Norton dominator is coming..

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Oct 26, 2019
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Hello Norton community!

I'm new here, i'd like to know if dominator has mkII upgrades : i'm going to buy a 2016, does this art piece suffer just oil leaks or starting issues? I found few articles about it, had a bad one-day story with a 2013 commando, and now i' m in love again. Have anybody experience with dominator problems?

Best regards
 
Mines a 2017
Parasitic drain on battery, need to keep on charger when not in use
Mine didn't have the transmission vent so take a look and see if yours has, might save some trouble down the road.
 
Hello Norton community!

I'm new here, i'd like to know if dominator has mkII upgrades : i'm going to buy a 2016, does this art piece suffer just oil leaks or starting issues? I found few articles about it, had a bad one-day story with a 2013 commando, and now i' m in love again. Have anybody experience with dominator problems?

Best regards
961 problems happen on both the Commando and Dominator.
I have both a 16 Commando SF And a 17 Dominator Naked.
The Commando has been flawless. The Dominator had a loss of oil pressure due to a blown cam cover gasket that I discovered on my own and also have a starter oil leak and also had the Neutral light flickering in the gauge pod.
Easy fixes I did myself because I live in the states and do my own repairs.
I still love my Norton’s.
Will I buy another Norton?
Well, I wanted a Atlas Nomad. But now I change my mind. My next bike with be either a Triumph Speed Twin or Thruxton RS or a Ducati StreetFighter. I know I know that’s a goofy comparison to choose from, but I’m no longer impressed with the future of Norton’s Atlas or Superlight 650.
Not when the new Ducati streetfighter is 208hp and around $22k
 
Norton dominator is coming..
How the factory installed a gasket like this is beyond me.
 
Welcome Andrea from one of the few Italians in the forum.
I have a SF 2015, after some initial arrangements it now has 3k miles and I have no problems.
The gearbox oil breather is important
 
Hi guys, thanks a lot for your answers, what do you mean for "initial arrangements"? What could happen without transmission vent? Does Dominator have MKII upgrade? Cant't wait!!! :)
 
Hi guys, thanks a lot for your answers, what do you mean for "initial arrangements"? What could happen without transmission vent? Does Dominator have MKII upgrade? Cant't wait!!! :)
2016 and new are MKII
 
I have had loads of problems on my domi naked, it got that bad I have handed it back after a court case which I won, if I was you I would stay clear of the dominator, you will just end up very disappointed like me and the bike will always have problems which will put you off Riding it, lovely bike to look at but flawed in every way. Buy a triumph instead. Second hand values are very poor also as word has got around about the realibility issues, and engine bolts fall out of the race bikes also... ridicolous...
 
I don't expect norton dominator as a reliable bike for everyday ride, and you're right to prefer triumph (but i had several charging issues in past with triple and daytona 955). But dominator defeats thruxton 6-2 6-2 in terms of pure style. And i' m searching something special: already lost two opportunities to purchase a vyrus.. which problems you refer?
 
I don't expect norton dominator as a reliable bike for everyday ride, and you're right to prefer triumph (but i had several charging issues in past with triple and daytona 955). But dominator defeats thruxton 6-2 6-2 in terms of pure style. And i' m searching something special: already lost two opportunities to purchase a vyrus.. which problems you refer?
Too many issues to write on here, and the powers that be watch this page so I need to be nice.
 
I have had loads of problems on my domi naked, it got that bad I have handed it back after a court case which I won, if I was you I would stay clear of the dominator, you will just end up very disappointed like me and the bike will always have problems which will put you off Riding it, lovely bike to look at but flawed in every way. Buy a triumph instead. Second hand values are very poor also as word has got around about the realibility issues, and engine bolts fall out of the race bikes also... ridicolous...

I can't disagree with your post and in fact have been a vocal critic myself. However.... I would describe the bike as having a veneer of problems that mask the underlying potential. There's only about an hours work required to strip the veneer off. Only problem is you really need access to the ECU, which I gained by buying my own ECU a route most owners would not go down.

