[Motard_Blr]

Originally Posted by gkveda

...

Please advise.

Your location shows Bangalore. Why not rent a Dominar for a couple of days to see for yourself if you like the bike? It will cost you about 2k and that might save you from an expensive mistake if you don't like the bike.

As for the Bajaj experience, parts are cheap and labour is moderate. The Dominar is no Japanese bike in terms of reliability but it will definitely last you 10 years provided you take good care of it.

[nirvanaguy19]

Did anyone hear more on the delivery dates. Hyderabad sales guy is not sure but says it will be around end of April , if not later

[Thebat]

Originally Posted by gkveda

All the above made me to go for other bike manufacturers. Now, I am considering to go with Dominar. I am actually afraid of Bajaj Quality. Hence, need advice, assurance and probably counselling
1. Whether Dominar is a good and quality bike?
2. Can I keep it for long term (Say 10 years) with fill it and shut it kind of maintenance?
3. Can I modify the handle such that it will also have same riding posture as Unicorn? What are the impact (Clutch cable, accelerator cable etc)

Please advise.

As a Dominar owner from more than an year and with critireas which match yours, let me try to answer your queries -

1)Yes Dominar is a good motercycle and yes again for the price at which it is offered the quality is good.

2)Yes you can keep the Dominar for a long time but it would require more maintance than what you are used to putting into your Unicorn.
The extra work would be - A) Cleaning and Lubricant your chain regularly. B) Checking oil and coolant levels and topping them if required periodically. C) Changing the chain sprocket, tires etc which have a shorter lifespan when compared to your unicorn.
With these basic maintenance routine I am sure that the motercycle can be used for long.

3)The handle bar can be raised upto two inches through custom raisers available in the market without changing any cables. I have done so and the ride is very comfortable with the raised handle.

Lastly would request you to not benchmark your unicorn with your purchase of a motercycle in the 300-400cc category as the requirement from this would be different and it caters to a different set of audience.

My advice would be to get the bike which connects with you better and puts a smile on your face because at the end of the day that's what matters.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by gkveda

1. Honda CBR 250 - Very sporty ride position and I cannot spoil my back with aches because of this ride position

Boss!! With over 126000 Km on the ODO, I would've been dead by now if "sporty" riding position gives backaches. No matter what anyone says, any Bajaj or KTM products are yet to match the longest life of Honda with very less maintenance cost for sure!! And from what I observe in Chennai, almost all Bajaj products are good enough for 3 years, 10 years...forget it!! I see hell a lot of Rx100 & decent amount of RTZ than 2005 model Pulsars!!

That being said, I'm no way suggesting you to opt for the outdated CBR 250R. On CB 300R, I share the same sentiments as you described in your point 2A & more.

Just posted here to clear the perception on C250R

[Romins]

Originally Posted by gkveda

All the above made me to go for other bike manufacturers. Now, I am considering to go with Dominar. I am actually afraid of Bajaj Quality. Hence, need advice, assurance and probably counselling
Please advise.

Honda Unicorn may outlive you. Dominar will not live with you for 10years. Bajaj/KTM parts are cheap, but you will spend lot of time/ labor cost replacing those cheap parts. If your usage is within city limits, there is nothing to replace Unicorn.

[sathya.bhat]

Official list of accessories

[mithun]

Originally Posted by Romins

Honda Unicorn may outlive you. Dominar will not live with you for 10years. Bajaj/KTM parts are cheap, but you will spend lot of time/ labor cost replacing those cheap parts. If your usage is within city limits, there is nothing to replace Unicorn.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

KTM may only be averaging 600 units a month but that is of a manic, noisy, relatively unreliable, and largely perceived as a death trap motorcycle. If anyone can bring volumes to this segment, it would be the Japanese with their quality control, refinement, smoother and cooler running engines, lower seat heights and added versatility, all of which suits our market better don't you think?

Being an owner of 2 bikes, one Indian(Bajaj) and another Jap(Yamaha), I would like to add some points...

1. My 2005 Pulsar was always niggle free, even the original chain sprocket lasted for 70K KMS. I know lots of Unicorns of that era who had undergone a complete engine overhaul after 40K KMS!
2. The Pulsar was serviced as per company intervals and it never had a breakdown and it even started with a single kick even after not using it for 4 weeks. The other Jap(who is only 1.5 years old) is envious of his brother and I've to kick him multiple times to wake him up even after 2 days of hibernation!
3. Bajaj service centers in my city is 5 times better than all the Japs combined.
4. My brother's new FZ25 had a recent breakdown and lots of niggling issues within 3 months of purchase. Even the Jap at my home easily catches maladies(big/small) every 3 months when compared to the Indian!

