Improving a Dominator, part I - Hydraulic clutch

[switch]

Felt like an update would be good:

I had a pretty bad issue with the clutch, due to hasty mounting and bad handywork.

Before winter, I had the hydraulic clutch removed. Reasoning was that the fitting I used was not the best in the world. If anyone is still into such a thing, here's a few pointers:
- make a very STRONG mounting plate; this ensures the plate won't wrap
- make sure you use 3-point mounting (2 @ footpeg mounts + a 3rd one somewhere); this stabilizes the slave cylinder
- use a slave cylinder that allows you to bleed the unit for air.
- use a braided hose; don't route it near the cylinder or it may get damaged (mine got semi-fused to one of the cooling fins)
- make absolutely CERTAIN the rod is pushed LINEARLY out of the slave cylinder; this ensures it won't encounter resistance and won't rub against the walls of the pump.
- add a light extendeble light spring that helps pull the clutch back in; my clutch had no return past the clutch springs pushing so it was always NEARLY slipping. Heavy loads and quick clutching didn't go well together.


Further upgrading was cut short as 2 days into installing my new long-range-tank, a jeep decided to plow at 40mph into my left flank. Damage to the bike:
- rear side fairings chopped up; mounts broken
- rear tail fairing cracked
- rear undertail frame bent
- slight undertail frame misalignment (only frame part that suffered any damage)
- front fairing forwoard mounts snapped
- front fairing + windshield missing (thanks to the kind of people that give Romanians a bad name); bot pieces were pretty chopped though
- front mounting bracked slightly bent
- headlight all messed up (broken mounts, mirror and glass
- rear footpegs bent to hell and back; right top mount slightly bent
- front right footpeg bent; what the flack!?
- number plate and rear headlight broken
- topcase... can be carried in a purse -- no piece larger than 5x5 inches remains
- rear caliper damaged, unsure exactly where, because...
- bent swingarm; rawr
- suspected damage to swingarm and rear shock bearings/brushings (if any)
- bent handlebars; ever saw a Ranthal Twinwall BENT?
- throttle tube & grip damaged
- both mirrors broken (actually, the round mounts for the mirrors are missing...)
- one turn signal broken, two more with damaged housings (still 100% usable though)
- slightly bent exhaust system; no it ain't the mounts, it's the cans themselves; fixable by reinforcing the weld around the mount and re-painting the cans

I'll just have to postpone the carb and airbox mods till the baby's fixed. Damn the insurance companies!

[afk40]

so when did all this happen ?? an are ye insured... ye say Damn the insurance company,, does that mean ye`l not be goin thru the insurance.?? WHY not ?... as it sounds like ye have a lot o damage there all beit all add on parts... but surley enough to write the bike off???

[switch]

Not writing anything off, mate. Except I have to wait for a legal decision to get me money. And that means fixing it on my own wallet until that's done.

[afk40]

yes I know whit ye mean.. am currently waiting an outcome fae ma Van that was wiped out 3 weeks ago,, a nother van on ma sode o the road down this 3 weeks ago...... head on.. luckily 30mph.. but still sore yet...

[switch]

Update on damage report

Further upgrading was cut short as 2 days into installing my new long-range-tank, a jeep decided to plow at 40mph into my left flank. Damage to the bike:
- rear side fairings chopped up; mounts broken got new parts
- rear tail fairing cracked repair and repaint coming up
- rear undertail frame bent visual misjudgement due to cracked number plate mounts
- slight undertail frame misalignment (only frame part that suffered any damage) note to self: inspect eyesight soon; no actual damage there
- front fairing forwoard mounts snapped repair and repaing coming up
- front fairing + windshield missing (thanks to the kind of people that give Romanians a bad name); bot pieces were pretty chopped though police came through -- one of the cops apparently took them from the scene
- front mounting bracked slightly bent it's hammer time!!! fixed.
- headlight all messed up (broken mounts, mirror and glass
- rear footpegs bent to hell and back; right top mount slightly bent
- front right footpeg bent; what the flack!? new part underway
- number plate and rear headlight broken new parts underway
- topcase... can be carried in a purse -- no piece larger than 5x5 inches remains
- rear caliper damaged, unsure exactly where, because... no damage to caliper; brake lever was bent and could only be pushed halfway; fixed
- bent swingarm; rawr new swingarm from Germany for 100e including shipping and all swingarm accessories
- suspected damage to swingarm and rear shock bearings/brushings (if any) fixed as replacement came with good-as-new bearings; still greased them
- bent handlebars; ever saw a Ranthal Twinwall BENT? pro-taper contour
- throttle tube & grip damaged new parts awaiting installation
- both mirrors broken (actually, the round mounts for the mirrors are missing...) will have to buy a pair one of these days...
- one turn signal broken, two more with damaged housings (still 100% usable though) replaced rear signals with LED based ones, replaced relay to cope with fast blinking
- slightly bent exhaust system; no it ain't the mounts, it's the cans themselves; fixable by reinforcing the weld around the mount and re-painting the cans

So I got most of the problems sorted. Awaiting the new paint job on the fairings and then I'll refurbish the seat to match the colors. I'll be going for a black&white with red stripes look.


In addition, the clocks are broken up. And with the speedo missing, I decided to redo the cockpit. Got myself one of these babies:


Now to find a way to mount it...