[mohansrides]

A Note to Readers.

This is not an official review. If you need an erudite take on the Bajaj Dominar as an engineering product, then you need to read IronH4WK's review here (Ridden: Bajaj Dominar 400). This piece is purely my opinion on life with my Dominar. Nothing else. I claim to make no objective statements in this piece. All of what's said below is entirely subjective.

Please note that big portions of this piece have actually existed outside this forum for a couple of years. Certainly many of you have already read those sections on the open web. At the time when I wrote those parts of this piece, my focus was on bettering the buying process for expensive products, such as automobiles. I made the decision then to post it on the open blogosphere because I felt that it deserved a wider audience than just us gear heads. And I was right. The post certainly spurred a conversation among many folks who would have not been able to participate on our forum.

Recently, I received feedback that despite the obvious anachronism, this piece deserved to be on Team BHP in the present day for three reasons.

• This is a prequel to the other motorcycle threads that I have started here. Some BHPians are aware of my journey to the motorcycle because big parts of it exist in the aforementioned Dominar thread on the forum. However, other members who do not frequent that thread, or the motorcycle sections of the forum, could arguably use an encapsulation of the story in one place.
  
  
• Some of the issues discussed in my original post on the blogosphere outside still persist to a degree. But, some have been largely resolved, thanks to Bajaj waking up. That said, the sales and service processes would do well to be re-imagined for a bike like the Dominar which consistently outsells the KTM 390.
  
  
• On an another day and in another time, the Dominar could have been the 'Apex Predator' in Bajaj's product line-up. Now, with the advent of EVs, I think that day is never going to come. Still, this tale deserves to be told. Because there are enough and more stories about shoddy products not only making it to market; but worse, becoming bumper hits. So, it would be a shame for good and thoughtful products to die a pitiful death from a thousand small cuts - shoddy sales experience, poor logistics, less than optimal product positioning, and what not.
  

To be clear, I have not written this to denigrate the manufacturer or their sales organizations. This piece is necessary because a customer’s point-of-view needs to be articulated with the goal of communicating the same to the brand principals and their sales organizations. What I have written here has to be read and understood in that sense. This piece also offers a window into the point-of-view of the sales staff (as narrated by them to me, the customer). Many of the issues that they discussed with me are genuine, and customers would do well to understand the constraints within which sales staff operate. Better understanding all around would provide for better experiences all around.

While reading, you will notice that the piece takes the time and space to unpack some of the technical aspects of motorcycles. This is so because it was originally written for a non-automotive minded audience. At first, I thought about taking all those sections out of this piece here on the forum. Later, I decided that some of you may actually enjoy those aspects of the narrative.

Finally, please note that while this piece is definitely NOT a work of fiction, some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

So, read on and enjoy.

Thanks

[mohansrides]

"Chunnu Munnu de Papa di Gaddi."

This tagline appeared in a print advertisement for Bajaj some 3 decades ago. It was painted on the rear-facing cover of the spare wheel of a scooter being ridden by a burly Sardarji, while his two adorable toddlers rode pillion while looking back at the photographer.

Although I understood zero Punjabi at that time I got the message immediately. Since then, that line has remained etched in my memory along with the picture of that Sikh family. It was wonderful I tell you. Evocative advertising at its best. Little did I know that my perception of Bajaj was only set to grow as my father brought home the legendary Bajaj Chetak.

With both my parents working and with a family home still being in the works, I spent my early years in the settled surroundings of my grandparents house. After their work day, my folks would make the long trek to visit me for dinner. Then my dad would spend 30 priceless minutes giving me joy rides on his Chetak. I literally lived for that half hour in the day. The faint put-put of my dad's scooter entering the colony gates would have me dashing out the door to meet my parents. As far as I was concerned, that scooter might as well have been the big and royal Ambassador from HM. Oh, for simpler times !!

In a couple of years, my parents saved up for their own place and I came home. There parked in the driveway was that blue Chetak that was so central to our lives. One time, I was standing in the front part of the scooter as we returned home from a showing of Balu Mahendra’s 'Moonram Pirai'. Unable to get Kamal’s heart wrenching performance out of my mind, I bawled throughout the ride from Satyam theatre to my house while standing in that tiny area of the scooter in front of my dad. My parents were beyond amused. But, to this day, I remember the wind blowing cold on my tear-streaked face as we rode home on Mount Road late in the evening.

Since then, my father’s career in sales and marketing have afforded him the ability to buy progressively bigger and more accomplished vehicles than his Chetak. And yet, he spent an entire week in silence in 2010 when Bajaj decided to exit the scooter market. Such was the pull of that vehicle.

But, this theme of a brand enjoying a larger-than-life presence in a household isn’t unique to Bajaj. It is a story that typically plays out in every middle class home in our amazing country. Almost everyone in India can draw a straight line back to their family vehicle; whether that vehicle happened to be the humble Chetak or the mighty Ambassador. Even bicycles enjoyed a unique prestige. Indeed, any piece of personal transportation was immediately accorded an honour akin to the family deity.

Fast forward to a few years later, and my father was kind enough to buy me my first two wheeler during college. A Kinetic Honda. It was a wonderful vehicle that never let me down. Between my friends and acquaintances, we have collectively owned and ridden motorcycles and scooters from every manufacturer from those times – Kawasaki Bajaj, Yamaha RX 100, Hero Honda, Kinetic Honda, Suzuki Samurai, Suzuki Shogun, etc. You could name a vehicle from the 90s, and chances are that I can find someone to talk eloquently about it. All of those vehicles performed flawlessly. They took us everywhere and played the roles of stellar supporting cast members in the life scripts that we were collectively writing. Although, none of the vehicles were completely problem free, the remarkable thing is that not one person I speak to today remembers the snags in their vehicles from those times. All of us carry overwhelmingly positive memories of our steeds and the experiences that they enabled.

