth integration with Sena headset compatibility gives you access to turn-by-turn navigation provided by the My Triumph app. Additional offerings include hill hold (a favorite), cruise control (optional on R), and tire pressure monitoring—all welcome features. A quickshifter is optional; unfortunately, the GT and R that I rode didn’t have it installed.
I approached my first Rocket 3 ride and this test with great curiosity, and the results were fascinating. The 2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R and GT models are built beautifully with flawless fit and finish, reflecting their price tags of around $25k. Both perform impeccably and deliver a riding experience that is truly unique and highly pleasurable.
Photography by Stuart Collins, Jordan Pay, and Chippy Wood
RIDING STYLE
Helmet: Schuberth C5 Carbon
Communications: Schuberth SC2
Jacket: Cortech Marquee
Gloves: Dainese Veleta
Jeans: Bolid’ster Ride’ster V
Boots: Chippewa Rally
2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R and Rocket 3 Storm GT Specs
ENGINE
- Type: Longitudinal inline-3
- Displacement: 2458cc
- Bore x stroke: 110.2 x 85.9mm
- Maximum power: 180 horsepower @ 7000 rpm
- Maximum torque: 166 ft-lbs @ 4000 rpm
- Fueling: EFI w/ ride-by-wire
- Valvetrain: DOHC
- Cooling: Liquid
- Exhaust: Stainless steel 3-into-1 header w/ 3-exit muffler
- Transmission: 6-speed (quickshifter optional)
- Clutch: Hydraulically actuated wet multiplate w/ assist function
- Final drive: Shaft
CHASSIS
- Frame: Aluminum
- Front suspension; travel: Fully adjustable damping Showa inverted 47mm cartridge fork; 4.7 inches
- Rear suspension; travel: Fully adjustable Showa piggyback shock w/ remote hydraulic spring-preload adjuster; 4.2 inches
- Wheels: Cast aluminum
- Front wheel: 17 x 3.5
- Rear wheel: 16 x 7.5
- Tires: Metzeler Cruistec
- Front tire: 150/80 x 17
- Rear tire: 240/50 x 16
- Front brakes: 320mm discs w/ radially mounted Brembo M4.30 Stylema 4-piston monoblock calipers
- Rear brake: 300mm disc w/ Brembo 4.32 4-piston monoblock caliper
- ABS: Cornering ABS standard
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 66.0 inches
- Rake: 27.9 degrees
- Trail: 5.3 inches
- Seat height: 30.4 inches (GT: 29.5 inches)
- Fuel tank capacity: 4.8 gallons
- Estimated fuel consumption: 43 mpg
- Curb weight: 705 pounds (GT: 699 pounds)
2025 Rocket 3 Storm GT Colors
- Granite and Sapphire Black
- Sapphire Black and Carnival Red
- Matt Sapphire Black and Satin Pacific Blue
2025 Rocket 3 Storm R Colors
- Sapphire Black and Granite
- Carnival Red and Sapphire Black
- Satin Pacific Blue and Matt Sapphire Black
2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm GT Price: $25,795
2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R Price: $24,995
2025 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm Lineup Review Photo Gallery
