[coldice4u]

Torque looks good, i hope it doesnt require any many gear changes like the NS that i ride.
And if this doesnt have a much more pliant bike than my NS, forget touring on this, cause the NS used to ride very hard. The NS is a much faster bike then the Enfields, but where the Enfields trumps its is ride quality. So over long distances, Enfields always seem to be ahead because they can take Indian roads well.

Also I am disappointed by the fuel tank capacity. My NS has a 12 litre fuel tank, and i have never ever managed to get 12 litres in at the pumps,my highest being just a bit over 11 litres. I assume the maximum amount the D will be able to hold is around 15 out of which 13-14 odd litres will be usable. Should have a comfortable cruising range of around 350 kms, post which you will start getting worried.
Also the weight is just in line with the Enfields, will give it a good heft. You dont want a skittish bike out on open roads !
P.S> I am not a hard rider

[Motard_Blr]

Bajaj has been clever in positioning the Dominar. It's like no other bike available in India - not a sports bike, not a tourer (RE), not a cruiser and certainly not a naked, sharp steering street bike (KTM). I think that Bajaj has differentiated the Dominar very well and at that price, i think that it had a hot seller on its hands.

People who buy it will probably not base their decision on the tank capacity, the power figure, the long range riding ability or other objective things like these. The decision will be subjective because the Dominar looks great - muscular and modern and it's powerful enough to beat most other common smaller capacity bikes. The competitive pricing will make the decision easy.

[payeng]

Originally Posted by coldice4u

Torque looks good, i hope it doesnt require any many gear changes like the NS that i ride.

And if this doesnt have a much more pliant bike than my NS, forget touring on this, cause the NS used to ride very hard. The NS is a much faster bike then the Enfields, but where the Enfields trumps its is ride quality.

So over long distances, Enfields always seem to be ahead because they can take Indian roads well.

Having sat on the bike, the rear suspension certainly felt soft to me (much more than the NS). Also like a true touring bike, the kerb weight is heavier which means the bike will be more planted on highways.

And if the suspension is plaint, the heavier weight and the plaint suspension and the healthy amounts of Torque should definitely translate into comfortable long hours on the saddle.

Originally Posted by Motard_Blr

Bajaj has been clever in positioning the Dominar. It's like no other bike available in India - not a sports bike, not a tourer (RE), not a cruiser and certainly not a naked, sharp steering street bike (KTM).

They have mentioned "Power Cruiser" more than a couple of times during the launch.

Originally Posted by The Great

Man you are one loyal fan of this Bike since its rumour stages.

The concept certainly did interest me from the very beginning. And I liked what I saw, touched and felt today.


Am a little disappointed that the saddle height is not exactly low. Here is hoping that the test ride doesn't disappoint me.

[ank_bhp]

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[vinair]

Wonderful ad after a long time from Bajaj stables! Though the song sounds a bit eerie Hope the bike sounds the same!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE9G6c2H5C0

[MunnabhaiMBBS]

Spec Comparison : Bajaj Dominar 400 vs Honda CBR250R vs Royal Enfield Classic 350 vs Mahindra Mojo



Source

[sri_tesla]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

RIP Royal Enfield, Mojo and CBR250R!

RIP Mojo, CBR250R may be, but Royal Enfield?
I know 5-6 people who bought Enfield in the last few years, but none of them would rather buy this over an Enfield.

[The Brutailer]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

To the customer base where the purpose of the motorcycle is touring, Dominar sure takes away sales from the Royal Enfield.

Unlikely to affect RE's sales. It's not even the same kind of bike. Though priced very similarly, they are very very different bikes. One is a KTM derived detuned yet racy engine while other is a proper, thumping cruiser with comfortable seats and mile crunching, easy to go engine.

The Dominar is a bike pretending to be a cruiser while the other is a bike which was always designed to be a cruiser. Also, the charm that comes with an RE bike cannot be compared to a bajaj bike.

It's good no doubt, but cannot be compared to a RE. People who buy Bullet / TB don't buy a ktm despite the same price.

[PatienceWins]

Seems to be a comfortable option for commuting and highway with the relaxed riding posture, torque and detuned engine. The weight also indicates that it will be comfortable over bad roads.

I am unable to use CBR 250 nowadays because of my shoulder pain issue, may think about getting this based on test ride. But do not want to move away from the ride quality and reliability of Honda. Versys is the best choice for my height, 6' 2", but it would be too much for daily commute.