Between them, Bajaj, TVS, Royal Enfield, and of course Maruti and Hindustan Motors, command an enviable mindshare of the Indian automotive psyche. These are storied Indian brands that can rightfully take pride in collectively informing the Indian motoring sensibility. So, it was with considerable excitement and an undeniable sense of historic occasion that I made the decision to buy a Bajaj vehicle. This is the story of how that journey played out for me.


The Motorcycle – An exercise in design excellence.

I have always had a thing for two wheeled automobiles. In another life, I spent my first salary on an absolutely delicious looking Ducati Monster. Unfortunately, that glorious chapter in my life was too short-lived.

But, lose heart I did not. I knew that my next set of two wheels would come my way at some point. And while I was waiting for that to happen, I blazed through the ownership of four cars that put out anywhere from 150 hp to 180 hp. The cars were nice. Very nice in fact. I loved every minute with them. And yet, I was craning my neck at the horizon trying to spot if my next motorcycle was breaking cover somewhere.

The 2000 Monster. Just wasn't meant to be for me. (Image Credit)

Not the Busa. Not the Panigale. Not the Diavel. Not the VMax. Not the MT-10. Not the Z900RS. But, the R1200R. There is the Dark Horse that will bring you home every time. Absolutely my dream bike. (Image Credit)

All that neck-craning meant that I spent the better part of two decades ogling at the BMW R1200R. Never could afford one. But, that didn't stop me from consuming every bit of material online about that motorcycle. What's life without a little longing?! In short, despite me growing old, weary, and generally jaded, I never could shake the bite of that motorcycle bug.

Almost 15 after my Ducati, Bajaj launched their new motorcycle.

Christened Dominar, the motorcycle’s fuel injected and liquid cooled single cylinder engine displaced 373 cubic centimetres of air to produce a peak of 34 brake horse power and 35 newton meters of torque. More importantly, the bike offered two features that upped its safety quotient.

• The front wheel sported a huge, class-leading, 320 millimetre disc brake that provided very good stopping power. Then there was the dual channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) that modulated braking power to the front and rear wheels individually, thereby preventing each of those wheels from locking up in emergency braking situations.
  
  
• A slipper clutch ensured good behaviour from the rear wheel during aggressive downshifts at higher speeds. In situations where the wheels are spinning faster than the motor, the slipper clutch worked by temporarily disengaging the transmission from the motor thereby mitigating the negative effects of hard engine braking on the rear wheel. In days past, this feature could only be found on high performance sports bikes that live on race tracks where fast and frequent downshifts are the norm. But now, such technologies are trickling down to street motorcycles making it possible for the average rider to enjoy a more forgiving ride. Nicely done Bajaj. Very nicely done indeed.

Apart from the above two distinguishing features, the motorcycle came with a six speed transmission, a twin spar frame with a stamped metal swing arm, full LED headlamps, and a two tiered digital console.

Certainly, the features on the Dominar made for a long and impressive list. But, that list hardly mattered to me. Because one look at the picture in the media release and I was besotted. It was lust at first sight, and lust at every sight afterwards. The muscular, low profile design of the bike, with those smoked out headlamps, simply exuded presence. I could literally not stop thinking about this motorcycle. It didn’t matter that the Dominar’s engine was only half as powerful as that of my previous bike. Nor was it of consequence that I had not ridden anything in over 16 years. The only thought that I could recognize was the hankering that I felt in my gut for this motorcycle. It certainly looked like all that neck-craning was going to be worth it. After a decade and a half, I think I saw the hint of a smile on my face in my car's IRVM on my way to work one day in early 2017.

Friends were exhorting me to make the purchase and enjoy the experience when I could. They had a point. But, I had some reservations.

First, being a family man, I had to be cautious about any financial outlay. I certainly wasn’t going to find 1.8 lacs lying around in my savings account. I would have to save up for a while and not encounter any sudden expenses in the middle that would liquidate my savings.

Second, there was the small matter of safety and risk of riding a two wheeler in today’s chaotic traffic; especially by someone like me who hadn’t ridden in a very long time.

And finally, there was the fact that I really didn’t have a pressing need for two wheeled transportation.

These aspects helped me stave off the cravings for a while. But, my own love of motorcycles and the exemplary design work from Bajaj worked together to chip away at my defenses. Slowly but surely, I inched closer to a purchase decision.

Many months were spent devouring every piece of information available on the bike, be it from Bajaj’s own marketing division or from customer ownership threads on Team BHP and XBHP. Then one day, I came across an article that talked about how Bajaj had worked hard to empower women; case in point being their all-women manufacturing assembly line for the Dominar. That did it. I liked the bike, and it had progressive DNA in it. What more could I ask for? I was at a dealership the next day.

This is essentially where this story begins. And it gets mighty interesting mighty fast.

The Shopping Experience – A textbook case of poor customer engagement and poor sales enablement.

I visited three dealerships in Mumbai, and spoke to one on the phone. For the sake of this discussion, let’s call them Dealerships A, B, C and D.

1. Dealership A – The place itself could not have been more than 200 square feet in area. The sales guy was a very young chap. He was polite and respectful and gave me all the information that I asked for. But, when I asked for a test ride, he said that the dealership didn’t even have a demo bike. Case closed.
   
   
2. Dealership B – They had a test bike. Good. Great. Then came their next statement; “Sir, please ride within our premises only.” What? Really? OK!!
   
   I did not get past 1st gear for the full duration of the test ride which lasted about 10 minutes, 7 of which I spent standing still behind one of their workshop cars. I would have ridden maybe 50 meters, 60 at best. When I asked them for a longer test ride, they asked me to come the next day and said that I can take the bike to the nearby signal and come back – total distance of 2 or 3 KMs. Not enough at all for a bike this size.
   