If it was just another bike, I'd have moved on a long time ago. But as it's a keeper, I've persevered and touch wood have the bike running as well as any other. I just don't understand why the factory has not made the changes themselves. Perhaps there's no appetite for further investment in the 961 and all resources are going into the new range. But unless Norton say something it's all speculation.

No doubt they're improving all the time, the question is, is there enough time?
 
Ok, first of all thank you for your advices, even if it could be precious to know how to fix it, dealers are far from me. Anybody had nice experiences with dominator?!
 
Ok, first of all thank you for your advices, even if it could be precious to know how to fix it, dealers are far from me. Anybody had nice experiences with dominator?!

It's not a case of trying to find someone with a good experience. These bikes have some fundamental flaws that will surface depending on how often you ride the bike. Some are easy to fix, i.e. make sure all bolts and fasteners are regularly checked and threadlocked. Secondly there are some aftermarket bits and pieces worth purchasing like the transmission vent kit. After that wait and see how your bike performs, when it stops performing search this site, as more problems are not new problems and someone will have posted their experience and hopefully a fix. Mine is perfect now but I've gone much further than most with my fixes!
 
You mean remapping could fix cold start issues and power/torque curve and what else? Can you buy "unlocked" ECU only from Norton?
 
I Wilson:
“No doubt they're improving all the time, the question is, is there enough time?”

“These bikes have some fundamental flaws that will surface depending on how often you ride the bike.”

I think part of the issue is the apparent high turnover of staff which does not allow people to become invested in the company. Bikes returning to the factory are then non accountable as the people who built them or sold them are not necessarily still there - would you take responsibility for someone else’s work?
Will this change with the new models?

Triumphs are great but I don’t feel as “special” as I did when I rode the Norton - heart over head of course but bikes are about emotion.
I got rid of mine because of my own inadequacies in relation to being able to put things right when they went wrong (and all bikes have the potential to go wrong) In addition I could not justify paying around £300 to get it back to Norton and home again for each fault (however minor) in addition to any costs to fix when outside of warranty - the last fault, fixed under warranty cost me a total of £400 before it was back at home and that did not include any costs to Norton.
 
You mean remapping could fix cold start issues and power/torque curve and what else? Can you buy "unlocked" ECU only from Norton?

Developing new maps has been the factory approach. The problem is more of a design fault that software cannot fix only mask. No you can't buy an unlocked ECU from Norton. You have to buy an aftermarket ECU - some people have used Power Commanders but they can't access the areas in the ECU you need to get to. In saying that I don't know if the changes I made could also work on a bike with a stock ECU - I don't have one to experiment with.

I understand your position Eijahara, being in New Zealand forces you to either figure it out yourself or sell it. For a long period we had no dealer at all! It just annoys me that they got so close to ironing out the niggles and then gave up. I remember the factory making big efforts back in 2016 to sort out the oil in the airbox problem. But nothing significant I'm aware of has changed since then other than adding the Euro 4 components. At this stage of a models life you'd expect all the niggles to be well and truly behind us.
 
I have had loads of problems on my domi naked, it got that bad I have handed it back after a court case which I won, if I was you I would stay clear of the dominator, you will just end up very disappointed like me and the bike will always have problems which will put you off Riding it, lovely bike to look at but flawed in every way. Buy a triumph instead. Second hand values are very poor also as word has got around about the realibility issues, and engine bolts fall out of the race bikes also... ridicolous...
I think you’re being harsh. Just because you had a lemon Doesn’t mean they’re all bad.
Don’t act like triumphs are victorious, their not. I see plenty of people having issues with them as well.
 
Too many issues to write on here, and the powers that be watch this page so I need to be nice.
How can you complain about your Dominator, put the brand down, then when asked what the problem was you clam up In fear of what the “powers to be” will think. That’s pretty cowardly. Sorry but true.
 
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