NX650 Dominator exhaust

[Thisll do]

I have picked up a nice 1996 08 Honda Dominator. Low mileage at 15,800 (but I'll soon alter that) and in really good nick, except that the silencers have some filler repairs. I'm not surprised on a 25 year old bike.
But there seems to be a bewildering range of aftermarket exhausts tro choose from. I don't want "maximum power and noise"
I want quiet, well made stainless or stainless/ally and good value. Twin silencer or single? I'm not sure.
Pete.

[javkap]

My loved ’92 Dominator came from the previous owner with a stainless 2 to 1 single Arrow Paris Dakar. Nice sound with or without the Db killer, well made, and lot lighter than the double OEM.

[Thisll do]

Thanks.

[*Touring Ted*]

I second that. I had an Arrow on mine. Nice exhaust.

If you don't mind 'modding' it's useful to know that the header pipes off SLR650, FMX650, XR600 and XR650L all fit as they share the same engine.

I've got an NX650 that I put XR650L "2 into 1" headers on with a single silencer. Modification was required though.

[Thisll do]

Again, Thanks Ted. That's all useful info.

[*Touring Ted*]

As for the modification. Some, but not all aftermarket stainless headers for the XR600 or XR650L may touch the oil drain bolt on the front of the frame.

I can't be 100% sure, but I think the XR650L headers don't but the XR600R ones do. But then again, it will depend on design.

I built an NX650 street tracker with XR600R header and a nice chrome bazooka silencer. The header did touch the oil drain so I chopped it off, welded the hole closed and then drilled and tapped a new hole in the downtube an inch lower.

Not an easy solution for everyone I understand. But also very simple fab work for those inclined.

[Thisll do]

I'm not scared of chopping and welding, but its such a low mileage bike that the original paint's still pretty good.
The headers on the bike look as if they may be stainless, rather brown but no rust that I can see. I'll have a closer look.
I know some stainless is non magnetic, but not all.
Just had a very depressing session "fitting" H&B pannier frames to use the H&B Junior panniers I've had on a whole succession of bikes. A very wobbly set up this time around and the rear brace dosn't line up by 1/2" with the subframe centre bolt.
I'm so digusted I feel like investing in the welded tube set up from the guy in the Ukraine and change to Givi panniers.

[*Touring Ted*]

Originally Posted by Thisll do

I'm not scared of chopping and welding, but its such a low mileage bike that the original paint's still pretty good.
The headers on the bike look as if they may be stainless, rather brown but no rust that I can see. I'll have a closer look.
I know some stainless is non magnetic, but not all.
Just had a very depressing session "fitting" H&B pannier frames to use the H&B Junior panniers I've had on a whole succession of bikes. A very wobbly set up this time around and the rear brace dosn't line up by 1/2" with the subframe centre bolt.
I'm so digusted I feel like investing in the welded tube set up from the guy in the Ukraine and change to Givi panniers.

I think stock headers are stainless. I've never seen a set totally rusted through. The silencers are a different matter though.

You could probably have a 2-1 Y-piece made up quite easily. Then you can pick any exhaust you like.

Most pannier frames are a pain to fit. Have you left all the bolts loose ? Sometimes you need to get a ratchet strap or a friend to help. Just be very careful not to cross thread anything.

You should see the Royal Enfield genuine pannier frames. You need to hammer and bend them in a vice to fit.

[Thisll do]

The headers are non magnetic, so deffinitely stainless.
I have fitted H&P frames to many bikes, but none have been as bad as these, for fit and lack of rigidity.

[Thisll do]

Well I went for a GPR rather than the Arrow as it came with a fit straight on link to the headers. It was dead easy to fit, but it is just too loud for what I want.
Would the Arrow be any quieter ?
The only exhausts I've seen on Ebay that give a decibel rating are Delkevic. I've found a twin silencer system from them rated at 96-98 Db. But how quiet is that?
Having bought "the wrong exhaust" once, I hesitate to spend again without more info.

[*Touring Ted*]

Originally Posted by Thisll do

Well I went for a GPR rather than the Arrow as it came with a fit straight on link to the headers. It was dead easy to fit, but it is just too loud for what I want.
Would the Arrow be any quieter ?
The only exhausts I've seen on Ebay that give a decibel rating are Delkevic. I've found a twin silencer system from them rated at 96-98 Db. But how quiet is that?
Having bought "the wrong exhaust" once, I hesitate to spend again without more info.

I've had both. If I recall, they're both noisy. But I think the arrow is the least noisy.

As a rule of thumb, the longer and wider the exhaust, the quieter it is. And of course, you want something with a baffle.