   
3. Next, I visited dealership C. They too offered me a test ride of not more than 100 meters. Again, I had no way to ascertain if this bike was for me.
   
   
4. The next day, I called up dealership D. They flat out refused a test ride of any significant distance. They said that their test bikes are typically not registered, and therefore they do not allow prospective customers a test ride of more than 500 meters, and even that would happen ONLY in the service road behind their dealership. Their statement meant that the vehicles that were being offered for those brief rides were vehicles waiting for buyers!! Not cool at all.

By this point, I was getting increasingly frustrated. At a cost of 1.8 lacs on road, this motorcycle was not inexpensive; and yet, customers were being expected to understand the power delivery, braking power, riding comfort, ergonomics, etc. without getting a chance to ride the bike for any meaningful distance. Are we to hand over 1.8 lacs based on a 50 or 100 meter ride?

Just for good measure, I actually went to the KTM dealership to sample what they had to offer. They told me that their formal policy is to provide a test ride of 500 meters ONLY!! And this for a motorcycle that is touted to be a premium performance machine costing 2.8 lacs on road.

This attitude seemed to be par for the course across all our local brands. The more I dug, the more I found horror stories all around.

Apparently, at Royal Enfield, their motorcycles aren’t the only things that are legendary; so is the sub-optimal experience that their customers have to endure (both in sales and service). Online forums are full of people venting on Royal Enfield. Then of course, who can forget Maruti? Before their recent reinvention of their showroom experience under the 'Arena' theme, any one of Maruti's dealerships could easily be mistaken for a government Tahsildar’s office. One time, I went to a Maruti dealership to make inquiries about a new car. I spent almost 30 minutes trying to get someone’s attention and no one even noticed me!! Really, automotive companies in India appear to be leading a charmed life at the expense of abysmal customer experience. In any other country, they would be up the creek without a paddle.

Incidentally, during the Dominar’s launch Rajiv Bajaj declared unequivocally that they were shooting to sell 10000 copies of the motorcycle each month. Sadly, the reality turned out to be much different. Bajaj didn't appear to be selling even half that number of Dominars every month in India. This made me wonder why Bajaj’s sales organizations and sales processes hadn’t been prepared to align with such an ambitious target set by their top man for the Dominar. Certainly, going by my own experience, Bajaj was far far away from hitting its target of 10000 units a month for this motorcycle.

Just on an aside, my maternal grandmother once advised me against being swayed by posh locations when house hunting because, according to her, the high prices in such locations are typically a function of their up-market hype, and have very little to do with the value that is actually on offer. This from an 86 year old housewife!!

So, coming from a school of hard-nosed common sense, it was painful for me to watch storied brands making obvious mistakes in customer engagement. Hence, I decided to write to Bajaj and to request them to intervene at one of their dealerships regarding a test ride for me. Here is their response copy-pasted from my email inbox:

Quote

Dear Sir

We are in receipt of your mail and noted the contents. Such a long test ride for 10-15kms is not provided.

With Warm Regards

Customer Care Cell

Unquote

This was the limit. Being shabbily treated by a sales team is one thing; but, getting an official communication from the manufacturer endorsing and backing regressive sales practices was an entirely different thing. Here was a brand principal essentially stating that they were going to do their best to not sell the product that their CEO had so audaciously declared to be a world beater!! I couldn’t wrap my head around it. What on earth were they smoking there at Bajaj?

Next, I took to Team BHP to discuss my experience. To no surprise at all, I found lots of people bumping up against the exact same brick wall that I was encountering. But, the picture was not entirely hopeless. Some people, a fortunate few, were having better experiences. In those cases, dealerships were raising the bar by going the extra mile. These dealerships were offering customers multiple test rides, and then going even further to suggest that prospective customers conduct the second and third test rides with their significant other in the back seat to ascertain pillion rider ergonomics and two-up riding comfort. These dealerships were undoubtedly converting sales leads into customers.

But sadly, the methods of the above-mentioned dealerships were not being emulated by other dealerships in the country; certainly not in Mumbai. Here the dealership guys haughtily told me that all buyers were basing their decisions on short test rides, or even no test rides.

I had to conclude that the ability of some customers to move forward with a purchase within the idiotic constraints imposed by the existing sales process was actually misleading the sales organizations (and the brand principal) into thinking that they had set up an optimal sales process. Of course, they had no means by which to measure the sales that they were actually losing through their practices. The whole thing was just a text book case of rationalizing bad practices.

I was at a loss as to what to do next. Luckily, plenty of netizens came to my rescue. I received lots of support from forum members. Indeed, some of them were more agitated than me. At this point, I gave Bajaj a heads-up about the response that I was getting online.

Then lo and behold, the sales manager from dealership B, one Mr. Aniket, called me and offered to bring the test motorcycle to my house. The KTM dealership too reached out to me and offered as long of a ride as I wanted on their motorcycle. To say the least, I was pleasantly surprised by these developments. From no test ride to test ride at my door step!! There was hope indeed. Thank you Team BHP.

In a week, true to their word, dealership B dispatched a demo Dominar to my house and I was given free rein to do with it as I pleased. I took the bike for a 16 KM test ride and came away thoroughly impressed. The riding posture was perfect; the deep catchment-basin like saddle area created a reassuringly low center of gravity that, along with the bike’s long wheelbase, gave the motorcycle great straight line stability; heat dissipation from the engine area was fantastic - I didn’t feel even a slight warmth on my legs during any part of the long test ride which, incidentally, happened right in the middle of a hot day; the engine just pulled all the way up to the red line in most gears; and aided by its ABS, the huge motorcycle came to a quick and stable stop when I jammed the brakes in a hurry. Perfect!!

