Buying a used dominator, anything to look out for in the engine?

[thisisnotaspoon]

I'm buying a dominator, well actualy I'm not, I'm buying a bike with the engine out of one. In particular a Suzuki RGV250!

The guy who built it seems to know what he was doing, and it all looks top notch. But I'd just like to hear anyones thoughts on checking the engine over. I heard they had issues with overheating, and being a full faired sports bike if that was every going to be an issue wih this engine it'll be on this bike! Is the overheating something that causes problems over time or something that just happens and caues the damage there and then? Does it usualy do any more damage other than droping the valve seats reulting in big clouds of white exhaust (my dad had a MotoGuzzi 500, I know what a droped valve seat looks like, or rather the resulting fog!), or is it a more subtle than that.

Can these engines take a bit of stick, or will one ridden like a sports bike be completely shagged, unlike 2-stroke parts, nx650 engine parts seem to be thin on the ground (hopefully because they never need them!).

I'm competent enough with a socket set to strip an engine ever few thousand miles if needs be, although equaly, if its bulletproof apart form the ridiculously regular oil changes (i guess big singles have a lot of piston to leak oil past!) i'd be even happier.

Any other engine related woes to look out for on these engines?

What do they sound like, I've not managed to find any others localy to listen to/look at so I'm relying on the usual noises being a giveaway, i it a rattley engine, or does it run like a sewing machine?

[Daz Max]

Unusual choice for a Supermono
You might have a few issues with the engine being air cooled and enclosed in a fairing,but should be ok.
Pictures please

[Loomesy]

These engines are pretty bulletproof if given fresh oil often, every 2000miles or so and can be ragged without too many problems, im intending to do a trackday on mine for a larf, once ive sourced some leathers.

As its aircooled and your putting it in a fully faired bike it might be worth getting an oil cooler and an oil temperature gauge, there are links to both of these in this forum if youve got a bit of time to search, pretty expensive but in your case probably worth it.
Parts are dead easy to find, the engine is used in the fmx without much change, dave silver is a good place to start.
Ive jsut had a the piston rings valve seals and valves reground for around £400, parts not being a problem, goes like a rocketship now!

Youll have to put pics up when your finished, sounds like an interesting project.

Loomesy

[thisisnotaspoon]

It's not my project, its someone elses, its done 7000 miles since the build, so hopefully it's all good. Although like anything I have it'll end up being fiddled with, oil cooler sounds likea very goo idea, and I'll probably take a log hard look at the fairing to see how much airflow I can get through it, RGV plastics are mecifully cheep so a set of scuffed plasics to experiment with should be easy enough to come by and I'm a dab hand with the glass fiber.

Looks like they were made for each other!

like a glove.................


Cyliner head mounting


I'll probably shift that black box, whatever it is to improve airflow, potentialy plenty of space under the pilion seat as theres no onger the oil tank up there.


In the sun.............

[thisisnotaspoon]

pics posted pending mod's approval

If it turns into a nightmare, I can always stick a 250 back in there and have some fun!

[Daz Max]

7000 since the build.
Can't see you having any problems at all!
Very nice

[thisisnotaspoon]

just been looking at oil cooler parts anyway, looks like a 80deg oil thermostat is only about £30 on evil bay and then its just a case of taking my pic of the 101 breakers yards trying to sell on coolers for 99p (one of the few bike components with no obvious mechanism for failiure!).

[thisisnotaspoon]

ohh. the one thing I noticed it doesnt have, theres not tachometer, I know its a single so the readlines fairly easy to judge by ear/crotch, but does anyone know how the original one fits? As far as I could tell it has all the honda ECU bobbins and suzuki clocks with the rev counter taken out,

Does anyone know of an aftermarket rev counter for the 650 engine?
I guess someone somewhere must make soething that just clips onto sparkplug leads (or elswhere) and measures the frequency and rurns it into a needle reading?

[switch]

The CDI (ignition) unit of the bike has a tacho wire, I think. You'd need Honda Clocks for that.

Also, keep a keen eye on oil temps - that's the only possible problem you'll have on this baby

[Loomesy]

I read somewhere on here that Dommies can potentially run at about 120 degrees, so youd need an oil gauge that goes to beyond this...