NORTON DOMINATOR

600cc Petrol Class 2

#364 of 5426 overall #13 of 34 NORTONs #224 of 2787 other bikes

92.6%

first-time pass rate

1.9%

failed outright

9,258

median miles at test

3,805

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2005–2025

The DOMINATOR's first-time pass rate has fallen 12.5 points since 2005, 93.1% to 80.6%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the DOMINATOR's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage DOMINATOR passes first time 92.5% of the time; by 50k that's 94.2%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a DOMINATOR

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
lighting and signalling	46	30.9	0.2×
steering and suspension	26	17.4	0.2×
brakes	26	17.4	0.1×
tyres and wheels	22	14.8	0.2×
lamps and reflectors	9	6	0.1×
fuel and exhaust	7	4.7	0.2×
body and structure	5	3.4	0.3×
driving controls	3	2	0.3×
drive system	3	2	0.1×
tyres	2	1.3	0.1×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the DOMINATOR beats 4 of its 4 closest rivals (KAWASAKI ZX-6R, SUZUKI GSF600, YAMAHA FZS600).

KAWASAKI ZX-6R 78.1% pass · 174k tests SUZUKI GSF600 77.3% pass · 143k tests YAMAHA FZS600 82.6% pass · 137k tests SUZUKI SV650S 80.6% pass · 84.6k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the DOMINATOR.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1965 (96.9% pass). Weakest: 1966 (86.2%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

NORTON DOMINATOR FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the NORTON DOMINATOR reliable?

The NORTON DOMINATOR is more reliable than average for its class: 92.6% of its 3,805 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #364 of 5426 models.

What does a DOMINATOR fail its MOT on most?

lighting and signalling — 31% of all defects recorded against failed DOMINATOR tests.

What is the best year of DOMINATOR to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1965-registered examples do best (96.9%) and 1966 worst (86.2%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a DOMINATOR last?

The median DOMINATOR shows 9,258 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 94.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.