1960 Norton Dominator – Project Profile

A strange orange sphere appeared in the sky yesterday, radiating a small amount of heat. We were initially perplexed as to the meaning of such a celestial arrival but then the penny dropped and we realised it was, in fact, the sun and our thoughts immediately turned to motorcycles, ride outs and road trips. With our own bikes up on paddock stands, half way through their pre-season once overs and any upgrades and maintenance work required being tended to we contemplated, as is so often the case, taking on an extra little project bike because of course we have the time and budget for such frivolities… With any such hindrances promptly ignored we forged ahead, looking for something classy, something cool and more importantly, something simple. As ever we turned to the Car & Classic classifieds and auction listings to have a cursory glance at the myriad motorcycles on offer, specifying “project” as the keyword in our search and this particular 1960 Norton Dominator caught our eye.

Primarily because on the face of it it doesn’t look like a project. At first glance it appears to be a perfectly serviceable 600cc slice of classic British biking and a refreshing alternative to the Triumph and BSA fare that it was designed to compete with. You see back in the late ’40s and early ’50s Triumph was ruling the roost here in the UK and its revolutionary two-cylinder Speed Twin was a hot seller. Norton wanted a piece of the action and so in 1949 released the first Dominator. Not only did it have one of the greatest names to ever grace two wheels but it also set the trend for the company’s twin-cylinder output for decades to come.

Designated the Model 7 and Initially utilising a 500cc engine in a frame borrowed from its earlier ES2 single-cylinder bike the first Dominator used old tech, was somewhat underpowered and deemed too expensive by many, at least compared to the Triumph. Norton would address the bike’s shortcomings in 1952 with the introduction of the Dominator 88. The engine remained the same but the frame was updated to the now legendary and massively influential “featherbed” double downtube unit which was extremely stiff, providing excellent manoeuvrability. It was a revolutionary concept that immediately transformed the Dominator and whilst this was obviously a huge step in the right direction it also highlighted the need for more power. With that in mind Norton boosted displacement of its twin to 596cc, thus giving birth to the Dominator 99 in ’56.

What is it?

Also known as the Dominator 600 that’s exactly what we have available here and despite being listed as a running project it could be an easy little win for someone hankering after a classic ’60s British twin that isn’t a Triumph. A matching numbers bike with six owners from new this bike is located in Scotland and so one of those road trips we mentioned earlier could be well on the cards. It’s a runner and so could feasibly be ridden back to wherever you call home. It’s a great looking example with only 15K on the clock and at £5,500 fulfils the three criteria of our search.

Why is it a project?

Despite “starting, running and sounding lovely”, this Dominator does have a couple of small issues that would need to be addressed. For one the carburettor will need a fettle at the very least and a complete rebuild at the worst but this is not a difficult job in the grand scheme of things. It also has a small fuel leak from the petrol tank. Described by the seller as a weep it still needs to be sorted. Whether that be with a repair or a full on replacement tank. As we’ve mentioned though, this particular bike could represent a quick and easy project for someone and with some light spannering could be ready for spring in no time.

Five things to look for:

1) Engine

As touched upon the carburettor needs a fettle as the bike currently doesn’t tick over but the whole engine should be inspected with the view to treating it to a full service as the seller states that the bike hasn’t been used for a few years. Check for major oil leaks too. The twin-cylinder will probably weep some of the black stuff but it should no means be dripping.

2) Electrics

Early bikes were fitted with a magneto ignition and a dynamo but these were replaced in ’58 with a crankshaft-mounted alternator coupled with a distributor so the bike should be easy to start. It does use a 6 volt system though so switching to 12 volts is a popular update and along with a halogen headlamp makes riding at night less of a death-defying ordeal.

3) Handling

This is the bike’s piece de resistance and thanks to the featherbed frame the Dominator should handle like an absolute dream. If the steering feels off or the bike is at all unstable on the road then something serious is going on. Check the shocks are in good shape and working correctly.

4) Brakes

Here’s where the Dominator falls a little short. The standard 8” front brake is rather inadequate and many a 99 has been modified to make it more efficient so bear this in mind if you plan on stopping the thing with any degree of confidence.

5) History

There’s no mention of previous history with this bike so have a check through any paperwork to ascertain its past. You can also check online with the DVLA for its MOT history once you have the reg number.

What should you do with it?

Buy it, fix it, ride it. As we’ve said this looks to be a fairly simple project that will see you chugging along on your classic ’60s Norton in next to no time. The dominator 600 is a wonderful bike to ride thanks to that incredible frame and it will crest 100mph, should you so desire. Dominator 600s are generally pretty robust and reliable bikes too, so as long as you do your due diligence then this could be a winner. Chuck in a few choice upgrades while you’re at it and you’ll have something pretty special. We’re sure you could haggle a sub £5K price tag too.