[Ajay_the_Don]

Really astonished about how Bajaj could price it so affordable. But what worries me is this will replace the P220, that a few use for street racing, which I am very much against. Another thing about pitching it against a Royal Enfield, especially the Classic 350 makes no sense. Heck those who want an RE didn't even mind the lack of a proper fuel gauge yet the sales are on fire. I am sure this would not 'make a dent', maybe pull customers who are value-for-money minded and might only test ride the RE for the heck of it.

Now, I am not intended to turn this into a CI vs UCE, but UCE is years or for better words, decades ahead of the former leaking CI which might sound cool before it start to leak. There is always a tug of war between the old and new RE. Both are unique in their own way!

I would really like to see how it fare against the D390. Bajaj is surely on the right path along with M&M and RE too!

[nasirkaka]

The problem with here is that, RE is more of an aspirational purchase that something that is thought through with numbers and facts compared. So as Bajaj product at the end of the day it still not got the foothold of RE.

True! RE purchases are made with heart. customers who want to buy RE are possessed and not rationale. Its more of an obsession. Folks going for RE morotcycles do have an idea about its overpriced products, under-powered, high maintenance, expensive spares, lack of refinement, etc, but that image of riding a rugged all metal bike which has a sexy thump, pumps up adrenaline and all other macho-ism related hormones. I have been there twice myself with mach 350 and C5.
As someone pointed out, there is no more exclusivity with RE. When i bought my first machismo in 2007, there were very few bullets on road and that exclusivity and feel good factor was there. Now every tom and dick has one. The Charm is gone, The modern RE also lost their trademark thump and have not yet caught-up with the current automotive technological norms. i know a lot of RE folks who bought REs for touring have sold theirs and move on to better and technical superior machines like 390, CBR,etc, including myself. Now with many new offerings including the dominor 400, upcoming GS 310, the recently spied 390 adventure, etc, REs surely are bound to get affected. All a matter of time, unless they try and catchup!!

[sandeepmohan]

I am not a big fan of Bajaj but this is about the only company that is on a mission to keep the rider entertained. Everyone else is sleeping.

The less said the better about Yamaha. Yes; the R3 is fantastic but thats from another segment. Suzuki just started their innings. I have no idea what TVS are doing with all their race expertise. The new Apache is supposed to be good. I spot one, maybe two Apache's a week and that clearly is a sign that it has not taken off for TVS. Hero are no more in the enthusiast motorcycle scene and this comes as a surprise considering the CBZ and Karizma from back in the day were superb. Honda are trying too hard with their one and only 150-160cc Unicorn engine. A red spark plug cap ain't gonna make the Hornet go faster.

The alliance with KTM has surely helped Bajaj save cash on engine R&D. The 200 and now the Dominar use reworked KTM power plants and thats no bad thing. Truth be told, I like the exhaust note of the NS over any KTM on sale here.

From the pics, the Dominar seems to be a serious motorcycle from Bajaj. You get all the essential kit and some more. Can't say I am a fan of the design. For some reason, the stance of the Dominar reminds me a little of the Bajaj V. The focus seems to be rider. Accommodation for the pillion does not look like much and let us say you are going to tour with a pillion, where do you anchor your bags? I am also not sure why comparisons are being made to Royal Enfield. They cross paths on pricing but as motorcycles, you either like a Dominar or an Enfield.

Not that I will buy a Dominar but I probably will rent one to experience it. The Dominar reminds of the time when Bajaj launched the Pulsar 200 over a decade ago. Yes; it looked like any other Pulsar but 200cc from a local player was a big deal those days. Way to go Bajaj.

Edit : How can I forget the advertising. Yes; this ain't as engaging as the stunt heavy Pulsar ads but you know what they are trying to communicate.

[kaushik60]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

. A true jack of all at a very good price point.

This was exactly what the P220 was when it was launched, and the very reason I ride this bike. At that price, there has been no other bike that can keep me excited on the hills, and not make me uncomfortable over a full day's mile munching - all while keeping my wallet in good shape.

Originally Posted by Ajay_the_Don

But what worries me is this will replace the P220, that a few use for street racing, which I am very much against.

It will definitely replace the P220, but only from the touring point of view.


Mod Note : Team-BHP strongly discourages unsafe driving practices that put yourself and other road users at risk. Please do NOT post about illegal street racing on public roads.

We advise you to read the Forum Rules before proceeding any further.

[Ajay_the_Don]

Mod Note : Team-BHP strongly discourages unsafe driving practices that put yourself and other road users at risk. Please do NOT post about illegal street-racing on public roads.

We advise you to read the Forum Rules before proceeding any further.

[Gildarts]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Unlikely to make a dent in Royal Enfield sales. It's like saying Mahindra Thar's sales will be affected by the launch of a new "compact SUV".

