AI Damage2008 Triumph Rocket III Touring: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Triumph Rocket III Touring filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 60% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 40% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 20% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (60% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While stopped at intersection, I was attempting to accelerate from 1st gear to 2nd gear had a total lose of power. Had to shift into 3rd gear to continue thru the traffic light intersection. When trying to up shift had lose of power in 4th gear also and had to shift into 5th to maintain speed.
While driving approximately 65 mph and attempting to accelerate to pass other vehicles in the left lane, the motorcycle failed to accelerate and suddenly stalled. The motorcycle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the plastic twist grip, which houses the steel cable to the accelerator throttle, had sheared off.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 triumph rocket iii touring motorcycle. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the interior clutch pin disengaged, resulting in a failure of the clutch operations.
Clutch failure on my motorcycle, which was caused by a broken internal part (lifter shaft). My motorcycle has been in the shop since that date(5 weeks now), awaiting part replacement. In my opinion this is a poorly designed part. When it brakes complete failure of clutch operation is the result.
Failure of clutch actuator assembly on 2008 model triumph rocket iii touring motorcycle. 1. The events leading up to the failure - new bike, 5000kms, loud noise coming from clutch housing. Requested supplier to examine this. They concluded there was nothing wrong.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Rocket III Touring has 2 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Triumph Rocket III Touring?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, vehicle speed control, engine. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Triumph Rocket III Touring?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 Triumph Rocket III Touring from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.