If Bajaj/KTMs are that bad, their sales numbers(national/inernational) would also have reflected it, right?


P.S: Every vehicle is a death trap in the hands of inexperienced imbeciles and it has nothing to do with the manufacturer!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Ad campaign for India -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg-NIYeRgaw

[Shumi_21]

So, I managed to get a short test ride of the CB300R!! Apologies for the few low quality photos as there was a lot of people there jostling for their selfie rights with the CB and I did not get a chance to take detailed pics.

Here's my initial impressions:

1. Build quality is brilliant. Nothing seems out of place, even various cables are very carefully routed through the frame! The switchgear/paint/finish quality is the best I have ever seen on a motorcycle.


The welds are extremely well finished and cables are routed through the frame

2. The bike looks fabulous. Folks may buy it for its looks alone. The low set headlight sort of gives the impression that the motorcycle is small but once you get on, it feels substantial.


The test ride bike was literally on a pedestal amongst the Hornets, Activas, Shines etc

3. The instrument cluster is tiny and was difficult to read under the glare of the afternoon sun. It was also out of my peripheral view while riding. Although I could see the various tell tale lights as they are placed on the top of the cluster. Really well thought-out Honda!

4. I could only get a short test ride of about 3km, with the sales guy as pillion and I sat pillion on the return leg for 3km to get a feel of the rear seat. I'm happy to report that both rider and pillion seat are more comfortable & wider than the ones on my Gixxer, although the Honda's seats are a wee bit harder.

5. The rider's triangle is on point. No hyperbole here, my legs fit into the tank contours perfectly. The footpegs are rear set but do not impede while walking the bike in and out of parking spaces. I was able to “hold” the bike with my legs tightly without anything poking. For your reference I'm 5’8”, 72 kg, well built. While riding pillion, I felt neutral, nothing seemed uncomfortable or gripe-worthy.


Here's a side by side picture with my Gixxer. Hope it gives you an idea of the CB's dimensions. It's definitely not a Navi on steroids

5. The CB is a proper dancer! Even the minutest pressure on the handlebars is sufficient to counter steer. Filtering through traffic was a blast. I was asked by the sales guy to keep it under 4000 rpm before the test ride as the bike had done only 2km on the odo. So could not push as hard as I wanted. But low end torque was enough for quick overtakes in the right gear. The CB easily does 60 in 3rd gear around the 4000 rpm mark. No vibrations from the engine, handlebars, seat and footpegs whatsoever. The exhaust note is good too, not like the typical Hondas which sound like the world's angriest sewing machines when revved.

6. The IMU ABS equipped brakes impressed me the most. I always found myself stopping a few metres before than I expected. The gearbox typically Honda, feather light and butter smooth. However, the position of the horn and indicators have been interchanged and will take some getting used to.

7. The on road price in Mumbai is 2,85,200 rupees. This includes “accessories” worth 1200 bucks. It's going to be a crash guard plus number plate holders which will unfortunately go over the headlight. The first lot is sold out and I have been given a delivery timeframe of July or August. Although, I will wait for the monsoons to pass before taking delivery.

In conclusion, the CB300R felt like a superlatively more beautiful, powerful, agile and refined version of my Gixxer. Just what I wanted

[Nithesh_M]

If you sell that BBQ grill to a kabadiwala you pretty much get a little more discount on the bike's price.

[Shreyas_H]

Thanks for the detailed review Shumi_21 !

Definitely a looker. How did you like the suspension in your test ride?

[parrys]

Originally Posted by Shumi_21

So, I managed to get a short test ride of the CB300R!! Apologies for the few low quality photos as there was a lot of people there jostling for their selfie rights with the CB and I did not get a chance to take detailed pics.

Was this at Venetian Honda in Malad?

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Shumi_21

through the frame!

Seems no improvement has been made to the clutch cable positioning, the clutch cable snapping due to the inner cable grinding against the edge of the outer cable is a common issue.

From the picture you've shared seems the inner is in contact with the outer.

[sathya.bhat]

Test ride and Display bikes have reached Bangalore dealer too.

Display bikes to be available from Wednesday and Test rides after RTO approval is done.

[Red Liner]

Does anyone have a list of the spare parts pricing for this bike? Like what does a chain kit cost? As also the service schedule and the costs there of?