In short, here was a splendid product that appeared to live up to its marketing hype, but was being let down by lackadaisical organizational behaviour downstream from the manufacturing stages.

Next, I took the KTM for an equally long test ride and felt that that machine too deserved its accolades, and that that machine too could benefit from more optimal sales practices.

Moving on, I made up my mind that the Dominar was the motorcycle for me. I also decided that despite having another dealership closer to me, I would give my business to dealership B because they had amended their ways and demonstrated good faith to satisfy my requirement of a test ride.

The buying experience – Some hits. One HUGE miss.

Once I communicated my decision to buy, dealership B’s team rose to the occasion. They answered all my calls and text messages promptly. A sales person, Ms. Sheetal, traveled to my house at the time of my choosing to accept my booking. We agreed on a mutually convenient delivery date that allowed us plenty of time to take care of administrative steps in the buying process. Next, I was offered the option to choose my exact motorcycle from the dealership’s stockyard. Little did I know at the time that the stage was being set for the next interesting knot in the storyline. So, without further delay, on to the stockyard we bravely ventured.

Let me tell you that no lover of motorcycles should ever visit a dealer stockyard. The place was filled to the brim with brand new motorcycles covered in dust, dirt and bird droppings. It was painful to watch.

At the dealer stock yard. Trying out different colors for size.

Still, I soldiered on and requested one of their attendants to dust off two motorcycles for my inspection. I had taken my wife along and wanted her opinion on the colour. In retrospect, that was a mistake. For one thing, she doesn’t share my enthusiasm for bikes. And second, she was less than impressed with the down-market atmosphere of the stockyard. But, to her credit, she too set aside her reservations and participated in the shopping process. She gave me her views; we talked about it, and then communicated the chosen bike’s chassis number to Ms. Sheetal at the dealership. I arranged for the money and made full payment after which I was formally allotted the motorcycle that I had chosen.

Next, I thought I was being punched in the gut when I was told that a rider would transport my brand new motorcycle by riding it from the stockyard to the dealership. I had deep reservations about someone else riding my bike after I had paid for it. I wasn’t alone in my dissatisfaction either. Going by the chatter online, plenty of customers shared my angst. When I discussed my reservations with Mr. Aniket, he assured me that this was normal practice. Somehow I just could not swallow that line. At one point I offered to pay for the transportation of the bike to the dealership by tempo. He advised me against it. I wrote to Bajaj, offered to pay, and requested that they intervene in this regard with the dealership. Again the official communication from Bajaj was far from empathetic:

Quote

Dear Sir

We are in receipt of your mail and noted the contents. Kindly inform your dealer regarding the transport charge if you are ready to pay.

With Warm Regards

Customer Care Cell

Unquote

Really Bajaj? I mean, really?

My offer to pay was intended to convey the exasperation that I was feeling, akin to banging my head against a wall. I certainly didn’t expect for them to take my words literally.

Nevertheless, I had made the offer and I would stand by it. I told Bajaj that my offer to pay had already been communicated to the dealership. But after that, I didn’t receive any communication from the dealership, or from Bajaj. So, I called the sales manager, Mr. Aniket, and requested that at the very least I be allowed to accompany their rider as he transported the motorcycle from the stockyard to the dealership. I wanted the satisfaction of personally supervising the transportation. Mr. Aniket agreed. He asked me to coordinate with Ms. Sheetal regarding when I would travel to the stockyard again to accompany their rider.

The day before the delivery, I called Ms. Sheetal around noon and told her that I was starting to drive to the stockyard. She gave me the go-ahead and said that she had everything in place for what was to happen after I got to the stockyard. I took her on her word and drove for the next 1.5 hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic to Kandivali.

Once I got there, I thought it best to relieve and refresh myself before embarking on the next leg of the journey. So, I asked for the washroom. The attendant went “Sir, washroom vagaira tho nahin hai. Aap vahaan us taraf gaadi ke peeche kar deejiye sir.”

A 1.5 hour drive and no washroom!! "Chalo theek hai. Koyi baat nahin hai. Aage ki sochthe hain. Gaadi tho mil jaayegi!!" These were the thoughts running through my head as I chose not to follow the attendant’s suggestion of relieving myself against the corner wall. I suppose that I could not bear the thought of peeing next to brand new motorcycles. So, I risked a bladder infection; held it in; and desperately searched for my allotted motorcycle. If only I could find it, I could get the heck out of here and get going to the dealership.

I asked the attendant to help me with my search. He looked around, shrugged his shoulders and then led me to the stockyard manager, Mr. Omkar.

With a sympathetic nod, Omkar sir promptly showed me a log ledger and said, "Aapki gaadi gyaarah pachaas ko idhar se nikal gayi." I had left home for the stockyard at noon, and the motorcycle had left the stockyard for the dealership 10 minutes before that.

Result = 1.5 hour drive. No washroom. And no motorcycle either.

At that point, I clutched my aching back and looking skywards, muttered under my breath to no one in particular “B****e, waat lag gayi.”

Seeing the look of resigned exasperation on my face, Omkar sir appeared amused and felt sufficiently moved to suggest that we call the dealership. "Phon lagayiye sir Sheetal madam ko. Abhi saaf kar lete hain baat ko."

I called Ms. Sheetal and she insisted that she had explicitly instructed Omkar sir to NOT let my bike leave the stockyard until I had gotten there. I handed the phone to Omkar sir.

Omkar sir: "Madam, tumcha kadoon phone aala hota ki “dio” chi sagale gaadi patava manoon; manoonats patavla ami gaadi ithun."

Ms. Sheetal: "Pann sir… mee tumala specifically sangithla hota ki enchi gaadi thithats rahoo diya manoon."

