Norton dominator is coming..

Hi nopdog, had your dominator crankcase breather kit installed? I've checked a picture of this domi and there's an air oil separator. In the case you had oil in the air box issue even with kit installed (tsb00014 ?) what do you mean "let the bike breath?". You put racing filter? Thanks a lot, i feel closer to this bike!
 
What a bunch of winging shite. Let the bike breathe. Norton can’t do that as their hands are tied under euro emission controls. If you can’t do it yourself take it to an old, small engine spanner man. It’s a beautiful old school style engine. Mine is f..king superb. At purchase I had the worst oil in air box issues that became an easy fix by getting the engine to breathe to the atmosphere.
Triumph after one year look like they’re 10 years old.
Stop expecting Norton to wipe your arse for you!!!!!
That’s my rant for the month but I think I’m done with this site as there has been nothing constructive about repairs/maintenance on it for some time.
Simon,
Come on now, if you had bought a bike from any other manufacturer for the price you paid, you would not expect to be fixing issues from day one.
Ducati, BMW and others still produce air cooled motorcycles and although they also have some issues, there is no way owners would be pulling them apart and fixing issues when the bikes are under a year old.
I didn’t expect Norton to wipe my arse - my nurse does a good job of that!
I also did not expect to have to fork out an additional £1300 ($2450 AUD)in the first year, over and above the purchase price, for two services and transporting the bike to and from the factory for warranty repair.
 
Simon,
Come on now, if you had bought a bike from any other manufacturer for the price you paid, you would not expect to be fixing issues from day one.
Ducati, BMW and others still produce air cooled motorcycles and although they also have some issues, there is no way owners would be pulling them apart and fixing issues when the bikes are under a year old.
I didn’t expect Norton to wipe my arse - my nurse does a good job of that!
I also did not expect to have to fork out an additional £1300 ($2450 AUD)in the first year, over and above the purchase price, for two services and transporting the bike to and from the factory for warranty repair.
Back to the no Dealers scenario, will Norton be able to look after every 961,V4,Ranger and Nomad by themselves.
Service turnaround times will be interesting.
A lot of the younger riders do not have the mechanical knowledge to carry out repairs.
As written somewhere 90% of young people can’t even fit Three pin plug.
 
Hi nopdog, had your dominator crankcase breather kit installed? I've checked a picture of this domi and there's an air oil separator. In the case you had oil in the air box issue even with kit installed (tsb00014 ?) what do you mean "let the bike breath?". You put racing filter? Thanks a lot, i feel closer to this bike!

I had an oil in the airbox issue as well. My issue was on startup. I could actually see the drainage from the airbox drain tube. I had the oil-in-airbox fix installed back in 2017 and it resolved the issue. Over 800 miles since the fix and no oil in the catch bottle. I do on occasion cruise up around 5200 rpm (indicated 90mph) without oil in the airbox. My suspicion is that the problem was fixed by the placement of the one way valve in the oil pump which prevented oil accumulation in the sump after engine shutdown.

Anyway, there have been accounts of people having the oil separator from the kit being installed wrong way up. This may have an impact on the operation of the kit. Check to see that your oil separator is installed in the correct position.
 
Come on people.
You all knew damn well when you bought this bike that the dealer network was scarce.
I bought my bikes site unseen.
I didn’t know anything about the 961 except the looks and I didn’t find this forum until after I bought my first one.
To date my only problems were.
1) neutral light flicker.
Easy patch wire fix.
2) cam cover gasket causing low oil pressure light to come on.
3) headlight bulb went out on my Dominator at 500 miles.
All fixed by myself.
You only have to have common sense to work on these engines. There no more than a lawn mower engine.

Oil in air box?
Not on my 16 SF Commando.
Yes on my 17 Naked Dominator.
So what. I just empty the bottle when it get 1/2 full.
People today cry about the most ridiculous things.

If your new norton had mechanical failure, or constant electrical issues, ok I get it.
But it’s a 1970s bike with fuel injection and high quality components.
Don’t tell me that in 1950-1970s your Norton’s were flawless and maintenance free.
 
I absolutely agree with you, when i tested my 2013 commando i felt like i was riding a sixties bike fuel injected with modern brakes and suspensions. My questions were most about major issues, as my beautiful bike (the same color and rear light of my first bike daytona) never came to my garage from dealer.
 
But it’s a 1970s bike with fuel injection and high quality components.

Yes sir!
And that's exactly what Dreer set out to do from day 1.
He wanted a mechanically robust, reliable, modernized, 750/850. or VR880 if you will.
Nothing more.
 
I absolutely agree with you, when i tested my 2013 commando i felt like i was riding a sixties bike fuel injected with modern brakes and suspensions. My questions were most about major issues, as my beautiful bike (the same color and rear light of my first bike daytona) never came to my garage from dealer.
You’ll be fine. We’re a brotherhood here. I’ve learned so much from everyone here.
Don’t let a few problems turn you off. It’s a great bike and I guarantee you, you’ll get plenty of looks and thumbs up every time you ride it.
Sure, there are more powerful bikes, faster bikes, more capable bikes. But NONE of them have the looks, feel, attention and coolness of our Modern Norton.

