New (to me) Dominator

Fast Eddie · Oct 4, 2021

Looking good!

My money is on those sounding really good!

When I tried the ap noise tester it was pretty useless as it kinda capped out too early.
I’ll be interested to see how your app works out.

Vernon240 · Oct 4, 2021

Well, I'm hoping so, with the classic Dominator look!

Yea, well see on the app. I just wanted some sort of comparison, but the acid test really will be simply what they sound like and how laud.

Vernon240 · Oct 15, 2021

Well, a little update, my stainless has arrived, so time to marke out my shapes. I also used a nice new 8.5mm cobalt dril to drill out the holes etc.

Holes drilled and slots cut. 3mm isn't too bad, but still took a while, but happy with the results

so this is roughly what I'm going for, shape wise, so this weekend, I'll be going for cutting these out and finishing off!

Having removed my exhaust, I was expecting to find a crush washer or something, but not convinced anything here....

seems to be rust/residue, but nothing compressed in here....what have others found?

Found these on ebay, which seem to be right:

The description was:
PACK OF 4 49MM COPPER MOTORCYCLE EXHAUST GASKET HONDA KAWASAKI SUZUKI YAMAHA

Look ok to me.

Updates as they happen..and it could be reasonably loud!

ntst8 · Oct 15, 2021

Mine had a single crush washer each. The factory spares weren’t copper but if they fit then sounds good from here.

cliffa · Oct 15, 2021

Vernon240 said:
Well, a little update, my stainless has arrived, so time to marke out my shapes. I also used a nice new 8.5mm cobalt dril to drill out the holes etc.

Holes drilled and slots cut. 3mm isn't too bad, but still took a while, but happy with the results

so this is roughly what I'm going for, shape wise, so this weekend, I'll be going for cutting these out and finishing off!

Having removed my exhaust, I was expecting to find a crush washer or something, but not convinced anything here....

seems to be rust/residue, but nothing compressed in here....what have others found?

Found these on ebay, which seem to be right:

The description was:
PACK OF 4 49MM COPPER MOTORCYCLE EXHAUST GASKET HONDA KAWASAKI SUZUKI YAMAHA

Look ok to me.

Updates as they happen..and it could be reasonably loud!

Brackets looking good Vernon !! How are you going to finish the surface? polished, matt or swirls ?

I reckon that what you think is rust is the old copper gaskets. You'll probably need a pick to remove them as they expand as they are crushed. ( or just put the new ones on top of them).

TonyA · Oct 15, 2021

Vernon240 said:
Well, a little update, my stainless has arrived, so time to marke out my shapes. I also used a nice new 8.5mm cobalt dril to drill out the holes etc.

Holes drilled and slots cut. 3mm isn't too bad, but still took a while, but happy with the results

so this is roughly what I'm going for, shape wise, so this weekend, I'll be going for cutting these out and finishing off!

Having removed my exhaust, I was expecting to find a crush washer or something, but not convinced anything here....

seems to be rust/residue, but nothing compressed in here....what have others found?

Found these on ebay, which seem to be right:

The description was:
PACK OF 4 49MM COPPER MOTORCYCLE EXHAUST GASKET HONDA KAWASAKI SUZUKI YAMAHA

Look ok to me.

Updates as they happen..and it could be reasonably loud!

I use two crush washers per exhaust pipe. That looks like a good solution , and available for all of us to get on line.

Vernon240 · Oct 15, 2021

cliffa said:
Brackets looking good Vernon !! How are you going to finish the surface? polished, matt or swirls ?

I reckon that what you think is rust is the old copper gaskets. You'll probably need a pick to remove them as they expand as they are crushed. ( or just put the new ones on top of them).

I think a polish will be in order, as I have a hard time making a swirly/brushed finish consistent, BUT I'll give a brushed finish a shot I think!
I have been looking to see if anything is really in those ports...I've picked at a few suspect areas, but I'll give them a proper clean out, as even with my glasses (damn this aging thing!) my conclusion is inconclusive!

Vernon240 · Oct 15, 2021

TonyA said:
I use two crush washers per exhaust pipe. That looks like a good solution , and available for all of us to get on line.

Well, I'll give them a go and report back!

Vernon240 · Oct 17, 2021

On a rare weekend update..had some time, yesterday, I cut out my brackets using a thin cutting wheel in my angle grinder..making a start

Once cut, we have these..

Next up, trim to my lines using a flap wheel in my grinder. I find this method works well

and finally, fine tuning by hand

and we are left with thee beauties

just as thick as an original..top in the picture

Before you satrt, these have to be bolted to the pipes using the Norton captive nuts. Mistake in this picture is the bracket is on upside down...wondered why it would not fit!

Good, but no cigar. The bracket needs a twist in it, otherwise, bolting it up with brute for just creates tension

same to a lesser extent on the other side

Vernon240 · Oct 17, 2021

Better:

You can see the twist here

Done

The only issue is I need to M8x50 bolts for the rear mounts. I'm using 5/16 unc on there as a test, but I don't have the fancy titanium lock nuts for the UNC's so I'll go with M8 x 50 bolts. The socket heads are not an option as there is no space to get an allan key in from the side. Then it's plug in the lamda sensors..these pipes have provision... and fire her up and hear how effective those baffles are! Probably next weekend now as I'm away until Friday. the good news is that the rear of these megas are now rubber mounted, as per the standard system, but I have great fears about getting to the kick stand!