Omkar sir: "Mala saangoon kaay honar madam? “Dio” madhe number milala manoon porga nigoon gela gaadi giyun. Tumala “dio” ek don dah check karayla payje na madam?"

For the life of me, I couldn’t make out what “dio” meant. Looking back, I think he was talking about a “DO” which could mean “Delivery Order”. Anyways, while this back and forth was ensuing, I realized that there was nothing to be done to rectify the situation. So, I took leave of Omkar sir and proceeded to dealership.

The gridlocked drive to Andheri gave me more time to think about the experience that I was having. I could not fathom why after I had just told her that I was starting to drive to the stockyard, Ms. Sheetal could not have simply called the stockyard to confirm that her instructions had been implemented and that the bike was still there. If she had done that, she would have discovered that the bike had left for the dealership and then could have asked me to come straight to the dealership. Yes, I would have still been disappointed in not having had a chance to personally supervise the transport of the vehicle. But, at the very least, my tiresome and wasteful trek to Kandivali could have been avoided.

Once I made it to the dealership, I undertook a quick inspection of the motorcycle to ensure that the trip from the stockyard to the dealership were the only miles on the bike. I did notice a slight chipping of the metallic paint on the left pillion foot peg and pointed it out to Ms. Sheetal. After that, I quickly glanced over the papers and went home.

The next day was the day that I had been waiting for for over 16 years. I resolved to wake up early and make it to the dealership in time to conduct all final inspections of the motorcycle and paperwork. But, between office work that pulled me well into the wee hours of the morning and my two small children who required care in the morning, we could not avoid a delay of more than an hour. Consequently, our drive to the dealership happened bang in the middle of the morning rush hour. We managed to get to the dealership with only 40 minutes left in the auspicious window allotted to us by my Mom. I rushed through the paperwork and conducted one last inspection of the bike with the help of a checklist that I had printed out earlier.

I noticed that Ms. Sheetal had taken my feedback to heart and swapped out the damaged foot peg. Good for her for having paid attention!! Next we signed all the papers and I was handed the keys. After the customary photographs with the family at the dealership, we left for the temple where a priest blessed the new beast and us.

Finally, after my father, I became a proud owner of a Bajaj vehicle in my family.

Well, it's not the R1200R. But, it is my very own Bajaj. Thank God for small mercies.

Epilogue to the sales process.

After the sale, I spoke with Mr. Aniket and told him how unhappy I was with having a stranger ride my motorcycle first. This is how that conversation went:-

Mr. Aniket: "Sir, the margin on this motorcycle is very low; and we cannot spend any money to transport it to our dealership from the stockyard. Consequently, some wear and tear on a new motorcycle is inevitable."

Me: "But sir, this is not a good practice. Yeh acchi baat nahin hai."

Mr. Aniket: "Sir, hum toh sirf 15 km chalake laate hain. Other dealerships in the country have stockyards that are 40 or 50 km away and the bike is ridden for that distance by riders only sir. So, unke comparison mein tho hum better hain sir."

Me: "Sir, that is wrong thinking. Just because someone is worse doesn’t mean that your practice is acceptable. That is like me telling my father that with my second last rank in class, I am better than the guy who came last. There is no way that my father would have tolerated such an answer."

Mr. Aniket: "Right sir. Yeh tho sahi baat hai. But, hum kuch nahin kar sakthe hain sir."

Me: "Ek suggestion deta hoon. Why don’t you consider conducting delivery for customers at the stock yard itself? That way, riders won’t be required and the customer gets an odometer with no miles clocked."

Mr. Aniket: "Sir, for customers like you that would be OK. But, other customers expect delivery at the same place where they booked the motorcycle. So, we have to get the bike there."

Me: "In that case, at least leave it up to the customers. Tell them that if they want delivery at the dealership, then the bike would be brought in by a rider. If they want a motorcycle with no miles of the odometer, they can choose to take delivery at the stockyard. In which case, all you have to do is to send one of your sales guys to the stockyard to meet the customer there. This way, you satisfy both kinds of customers. Think about it."

After this conversation, I have not had a chance to talk to the sales staff again. But, in my mind, this seemed like a decent enough solution. But, irrespective of any of my suggestions, it is ultimately up to the sales organization and the brand to summon up the professional will to seek and implement solutions that satisfy customer aspirations.

Buying a vehicle should be a memorable experience for everyone. I am pretty sure that when customers see sincere effort from a sales organization and the brand, they would be amenable to cooperate in all transactions, and do their bit to meet the sales staff in the middle with respect to finding solutions to problems.

A note to consumers like me.

1. Let us please resolve to not tolerate unacceptable sales practices. In this context, being denied a test ride should actually be a deterrent in our buying decision. If one of us goes ahead with a purchase without experiencing an expensive product such as a motorcycle, then that person risks serious buyer’s remorse at the very least. At worst, it could be downright dangerous to purchase a vehicle such as the Dominar without experiencing it for a minimum of 30 minutes. The bike weighs 182 kgs and produces 35 NM of torque, at least 20 NM of which becomes accessible fairly quickly in the RPM range. Although these figures aren’t superbike spec, they are not completely trivial either. So, unless one is sure of being able to handle its weight, power, and stop-on-a-dime ABS capability, one should not buy the motorcycle.
   
   
2. At every point in the buying process, let us please insist on accountability. Paying for a bike in full and then having it be ridden by a stranger for long distances before delivery to a customer is actually a high risk proposition. Once a customer has paid the money in full, and has been allotted a particular motorcycle with a chassis number, that bike belongs to that customer. Then, if the guy delivering it to the dealership happens to get into a wreck, we are talking real trauma, heartache, and a massive financial and logistical mess for all involved.

A note to Bajaj.

Thank you for investing in your product development division that has given us this excellent motorcycle. In the two years that I have had the bike, it has lived up to every word in your sales pitch for it. Based on my personal experience, you can absolutely bank on me being a vocal advocate for your vehicles.