Of all the modern classic bikes available in today’s “factory production” market.
Norton
Triumph
Moto Guzzi
BMW
Royal Enfield
Honda
Yamaha
Kawasaki
Suzuki

Norton, hands down in my opinion has the most beautiful bike.
 
Come on people.
You all knew damn well when you bought this bike that the dealer network was scarce.
I bought my bikes site unseen.
I didn’t know anything about the 961 except the looks and I didn’t find this forum until after I bought my first one.
To date my only problems were.
1) neutral light flicker.
Easy patch wire fix.
2) cam cover gasket causing low oil pressure light to come on.
3) headlight bulb went out on my Dominator at 500 miles.
All fixed by myself.
You only have to have common sense to work on these engines. There no more than a lawn mower engine.

Oil in air box?
Not on my 16 SF Commando.
Yes on my 17 Naked Dominator.
So what. I just empty the bottle when it get 1/2 full.
People today cry about the most ridiculous things.

If your new norton had mechanical failure, or constant electrical issues, ok I get it.
But it’s a 1970s bike with fuel injection and high quality components.
Don’t tell me that in 1950-1970s your Norton’s were flawless and maintenance free.

techumseh , briggs or kohler ? :)
There no more than a lawn mower engine.
 
In my opinion for sure modern nortons are the most beautiful bikes, they make the others look unproportioned and graceless. There's one bike that has aesthetic and functional solutions state of art, is the panigale, but she wants to run, she wants to race (v8 nascar racing car sound in your helmet) and if you want to stay at legal speed becomes hotter than a nuclear reactor..
 
There no more than a lawn mower engine.

Well, maybe that's a bit over stated.
Be really cool to have a mower attachment for my 961, and cut the grass while riding it.
A dual purpose Commando.
That could make some extra cash for SG.
Love to read that MCN road test.:cool:
 
I absolutely agree with you, when i tested my 2013 commando i felt like i was riding a sixties bike fuel injected with modern brakes and suspensions. My questions were most about major issues, as my beautiful bike (the same color and rear light of my first bike daytona) never came to my garage from dealer.
Everything I love about the bike.....minus the issues. And my issues are mostly parts ised on Sportsters generally speaking....starter and tranny. The quirks or niggles are sensor or mapping issues. All that aside....its great
 
Everything I love about the bike.....minus the issues. And my issues are mostly parts ised on Sportsters generally speaking....starter and tranny. The quirks or niggles are sensor or mapping issues. All that aside....its great
Why does it matter about the shared sportster parts?
 
Why does it matter about the shared sportster parts?
As to point out that could happen to any bike with sourced parts and to not pass that particular blame on Norton. However, much of the blame does go back to the factory and dealer support for astronomically long repair times.
 
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Welcome to the club, Andrea. I bought my 2014 Sport used, but with very low miles, at a really good price, and I plan to keep it forever. But I've been a Norton guy now for 48 years, and it's too late to back out now:). My bike had some problems with high idle speeds and such, but the later models seem to have fixed most of that. I did have to go through a lot of mods to get it running properly, but now I'm quite happy with it. If you go back over the posts here, you'll find many owners unhappy with the typical problems (poor idle, oil leaks, etc.), and some with serious engine failures. But you'll also find quite a few who haven't had any serious problems, and are quite happy with the bikes as delivered. It can be pretty confusing. It sounds like the owners of the later model bikes with the later Omex ECU have a little less problems than those with the early Omex or SCS ECUs. I tend to agree with iwilson that a lot of the problems with idle and poor low speed running stem from a poor design of the idle air control system, and I did have to remove mine to get it to run properly. But again, that seems to be less of a problem with the newer bikes.

My take, from my experience and following all the posts here, is that the bike is really best suited to a Norton enthusiast, who understands it is not mass produced by a major manufacturer, and will have it's issues. It really helps if you are mechanically inclined and used to working on your own bikes. Of if you have plenty of funds to spare and have a local shop willing and able to work on your bike. If you want a totally reliable, trouble free, modern bike with great handling and performance, at a reasonable cost, with dealer service almost everywhere, buy a new Yamaha, Honda, etc. They are great bikes, but they aren't Nortons.

On the plus side, the modern Nortons are gorgeous bikes, with the best modern suspension and brakes, and they handle beautifully. The engine may sound like a threshing machine, but normally runs quite well and makes plenty of power for very spirited riding.

It would be much simpler for those of us in countries without much dealer service available if the factory would at least offer a convenient on-line parts outlet, but maybe they'll get around to that eventually. They are actually pretty good about selling parts direct if you call and explain that you have no local dealers.

Just my humble opinions:rolleyes:.

Ken
 
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