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Honda Dominator


Lehaut
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Giving serious thought to taking up a motor bike again, whilst I still can!

Having done some research and taking into account the style of riding I enjoy, the Honda Dominator seems the best bike to fit the bill. Have a French pal who has (unfortunately) recently sold his, but is fulsome in its praise.

Insurance seems reasonable, spares/add ons are reasonably priced and available.  Wondered if anyone out there has had experience of one and if there are any owners in the 50 area who could give me a more "hands on" feel.

Thanks in advance

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Some of the earlier models had both electric and kickstart, but had reliability/ problems with the electric start. I think they tried to improve on the earlier FT500, and failed, and so the early 'Dominator' model had this problem as a carryover. Later models, I think, had an electric start only, and are more reliable.

Aitch

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[quote user="powerdesal"]I know very little (ok - nothing) about modern motorcycles..

Did Honda buy Norton and hence entitlement to the Dominator name?

There was only one Dominator and that was Norton, with the featherbed frame. Where did it all go so wrong??????
[/quote]

 

Perhaps it didn't go wrong - perhaps it all went right!

In the seventies my RD 400 used to eat Norton Commandos.

Look at the marvelous bikes available today - it's calles survival of the fitest and the English were just to stupid to invest in the future.

Even today the Norton name is still lurking around attached to speculative models that may or not see production.

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You may well be right Dog, however, I have no idea what an 'RD400 is, or a Norton Commando for that matter.

My motorcycling days effectively finished in the late 60s.

The question remains though, did Honda buy Norton and hence gain entitlement to the Dominator name?

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Brand names lapse if they are not in regular use even if patent is registered. Depending on age - is an Imp a Hilman or a Riley, Who owns Alpine or Sprite.  The complete debacle Ford made of Sierra.The total mess Granada TV made of their action against Ford. The Volvo Amazon etc. 
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  • 3 weeks later...
Thanks for the replies.  No suitable Dominators in our area, could not face driving 100's kms looking at ones on the 'net.  Ended up with a Suzuki DR 650 instead, one of the Dominators rivals.  So far great fun! 
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I suppose unique identifiability is a factor ie a Norton Dominator is not the same as a Honda Dominator therefore to have a pitched battle the makers names should be the same also?

Seat Make a toledo so did triumph

Suzuki Built a GT series of bikes so did Kawasaki

Suzuki built a TS range...so did MZ

Panther built bikes...Panther build cars..

There will likely be hundreds of others....maybe a new French Forum game!

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[quote user="Dog"]

Look at the marvelous bikes available today - it's calles survival of the fitest and the English were just to stupid to invest in the future.

[/quote]

Not totally true Dog, a certain John Bloor invested a large part of his personal fortune and now has a very successful british marque. They are producing a wide range of machines and, more importantly selling them, worldwide.

A real success story.

Details here

.

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Sunbeam  / Rapier have been PCT Rootes names for years.  In Europe Rootes Begat Hillman (Sunbeam being their sporty division in the 60s and hence the Rapier) which begat Chrysler (Sunbeam...I had one with a Hillman imp engine at the wrong end! The ally engine was designed for a water pump originally not a car) which begat Talbot  who are the T Part of Peugeot Citroen Talbot and therefore the tenuous link back to your old Rapier is established. I fank you.............
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[quote user="Bugbear"][quote user="Dog"]

Look at the marvelous bikes available today - it's calles survival of the fitest and the English were just to stupid to invest in the future.

[/quote]

Not totally true Dog, a certain John Bloor invested a large part of his personal fortune and now has a very successful british marque. They are producing a wide range of machines and, more importantly selling them, worldwide.

A real success story.

Details here


.
[/quote]

 

Sorry should have made it clear that I was posting about demise of the British motorcyle industry in it's heyday not the resurrected marques.

Living not far from Hinckley we used to see disguised test bikes.

Sadly a lot of parts of the modern Triumphs are made abroad and assembled in UK.

France still has some interesting bike manufacturers like Voxan.

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The Dominator Saga.

 

The Norton Villiers Triumph group, which also consisted of AJS and Matchless motor cycles ran into trouble in the 70s.

The group was then taken over by the Manganese Bronze Holdings Company, from Coventry in the early 1980s.

The only 2 surviving names are Triumph, now based at Hinckley and owned by John Bloor and of course as previously stated the Norton plant at Lichfield Staffs. I don’t know very much about Norton yet, but the name had always belonged to the above company, so No Honda do not own the name of Norton.

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[quote user="Dog"]

Sadly a lot of parts of the modern Triumphs are made abroad and assembled in UK.

[/quote]

As in just like every other manufacturer of both cars and bikes in the world today, without exception.

It doesn't necessarily reduce the quality of the product, it just keeps the pricing competitive.

.

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[quote user="BIG MAC"]Sunbeam  / Rapier have been PCT Rootes names for years.  In Europe Rootes Begat Hillman (Sunbeam being their sporty division in the 60s and hence the Rapier) which begat Chrysler (Sunbeam...I had one with a Hillman imp engine at the wrong end! The ally engine was designed for a water pump originally not a car) which begat Talbot  who are the T Part of Peugeot Citroen Talbot and therefore the tenuous link back to your old Rapier is established. I fank you.............[/quote]

Most enlightening, thank you.

 

 

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