Incidentally, speaking purely in the hypothetical, if you guys were to... you know, I don't know, maybe take that KTM 790's engine block and rework it into a bigger Dominar; one with the same understated design language; and one that addresses all the missing aspects of the current motorcycle while keeping the price to below 5 lacs on road, then you could possibly find me reaching for my cheque book again.

Now, let's talk about your sales organizations.

1. The sales folks at your dealerships appear to be doing their best; and given a chance, I would recommend Mr. Aniket and Ms. Sheetal to other prospective customers of a Bajaj vehicle. But, despite their best efforts, the sales experience for me was nothing short of excruciating at various points. It’s another thing that, rather than feeling disappointed, I chose to feel amused by the Bollywood-esque script upheavals in my journey. But, I doubt that other prospective customers will share my sense of adventure in this context.
   
   
2. Really, it should not be this hard. Buying a new vehicle from Bajaj should not be like pulling teeth. The reality is that the dealership and its sales staff are working within the parameters that the brand principal defines for them, either directly or indirectly. So, my request to you guys at Bajaj is to take cognizance of the esteem that you enjoy in this country, and to take ownership of the sale experience. You owe it to your customers, and to the brand that is Bajaj.

Bottom line, I should buy a Bajaj vehicle in part because of the sales and service experience; not in spite of it.

On the road to Pavna

The Small, but Significant Details.

Alternatives considered -

None. I didn't set out to buy 'A Motorcycle'. I set out to buy the Dominar. Case closed.

Of course, to assuage my two wheeled fixation, I have test ridden all the usual suspects over the years - all the RE models, the Mojo, and the KTM 390. Not one of them made an impression on me. For one thing, I could not get over the fact that RE simply "Photoshops" one or two motorcycles to create it's full line-up. Then, there was the fact that both at RE and KTM, the sales guys were just way too smug. The RE guys, especially, kept asking me when I was going to book the bike. I suppose they thought that a test ride was mere formality.

On-road price & discounts -

Overall, I paid around 1.8 lacs. No discounts were offered or asked for. I was more focused on the experience. As it is, I was having a torrid time getting Bajaj to play ball.

Extended Warranties & Service Packages -

None was offered by Bajaj at the time of my purchase. I understand that they are offering extra warranty free of cost on the Dominar 2.0. If it had been offered even at a cost during my time of purchase, I'd have taken it for sure.

Variant opted for -

At the time, a non-ABS version was available. But, for the life of me, I could not figure out why anyone would choose that. I mean, premium features make up some of the big reasons for buying premium motorcycles, don't they?.

Usage pattern -

I didn't have a usage pattern to speak of at the time of purchase. But two years on, my primary use of the motorcycle is for weekend rides. On the odd days, I have used the bike to get around town. But really, I don't enjoy that at all. More information on why I feel this way is available below.

[mohansrides]

The Team BHP Summary.

At the time of writing this piece, I have put 11000 kms on the bike and have come a long way from the experiences during the time of purchase. So, let us take a minute to examine the two years that I have spent with this motorcycle.


What I like:

• Design Theme - This is the bike's strongest USP. The Bajaj team has pulled off an understated and dignified muscularity that sets the bike apart for discerning enthusiasts. Even after two years, the lines of the bike make me go weak in the knees. The length and bulk of the motorcycle gives it a commanding presence which fleetingly remind me of the thoroughbred-ish stance of bikes like the Multistrada.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Performance - This bike's a sleeper. It can hang with the big boys and win you respect across the board.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Hanging out with the Big Boyz. The Triumph guys (above) and with BHPian Remaniac78 on his Versys (below).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  With BHPian Maverick5490 and another friend at Malshej.
  
  
  
  
  
  On a solo night ride to Vapi.
  
  
  
  
  
  A solo visit to the alma mater. Always a humbling experience.
  
  
  
  
  
  With BHPian sunilch at Lavasa (Ride to Lavasa on a couple of Dominars).
  
  
  
• Safety features - Huge disc brakes, dual channel ABS, and a slipper clutch. They all work well and live up to the marketing hype.
  
  
• Ride Quality - The suspension has been calibrated just right; and ride quality is excellent for me in the city, and more so on the highway. It has not even occurred to me to change any settings in this regard. More on that later.
  
  
• Mirrors - Absolutely no vibrations at any speed. I think I lucked out here because mirrors are a perennial problem discussed in motorcycle circles all over the world.
  
  
• Headlights - They look great on the bike. Lots of people like this feature on the bike. I too like it in certain respects. But, I have had to find ways to improve it for myself. So, I am going to also list headlights as a 'dislike'. More on that later.
  
  
• Overall quality - Aside from the choice of plastic for the tank, no part of this bike feels built to a cost. Paint quality is excellent. Even after two years, nothing on the bike, whether it is the chassis, or the body work, or the powertrain, has shown any major signs of wear. No creaks; no groans; no leaks. Just fuss-free performance.
  
  
• ASS - It's a Bajaj. I don't have to sweat the costs, or the logistics, of ownership. Plenty of service centers; and inexpensive too.
  
  
• Pricing - I paid 1.8 lacs all inclusive. A price that I could afford and fully justify for this product.
  
  
• VFM factor - Not once have I felt like I have overpaid for this motorcycle. Every aspect of this machine feels premium enough for the price tag.
  
  
• Heritage - Bajaj is the only two wheeler manufacturer in India that has acknowledged an enthusiast's perspective. Way back in the 90s, when the Yamaha RX100 was the only go-to for anyone with a pulse, Bajaj answered the challenge with their KB100 which became a cult bike. Later, while everyone else was (and still is) busy making commuters and breadwinners, Bajaj busted out the Pulsar range and shocked the market. Those were glorious days for motorcyclists in India. The thrill of new chapters being written was on everyone's lips. The Pulsar bikes were the ones which blazed the trail that KTM virtually took over years later. So, I suppose that it was inevitable that it would be Bajaj who would try their hand at making an indigenous big bike. The Dominar feels like a step in that direction.
  