I do not think this will dent Enfield sales even though this offers much better value. Enfield is sold because of the brand image and classic looks which has been cultivated over decades. For the target audience, it does not matter how technological advanced the bike is, as long as it is an Enfield.

[anjan_c2007]

Its the most powerful two wheeler yet under the Bajaj brand name.

- it could be a game changer in the segment and could create a different niche. Most buyers will be upgrading from the P 220 and its competitors.

- its a master stroke by Bajaj who chose a different name and did not name it as the Pulsar 400.

- we need to expect the quality of components to be of the premium quality commensurate with the niche the Dominar 400 is creating.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by The Brutailer

Dominar is a bike pretending to be a cruiser while the other is a bike which was always designed to be a cruiser. Also, the charm that comes with an RE bike cannot be compared to a bajaj bike.

It's good no doubt, but cannot be compared to a RE. People who buy Bullet / TB don't buy a ktm despite the same price.

No offense, but i totally disagree. IMO Bullets (except TBTS500, STD 500, Himalayan) are terrible cruisers. The standard/electra 350 are comfortable, but won't stay that way if you aim to cruise above 75 kmph.

Classic 350/500 and GT are uncomfortable over long distances.

And regarding the "charm" associated with Bullets, I understand that people buy todays bullets because of the charm of older CI bullets. Our dads and grand dads rode one, we looked upto them. It was the most macho thing to do those days. I owned one (86 CI 350) and I can surely tell you todays bullets DONT have that thump nor charm.

While on the other hand, Dominar 400 is clearly built for one thing as a purpose - cruising! It is a let down that the tank capacity is small, but then, at everything else, it excels the bullet
Comfort - check
Performance - 120-130kmph effortless cruising - check
Better braking - ABS - check
Ergonomics - check

Only thing bullets are ahead of dominar is in its retro styling and ability to put out more decibels than an akropovic.

And coming to comparing Royal Enfield with Bajaj, I consider Bajaj a better brand for an enthusiast. Be it pulsar revolutionizing 150-220cc segment, or bringing KTM accessible to the masses, or in trying to make better motorcycles.

Royal Enfield has a cult following which no other bike manufacturer in India has. Even today, almost all bike enthusiasts turn to look when they hear that awesome CI thump on road.

But if you ask me if it is a practical choice to own one as a daily driver, i would hesitate. Reliability is something important over those 500-1000km a day tours.

Don't even ask me why people buy bullets instead of ktms when they are priced alike. Ktm is a mad mad world. Ktm has its own cult, and may be in next decade, it will have a noticeable following. Enfields and ktms have exact opposite style of riding.

PS: I may sound like a bullet hater, but i am not. I come from a family who owned half a dozen bullets since 1980s. I stopped admiring them when they transformed to ordinary bikes.

[VishJ]

One major advantage of D 400 is its tubeless tyre. It is easy to fix during punctures when compared to Enfields especially those with rear wheel disc brakes. Tubeless tyres save time in punctures and also makes rider to worry less about getting stranded in nowhere due to punctures. PS - Don't mean to say that Enfield is bad, but just one of the pros of D 400

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

No offense, but i totally disagree. IMO Bullets (except TBTS500, STD 500, Himalayan) are terrible cruisers. The standard/electra 350 are comfortable, but won't stay that way if you aim to cruise above 75 kmph.

Classic 350/500 and GT are uncomfortable over long distances.

Completely agree. REs are, unfortunately amongst the worst cruisers/tourers you can buy today. They are vibey, slow, unreliable and do not perform.

Why do we buy them? For reasons you outlined, and RE knows exactly how to milk those reasons.

The D is definitely a better product than any RE but does not pull heartstrings/is not aspirational/has no legacy, and hence, cross shopping possibilities are limited.

[payeng]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

The D is definitely a better product than any RE but does not pull heartstrings/is not aspirational/has no legacy, and hence, cross shopping possibilities are limited.

One thing that would go against the RE products is that it's become a very common sight.

The exclusive feel associated with REs isn't quite there anymore.

[rahul4321]

Wow. Great specifications. Great pricing. I predict that the KTM Duke 200 will have to be discontinued in 1 year. Here is why- People looking at the VFM perspective will be getting a 375cc KTM engine in a Bajaj chassis at the price of a 200cc KTM engine in a KTM chassis. The KTM 200 will have hardly any sales whatsoever and Bajaj will have no option but to disconitnue the KTM Duke 200 in India.

Edit: That advertisement music is very very very spooky!