Triumph Rocket 3 mileage and running cost

Rocket 3's claimed mileage is 14.6 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 14–14.6 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.

Among the 51 cruisers we have reviewed it ranks 48th for mileage, 11 kmpl below the group average of 25 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 14.3 kmpl, the Rocket 3 costs about ₹6.63 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹5,171 a month, or ₹62,051 a year, before servicing.

The 18-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 257 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 1 week.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the Rocket 3 works out to about ₹67.3 per km all-in, of which 10% is fuel and 85% is the purchase price itself. Resale value is not counted; expect roughly 50–60% of ex-showroom after five years for a well-kept example.

Cruisers reward relaxed riding. Keep the Rocket 3 in its torque band rather than revving it, and the highway figure will beat the city one by a wide margin because 304 kg costs fuel every time it stops and starts.

Filling only to the first click and keeping the 18-litre tank above a quarter helps in two ways: fuel that sloshes out of a brimmed tank is wasted, and a near-empty tank on a hot day loses more to vapour. Realistic range is about 257 km, so on a 30 km commute you will fill up roughly once a week.

At 304 kg the Rocket 3 feels a pillion more than a lighter bike does. Two-up in the city, budget for 4–6 kmpl less than the solo figure.