  
• Life after purchase - I have not done long rides to Ooty or Leh or Sikkim. Those, I have only read about admiringly on Team BHP. What I have managed to do though is to step out of my everyday humdrum and give myself room to evolve, to reflect, and to re-discover. New friends, a new outlook, and new reasons to look forward to the future. This motorcycle has allowed me to re-wire my brain and find new pathways to myself. The biggest indicator of change has been the attitude from the family -
  

  The Wife -
  

  She was worried sick at the time of purchase. Today, she is as carefree as a bird with a song on her lips.
  
  OK, maybe I oversold that bit about the bird and the song. Truth is that she is still worried sick. That hasn't changed at all. But, on days when the kids aren't driving us nucking futs; and the seniors' health is cooperating; and the sun isn't too harsh; and a light breeze is wafting in through the windows carrying with it the dulcet tones of Mumbai's Metro construction along with the rich fragrance of the city's garbage disposal machinery, thus making you feel one with the world.... like you would not trade Mumbai for Florence or Paris or Zermatt or Vancouver; yes, on those days, the missus talks about getting a bigger bike with better pillion comfort. That's meaningful change if you ask me.
  
  But such moments are like words on a sandy beach; they get washed away with the next wave of worries. The important thing though is that today, my wife is the first person to hand me my gear and bike keys; especially during stressful times. She says that I come back from rides looking and feeling energized, relaxed, happy, and with new ideas for solutions to our problems.

  The Mom -
  

  She was angry and openly hostile during the purchase. She made it repeatedly known that she thought that it was a bad idea to willingly take risks on our roads. Nor did she think it a good idea to spend good money on a product with little utility value for myself and the family.
  
  Fast forward two years. Now, she is just hostile. Angry? Not so much anymore I think.
  
  Case in point; the other day, I was just sitting down to eat breakfast when I caught her in my peripheral vision. She had gotten up from the couch, and had started to stride purposefully over to me. Usually, that's not a good sign at all, especially at that time of the day. Early mornings are when seniors generally feel the need to conduct your appraisal. That way, you can head in to work with your self-esteem firmly in check.
  
  So, when I saw her come towards me, I started to sweat. I was bracing for impact by running through a metal checklist of all things that I had screwed up on recently -
  
  

  • Didn't eat yesterday's dabba - Check.
  • Demonstrated scant regard for all of our hard earned money - Check
  • Didn't get any exercise today - Check
  • Didn't do my prayers last month (and maybe last year too) - Check
  • Needlessly yelled at the family in front of the kids last weekend - Check
  • Was caught watching Netflix when really I should have been helping in the kitchen - Check
  • Was overheard being too blunt on the phone with the boss - Check
  • ... - Check
  • ... - Check

  
  And just as I thought that I had a good idea as to where the conversation was going to go, she went all out-of-syllabus on me. She said, "...you should take better care of your motorcycle. I heard that the battery completely discharged because you didn't touch it for two months. Make sure to ride it in our parking lot for a few minutes everyday. Else, this new battery too is going to be history...."
  
  Really??!! Lord in heaven, will your miracles never cease?!!

  The Dad -
  

  Oh, he still thinks that I am, euphemistically speaking, a total work-in-progress. I haven't made it past that grade in his book since like... well, EVER. The tragedy of unfinished masterpieces. That's the appropriate phrase here I think. Sadly, the motorcycle hasn't been able to make a dent in that life situation. But hey, one miracle at a time is just fine by me.

What I like a little less:

There is very little to complain about on this motorcycle at this price. So, it is hard for me to nitpick and come up with pain points just to diss the bike. But, that said, here are a few areas where the bike could improve.

• No gear indicator - The first generation Dominar sorely misses out on a gear position indicator and there isn't a way to fix this. This may sound like the quibble of a petulant child. But, I assure you that it really isn't. In top gear, the bike pulls and pulls all the way to the redline and beyond; and every Dominar rider out there has tried upshifting from 6th. Incidentally, there is no learning curve beyond which one stops doing this. There is simply no way to know if there is a gear available beyond a point other than to try shifting up. The rate of pull in 5th and 6th is virtually identical.
  
  I understand that Dominar 2.0 has fixed this by providing the gear indicator in the second tier display on top of the tank. This is a cop-out in my opinion. I think all information to be consumed while the bike is moving should be available within the rider's cone of vision on the main console. Looking further south for even a second while on the move carries some risk.
  
  
• No hazard lights - This is a big miss. In a bike that has most things for long haul touring, the absence of hazard flashers is acutely felt. I had to shell out extra to fix this; and I think that my solution is less than ideal.
  
  
• Small tank - Exactly once, I managed to eke out a range of 300 kms. But, I was sweating it the whole time. Over the last two years, average distance between fill-ups has been about 210 kms. On long trips, the motorcycle's 13 liter tank allows me a range of 275 kms to 285 kms before things start to get hairy. A 20 liter tank would have extended its range and truly differentiated this motorcycle from its peers.
  
  
• Plastic tank - Plastic does not have the same ring as metal. A metal tank on this bike would have added substance to this design and made it possible for magnetic tank bags to be used.
  
  
• No charging socket on the dash - Not important in the city; but of huge value on long hauls. I fixed this with an aftermarket part.
  
  
• Weak horn - Out on the highway, one can barely hear the horn on the bike. Bajaj could have offered a better horn as an add-on.
  
  
• No center Stand - Useful for those who like to work on the bike. I never work on my bike, like ever. So, the lack of a center stand means nothing to me.
  