Sure, Dominar's and Bullet's engine CC is similar, but totally different prospective customers.

True RE fans will not be swayed by the dominar. But people who want a good touring bike and had no other option cheaper than RE will seriously consider dominar, because REs have 2 serious shortcomings - double digit cruising speeds and inadequate brakes. Even Himalayan has very soft front brakes. Dominar provides the alternate in those aspects and draw customers away from RE.

[SunnyBoi]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

Is the engine SOHC like the 200 or still a DOHC?

I got my answer; Its SOHC.



However compared to Duke 200 and NS200 there was a 1-2bhp drop? Now its 8bhp drop. They should have added two more spark plugs, perhaps that would have helped the engine make more power

[payeng]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

However compared to Duke 200 and NS200 there was a 1-2bhp drop? Now its 8bhp drop.

They should have added two more spark plugs, perhaps that would have helped the engine make more power

Torque (at low revs) not Power is needed to move mass/weight

[simplyself]

Bajaj himself says the Dominar will not have any impact on RE sales. He says both the bikes are at the two extremes. He says between them, both companies control 60% of sports segment and that those who are not excited by the RE now have another option.

[payeng]

Originally Posted by simplyself

Bajaj himself says the Dominar will not have any impact on RE sales. He says both the bikes are at the two extremes. He says between them, both companies control 60% of sports segment and that those who are not excited by the RE now have another option.

He is spot on.

Still can't deny the fact that those who were buying RE because of lack of options (at that price range) now have an option.

Some amount of attrition can't be ruled out

[Dushyanth]

As a Bajaj P220 owner for the past three years, i summarize my views about the Dominar.

Firstly, gone are the days when Bajaj was known for its shabby build quality and durability. I do venture out touring on my bike every now and then and never has my bike given up anywhere nor i had to replace any part on the bike for defectiveness, even after 27000 on the odo and it it still running on its first sprocket! Apart from the obvious periodic maintenance replacements, nothing has been changed.
The P220 has been around for almost a decade and notching up good numbers ever since it was launched. Even today, it is the cheapest entry level performance bike that you can buy. I think the Dominar on this count has what it takes to do what the P220 did back in those days, a VFM offering with good equipment!
I have a decent number of riding and touring buddies, who are owners of the the Dominar's main competitors.

1. Mahindra Mojo- Due to its thin workshops and dealer networks, most of the potential owners turn it down!

2. Royal enfield- The equipment that Bajaj has on offer at this price point makes the bare bone 350 series look horribly overpriced. and also there are the horror stories that I hear about the carelessness of the ASS team and their workshops.

3. KTM- This is going to be Bajaj's main Rival i think, but the maintenance costs of the KTM's are sky high when compared to Bajaj. And there is the concern about quality of the KTM's. This happened to one of my friend who's D-200's rim suffered a fracture while he went over a small road resurfacing bump on the highway at a mere 80KMPH!

I'm sure that the Dominar will eat into the sales of Mojo and the RE, but KTM? I don't think so, the D-390 as we all know that it is in a different league when it comes to performance, it is a phenomenal machine!
Don't believe me? Check its 0-60 acceleration times and you'll know what I'm talking about!
0-60 times are in the league of Supercars!

[Torqy]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Edit : How can I forget the advertising. Yes; this ain't as engaging as the stunt heavy Pulsar ads but you know what they are trying to communicate.

And don't be fooled by the exhaust note in the ad. Why DON'T all these bike ads use the "original" exhaust note? All single cylinders phut-phut bikes sound like 2 or 4 cylinder beasts in ads.

[payeng]

Originally Posted by Torqy

And don't be fooled by the exhaust note in the ad. Why DON'T all these bike ads use the "original" exhaust note? All single cylinders phut-phut bikes sound like 2 or 4 cylinder beasts in ads.

The NS200 at high revs actually sounds somewhat similar.. at high revs (around redline) the NS200 isnt exactly "phut phut".

In line 4's actually sound sweeter

[sidzzone]

Good pricing, in comparison average bike, but have to say that it does provide value for money.

However, I don't think this is going to eat into Royal Enfield's market share as RE occupies a kind of a niche segment of motor cycles. Most people who have decided to purchase an RE, wouldn't buy this. Definitely a hit for Honda CBR and Mahindra Mojo.

[rbp]

Good pricing, will have to test ride once, what I like is that Bajaj has put a 320mm disc at the front + LED's, no cost cutting there, but the bike should have been lighter, it is overweight. I don't see this selling more than 2k per month, after the initial euphoria dies down. I guess Bajaj is banking heavily on the exports. As for Bajaj expecting to sell 10K per month that is a very tall expectation, the 200AS, RS and P180 included just about manage to sell 6 to 7K per month.

I am very excited to see how this RE vs D400 battle is going to shape up.

Any idea when the test rides are gonna start?