Rocket from the past

I really like the excitement of this 1968 road test by renowned journalist Vic Willoughby. In a world 56 years later, where the fastest bikes have in excess of 200bhp, Vic’s words are still laced with the thrill of riding the Rocket 3 and its 120mph top speed.

I also smile at the fascination then over fuel economy, possibly a hangover from rationing, or even the go-to-work nature of motorcycling – though a Rocket 3 was hardly a commuter! Having said that, 58bhp was a big deal back then, yet nowadays it is not dissimilar to the Kawasaki Er-5 output I spent many years thrashing to, round and back from work when I was a young motorcycle instructor. And that was never seen as a sportsbike.

Though more than a century has passed, a recent ride on a Rocket 3 had me feeling what a modern bike it felt. You could ride at normal, going-to-work speeds thanks to the torque and gearing. The bike likes to rev and yet that lower torque really helps around town, or B roads. Yes, this example had Mikuni carbs fitted, but it felt very well-suited to modern roads and traffic, brakes aside. And the brakes are not bad, they just are not as good as brakes as we know them nowadays. The more you ride it, the more you’d get used to it and ride accordingly.

Comfort is another big difference to modern bikes. The sumptuous seat defies its age protecting your posterior from bumps and allowing several positions when going further. But you sit with less weight going through your arms to the front end, aiding comfort until the wind gets the better of you and you start having to hold on. European-style ‘bars would be better to combat this. Otherwise, you can cruise on the Rocket 3 with ease until the fuel runs out, depending on how you’ve been riding...

The basis of this bike is looked into in more depth on page 90 as we recommission one of the National Motorcycle Museum’s latest additions, the prototype BSA X-75 Hurricane. Have a look at how we approached this gorgeous bike!