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-   -   Ridden: Bajaj Dominar 400 (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/183778-ridden-bajaj-dominar-400-a-20.html)

Hi Mohan,

Happy to know that you got the much deserved test ride. Secondly, I loved the short comparo you did between the 2. You have captured the essence of both the bikes.

Regarding the issue of throttle lag you have mentioned, I can shed some light on it. My Dominar is from the first batch and even this morning I faced the issue. The lag apparently can be fixed with the ECU update which I plan to get done sometime in the next week. What happens is, the bike starts acting like its run out of fuel. That dreaded coughing and sputtering (not the sound) feel is terrible but fortunately this seems to happen more when one is decelerating and not while speeding up so, overtaking is not hazardous. Yes, it does take some fun out of it but it can be bypassed by pulling the clutch in and regulating the throttle a little. If you simply keep the throttle pulled you will suddenly get all the power after a second and that is dangerous.

I am part of the Dominar community in Ahmedabad and the new batch bikes in our group does not have this issue, so dont worry about it.:thumbs up

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Thanks Vikram. Yes, I was quite happy to have gotten to ride the bikes. Decision wise, it is definitely the Dominar for me; although my brother has been pushing me to consider a 500 CC bike from RE, because he thinks that the Dominar makes me look like a guy who is trying too hard, and who is having a hard time accepting his age :confused:

Indicentally, I think the a 500 CC RE would certainly be nice in terms of long ride comfort. But, I can't get over the fact that RE today is purely marketing hype with very little substance. I think that as spending power increased in India, RE found itself enjoying a monopoly for a very long time in the premium bike segment. And they sure seem to have used that opportunity to market themselves phenomenally as a maker of aspirational products. Aside from that, I don't see them providing actual value. No ABS or trip meters or even a tacho!! I was actually really considering the Himalayan until I read about the horrendous quality issues on the motorcycle. That story about the bike's frame snapping during a ride pretty much made me take the Himalayan off my list.

Talking about the throttle issue, I am glad to hear you say that the latest batches of the Dominar don't seem to have it.

The only thing I am waiting on now is for my family to (whole-heartedly) allow me to purchase a motorcycle. Now, that is a battle that I typically don't win.

Cheers

Big big misconception!

Please dont be that average Jack and Joe who buys an enfield because of "legendary" image.

Bullet 500 is no where as capable, as equipped, as comfortable, as safe, as practical as the Dominar 400. Infact Dominar doesnot have a sporty image to worry about. It is a perfect family man bike that is also fast.
Duke 390 in contrast turns heads. But if you like the bike, image doesnt matter.

But dont waste 2 lakhs on a 500cc 26 bhp vibrating heavy bike without even a proper console.

WOW!! Talk about not mincing words!! :) But, just to clarify; I wasn't buying into the "legend" image at all. In fact, the "legend" image is my actual problem. I think too many people have bought into that hype with the result that our streets today are flooded with REs. No more exclusivity.

I was thinking about the RE only in terms of riding comfort; which you have now addressed. So, thank you for that Prasanna sir.

Ah, the tough part of buying a bike ! May I suggest trying to show the practicality of having a bike, and how much it will help you ? I suggest to completely hide all the fun-to-drive and similar reasons that are close to you.

agree.

A 200kg, 26bhp vibrator machine costing 2L !! That's some way to put it !clap:

The aspects that you have mentioned are pretty hard to hide. Like some fortunate people, I am not blessed with a great poker face. The s*** eating grin that I came home with after the test rides was proof enough for everyone. That, and the heart palpitations that I experience every time I see the Dominar make my thoughts clear to everyone in the family.

My wife is actually very happy to see me happy. She is just afraid of the risks. My parents on the other hand have been blowing up my phone with whatsapp messages about how motorcycling is not appropriate for me.:eek:

Hi Mohan,

I would recommend that you test ride the new Himalayan. I did 2 weeks ago and let me tell you I was floored by the immense improvement I felt vis-a-vis the older one. The bike was too smooth be an RE and actually gained momentum without making me feel it. I had gone with a friend who was interested in the Himalayan and the executive insisted that I ride it too despite seeing me get off my Dominar. Trust me, if you want to know tension, park a Dominar in front of a RE showroom:D. The ad has divided opinions strongly!

Anyway, the bike felt like a revelation. The comfort factor was always good and the long travel suspension is best suited to our roads. Do take a test ride if you can. What you said about RE does seem to resonate well. Still if you decide to buy a Himalayan (my friend has after the test ride), do wait for 6 months before the purchase.

