A third of all cinema-goers visit the website Rotten Tomatoes before making their pick about which movie they’re going to watch. But it’s always interested me how critics rate a movie so differently compared to the general audience. And if the Honda Dominator 650 were a film, then the motorcycle media would have it going straight to video, but reading owner reviews tells a very different story; in their eyes, the Domi is a straight-up Oscar winner. Like most popular films that are just good old-fashioned fun, the Domi is all about entertainment for everyone. It’s versatile, a cheap thrill, and every ride leaves you with a smile. This is exactly why Argentina’s Lucky Customs loves to build them, with their latest bike being a poster child for endless enjoyment.
Lucas Layum, the head honcho at Lucky Customs, has built a successful career by creating crazy cool custom motorcycles from just about any make and model you can name. So, when he received a call from a client living in the rough and rugged interior of Argentina, he knew there was one bike that would serve as the perfect base. Taking away the awkward ’80s styling, dropping the plastics, and looking under its skin, the Dominator is one of the most versatile motorcycles ever created. It features a solid chassis, and a mono-shock design, is lightweight, cheap to maintain, and boasts a super reliable thumping single to power the party.
The donor Lucas had to work with was a relatively tidy 1993 example, and the client was more than happy to let Lucky take the lead on creativity, with just a few simple requests. “The guy wanted a functional motorcycle with fenders, lights, etc.,” Lucas explains. So, with a super basic brief, he was free to get down to business. The first task was to strip all of the plastics off the bike, throw them away, and then do the same with the big stock seat and the even bigger factory fuel tank. Next on the agenda were some chassis modifications. The first would allow for a new seat to be fitted and the second, the fitment of a much more aesthetically pleasing fuel tank.
That new tank is taken from an even older and smaller Honda, a 1980 CG125, which gives a much cleaner and sleeker appearance. But it’s no bolt-on item, with Lucas having to fabricate a set of front and rear mounts to make it fit. “I made the base of the seat out of sheet metal. Then I glued high-density foam on it and shaped it. First, broad strokes with a sharp knife and then the finish with a grinder with a sanding disc. Once it had the shape, I got the leatherette in that medium light brown tone and took it to an old upholsterer who sews very neatly and makes the upholstery for my motorcycles.”
Lucas is quick to point out that just like the old guy who does his leather work, he too does the vast bulk of his custom bike building with just basic tools. This makes the next modification that much more impressive. The minimalist side covers serve largely to shield the electrics hidden under the seat and the small airbox, but the right side cover beautifully curves to work as an integrated exhaust cover, protecting the rider’s leg from any potential nasty burns. The last of the metal work was to shape a neat rear fender, while the generous front unit required some custom clamps, as the forks didn’t have any mounts at all.
But those forks were more than worth fitting to the bike, with the traditional upside-down set of Ohlins items drastically improving the handling of the old dual sport. Modified triple clamps allowed them to fit, and the fact these trick bits of kit come in black, with the same dark hue in chrome on the stanchions, adds a stylish touch. And because one good turn deserves another, the Domi also received a fully adjustable Ohlins rear shock, with the remote reservoir ensuring the internal oil temperature should always be in check. To improve braking, a new front disc was fitted, and a ByBre caliper was made to work on a custom mount.
To get the Honda rolling, Lucas laced up a set of wider rims to some new hubs and then wrapped the new wheels in quality 50/50 Heidenau rubber. As always, Lucas did the painting himself, and to keep costs down while providing a protective layer, the frame was hit with a simple satin black. But the tins received the full treatment, with a gloss black laid down as a base coat and then three different shades of pearlescent grey used to create the graphic treatment. The effect runs from the front to the rear of the bike, and he even ghosted in the old Honda logo on the tank.
The engine didn’t miss out on Lucky Customs’ handiwork either, with the thumping single treated to a full exhaust to release its thunderous sound. The header pipes are made up of pie-cut pieces of stainless, which then merge into one, before spitting from a hand-built end can. The big carb has been given a tune-up to suit the combination, with the factory airbox receiving a new filter insert. To finish the bike off, a full suite of LED lights now helps to maintain the uber-clean appearance, and a single speedo provides all the info you need. There will be critics, and there always is, but this is the sort of bike that will have the average punter ready to lay down their dollars, for a ticket to ride.
[ Lucky Customs ]