Vernon240 · Oct 24, 2021

we are all done and test ride completed.

Using the free sound meter download, here are the comparative results:

so only 1dB in it, but that is 23% louder I 'think' due to the dB scale being logarithmic.
The final look...pipes going a more copper colour now up front:

The only issue was not be able to tuck the pipes in as much as I really wanted to, as I'm using the standard mounts. This made the kick stand lever thingy really difficult to access, You actually can't see it when you are on the bike!

so I drilled out some stainless tube and persuaded it onto the existing lever with my watch makers hammer

The kick stand is now a lot easier to push up and down.

and finally, to hear what these baffled pipes sound like, a quick test with an audio recorder in my back pack:

must snip off that cable tie holding the oil pipe away from the pipes!

Fast Eddie · Oct 24, 2021

Nice work, still too loud for me to be honest but a LOT nicer sound than the open megga’s!!

Mission accomplished I’d say.

cliffa · Oct 24, 2021

Love the sound and the look, but defo a bit loud IMHO. Can you ask a friend to do a ride by and see what you think ?

Vernon240 · Oct 24, 2021

They might be too loud...but not sure. Actually, that’s not a bad plan to hear them with someone else riding by......

cliffa · Oct 25, 2021

Vernon240 said:
They might be too loud...but not sure. Actually, that’s not a bad plan to hear them with someone else riding by......

It would be nice if you could film and post it here

TonyA · Jan 2, 2024

Vernon240 said:
OK, bit of an update. Having heard that Saint. Bodycote had found a stash of 961 parts, I was able to procure a pair of the fabled Dominator off road bars for my Megaphones..which I had pretty mush resigned myself to remain unobtainable. Here is what Stu kindly sent, just before Christmas:
View attachment 111849

so off with the standard bars..which made the Mehaphones stick out too far:

View attachment 111850

Which came off with no issues..

The only issue with fitting was that the Megaphone specific mounts didn't come with the bars, but having seen issues with the original mounts cracking and the pipes cracking right up my the head, I wanted to put some compliance into my mounts anyway, so I would not have used them.

Here is what I'm thinking of:

View attachment 111852
I think I might try and add curves vs a sharp angles. The bobbin damper will change. I have M8 versions coming (these are M6), but still 15mm deep.

One issue I did notice was on the rear brake. The master cylinder orientation has to change...noted from the excellent instructions from Richard Coote, while the pedal mounted crank has to be changed to the Dominator specific version. This is the Non Dominator crank and spacer:
View attachment 111853
You can see only two M4 screws are used..and the holes have started to elongate.

The screws don't look great!
View attachment 111854

Interestingly, the Dominator crank has provision for 4 screws, as does the brake pedal..

View attachment 111855
So I have added the additional holes to this spacer and ordered 4 more screws.

View attachment 111856

I'll await the new mounting bobbins and screws then look at refining my exhaust mounts. I'll make the from 3mm stainless steel as before.

Hello Vernon , Nice work again !

jan nelder · Jan 2, 2024

Vernon240 said:
OK, bit of an update. Having heard that Saint. Bodycote had found a stash of 961 parts, I was able to procure a pair of the fabled Dominator off road bars for my Megaphones..which I had pretty mush resigned myself to remain unobtainable. Here is what Stu kindly sent, just before Christmas:
View attachment 111849

so off with the standard bars..which made the Mehaphones stick out too far:

View attachment 111850

Which came off with no issues..

The only issue with fitting was that the Megaphone specific mounts didn't come with the bars, but having seen issues with the original mounts cracking and the pipes cracking right up my the head, I wanted to put some compliance into my mounts anyway, so I would not have used them.

Here is what I'm thinking of:

View attachment 111852
I think I might try and add curves vs a sharp angles. The bobbin damper will change. I have M8 versions coming (these are M6), but still 15mm deep.

One issue I did notice was on the rear brake. The master cylinder orientation has to change...noted from the excellent instructions from Richard Coote, while the pedal mounted crank has to be changed to the Dominator specific version. This is the Non Dominator crank and spacer:
View attachment 111853
You can see only two M4 screws are used..and the holes have started to elongate.

The screws don't look great!
View attachment 111854

Interestingly, the Dominator crank has provision for 4 screws, as does the brake pedal..

View attachment 111855
So I have added the additional holes to this spacer and ordered 4 more screws.

View attachment 111856

I'll await the new mounting bobbins and screws then look at refining my exhaust mounts. I'll make the from 3mm stainless steel as before.

silencer mount: could it be mounted on the outside of the frame bracket to keep it almost flat sheet?

Vernon240 · Jan 2, 2024

Thanks Tony. The Norton had taken a bit of a back seat while I completed my Africa Twin project. Buy, strip, restore, ride to the Sahara. Mission accomplished, but needs a wash! You can see how wide the megaphones were.

Much nicer!

Vernon240 · Jan 2, 2024

jan nelder said:
silencer mount: could it be mounted on the outside of the frame bracket to keep it almost flat sheet?

That's what I thought, but adding the 15mm insulator plus 3mm steel meant it blocked the gear change. I tried to find a thinner insulator, but no luck as yet, but even if I do it this way, I can still change!

Fast Eddie · Jan 2, 2024

I’m really interested in hearing more about your Sahara ride!

Theres a pub section, or a motorcycle related section, how about posting a bit of a story and some pics in there ??

New (to me) Dominator

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