Vikram... Thanks for the vote of confidence on the Himalayan. But, the key takeaway from your post is the statement above. It speaks volumes about the perception of RE in the minds of most discerning buyers who can sort through the hype.

In retrospect, that ad by Bajaj hit the nail on the head. It's good to see someone forcing RE and their team of overconfident sales guys out of their slumber. There is absolutely no way I am paying 2 lacs for a motorcycle based on hope alone.

I'm glad our inputs helped you score a test ride and helped you reach a buying decision. However please ensure ATGATT when you go out riding.

Thanks for the inputs on your comparison. I was looking at the Duke 390 myself but I currently own a Duke 200 which I want to sell off. It's way too frantic for my riding style (guess things do change after marriage :D). However it sure is a hoot to ride fast. I think the Dominar really does reach a nice balance between performance and practicality.

Bajaj did hit a nail when it comes to the genre of bikes that RE makes but when you talk of quality of both, well, less said the better
I'm glad RE is improving its bikes and I strongly feel so should Bajaj. The TVS built BMWs and also the "Akula" will be miles ahead of any bike Bajaj has made
See, horsepower isn't the only criteria here. These are still commuter bikes so they should last a while

Dominar is better built than any of the enfields on sale today!

And can i ask you how you assumed TVS akula will be miles ahead of any bajaj bike made till date?

BTW when you are looking at a long distance cruiser, Horsepower does matter. A 500cc 26 bhp Classic 500 struggling to keep 110 kmph on highway is a disgrace to the displacement!

I couldn't agree with you more. At this point, it evident that RE is heavy on image and not so heavy on quality. Actually, I am not among those who defines performance using parameters such as speed, HP, and torque alone. Performance can mean different things on different vehicles. I don't think that it is fair to buy an SUV and expect it to handle like a hatch. So, I am actually not even expecting the RE bikes to match the Dominar or other motorcycles which are designed differently. All I am asking is that the RE bikes be true to their design and be of high quality and remain dependable. For the money they charge, surely that is not an unreasonable ask. But, that's not the case.

In fact, the genius bit about RE's marketing spin is that they've gotten themselves a rabid fan following through which they unofficially spread the word that the problems of an RE actually add to its "character"!! Like say, that well-intentioned and strong uncle in your family who is just a wee bit cantankerous. Well, that may be so. But, I am pretty sure that you won't be depending on that guy to have your back in a sticky situation.

So, coming back to RE, I am being asked to pay a steep price, and then to "enjoy the excitement" of unforeseen mechanical issues. What nonsense!!


Prasanna.... Yeah, I think TVS is quietly slipping under the radar with all the attention on RE and Bajaj.

I think we are exaggerating "mechanical issues" in Royal Enfields. They(barring himalayan) dont have major issues and are fairly reliable (my bro owns an Electra 350 with 25k km on odo).

Only gripe we enthusiasts have with Royal Enfield is that, for the technology, hardware, performance and practicality on offer, they are over charging every product by atleast 50000 rupees.

More over Royal Enfields dont excel in any department except satisfying loud-exhaust loving attention seekers. No offense to owners. Our dads and uncles bought Enfields because they had a few options in that era. A 17 bhp 180 kg bike would have been a good choice in 1960s, but today, when even 150cc commuters put out same power output, and DO NOT vibrate at 80+kmph, I personally believe Royal Enfield does not deserve this much sales at all.

It is like Maruti sales in Cars, a lot of people blindly buy marutis , but atleast Maruti produces super reliable cars with excellent after sales support.


On the other hand Bajaj provides improved tech( better performance/handling/efficiency/comfort/ABS) in a very nominal cost. Ex- NS200 & D400

I keep reading/hearing how high strung/frantic the Duke 200 is, and I was eager to try it out, because it didn't make sense at all. I was riding a 20hp Pulsar 220 since long and a 25hp machine being described as 'frantic' was something I couldn't digest.

I did get my chance eventually - I rented a Duke 200 in Goa and rode it at least 60-70km. And I didn't find the Duke 200 'frantic' at all. It would amble along like a tame Labrador with low throttle input, none of the 'if just wants to rev and rev' snatching/hunting. In the end, I now believe its all down to the throttle hand and how well you reign it in.

Really want to know frantic - try a BMW S1000RR. I couldn't get it over 6000rpm in my short ride, but does it make the Dominar feel like I'm moving in slo-mo.

My sentiments exactly based on my 390 test ride.

Now, about that BMW, I would be interested in hearing a comparo of it with, say a Yamaha FZ1. That thing is a beast!!