  
• Headlights - Great headlights. But, could use improvement. For more on this, see the "Accessories Installed" section.
  
  
• Mirrors - Excellent mirrors. But, could have been wider by an inch or two.
  
  
  
  
  Instead of 5.5" at their widest, it would have been great if the mirrors had been 7". That would have upped their utility even more.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• No storage - This is a hard one to complain about. There aren't many motorcycles out there that offer decent storage. But, it sure would have been nice if Bajaj had thought of some way to vacate space under the seats. Just enough to store a small pouch with papers, money and some bare essentials like maybe a piece of soap, some napkins and a small first aid kit.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  That's a sad little space under the seat. It measures maybe 4" from the top of the wheel housing to the crossbar.
  Enough for maybe one apple.
  
  
  
  
  
• No Bluetooth connectivity - This may be an aspirational feature. But I think that it could have added enormous value to the purchase. Being able to see the phone's caller ID on the dash would have been a boon for riders who are out on the road for many hours.
  
  
• Rider information - A better console would have elevated this bike to another level. It's hard to read the display in bright sunlight. Even harder is reading that blasted tachometer, especially while on the move. The font is just too small. Peering hard at that RPM tachometer when one is doing 60 kmph or more, is hard and highly inadvisable. A radial display for engine RPMs may have worked better I think. Also, I feel that Bajaj missed an opportunity here to make the console a real powerhouse of useful features and information. For example, it would have been super useful to have a trip computer showing fuel efficiency, distance to empty, and average speed between stops
  
  
• No official accessories line - The bike is positioned as a "Power Cruiser" and all of Bajaj's marketing has focused on the long legged nature of the motorcycle - tours across continents in all kinds of weather and what not. So, with that in mind, I think Bajaj really missed the boat on building a solid revenue stream based on accessories for this bike. Of course, third party players like Zana and Autologue Designs have stepped up to fill the void. But, most customers would have preferred to purchase accessories and get them installed from Bajaj itself just for the peace of mind of their warranties not getting voided. Crash guards, saddle stays, top rack, windscreen, and phone holders would have easily driven an additional 10% of the bikes' MRP as revenue for Bajaj. That is huge money in low margin businesses.

[mohansrides]

Life with the Motorcycle.

This section is just my assessment of the motorcycle's performance. Personally, I don't think that I have gotten to even 60% of the bike's capability. More accomplished riders in our community could possibly flog this bike on a track and come away with completely different observations. In any case, here are mine.

Seats, Riding Position and Overall Controls -

For my 167 cm tall frame, the Dominar's ergonomics are spot on while riding; but at stops, the bike's 820 mm-ish seat height does make me wish I was taller. If I sit right at the center of the seat, I can flat foot the bike with shoes on. But, the foot pegs really dig into my calves as they are bang in the line of my legs.

In the picture above, you cannot see the foot pegs in profile because they are right behind my calf.
But, in the close-ups below, you can see foul-up with the foot pegs.

Typically though, I tend to get pushed forward while riding and end up sitting at the peak of the seat scoop, almost on the edge of the tank. This actually reduces my reach to the ground making it necessary for me to use the balls of my feet at stops. On the flip side, with me having moved forward, the foot pegs get pushed behind my calves giving me some relief.

Sitting close to the tank means that I have to tiptoe. But, the foot pegs are behind me.

A taller person with longer legs would be able plant both feet on the ground well ahead of the foot pegs. But, then again, the taller guys would probably feel cramped while on the move. The counter would have been to move the foot pegs about 3 inches back. But, that would have meant leaning the rider forward a bit into a more aggressive position which would have changed the very character of the motorcycle. All in all, I think Bajaj settled at a reasonable compromise here with the bike's ergonomics. I have no complaints.

Someone over 6' would easily flatfoot well ahead of the foot pegs.

Moving on, space is good for my frame as I have plenty of room to push myself back in the saddle. Seat cushioning too is satisfactory. I have not had sore bottoms even after 700 km days.

Pillion comfort is not the best I think. The missus was not happy with the back seat when she came along a couple of times. The seat would work better if it was wider and longer. I understand that Bajaj has improved this aspect in the 2019 Dominar.

The pillion seat looks great in profile. But, it's best suited for kids or those of us who are real slender.

Talking about reach, some folks have gone out and gotten themselves 2 inch handle bar risers to allow them to sit more upright. But, I prefer a slightly committed stance. So, I am ok with stock. The controls fall nicely into my hand and everything feels quite intuitive. I have never fumbled around to find any of the controls on this motorcycle. The bike comes with a hi-beam flasher and a kill switch, but no self cancelling indicators; not that I am expecting those at this price point. That said, the motorcycle should absolutely have come with hazard blinkers. More on that later.

Powertrain -

The Dominar takes the engine block from the 390 and then transforms it into a completely different engine. The objective here, I imagine, would have been to wedge the market open, and reach beyond the field of cornering fiends and tar blazers who love KTM's DNA.

"Free revving" would not be my term to describe this engine. But, that's just my opinion. In any case, this engine presents a worthy alternative to the 390. The Dominar tries to walk a middle path between outright performance, long range comfort, and everyday commuting. A blip of the throttle isn't going to throw anyone of the saddle, but it does offer a hint of what's to come. The power delivery is in keeping with the visual character of the Dominar - dignified performance; rather than flat-out madness. That said, this engine does like to be in the higher rev ranges even in lower gears.

Transmission is straightforward and unremarkable. That's a good thing, believe me. Pull back the light clutch and slot the motorcycle into first and you will be rewarded with a huge "THOCK" as the bike jerks forward just a tad. All gear shifts after that happen with satisfying clicks and are quite accurate. I have had a false neutral exactly once in two years of ownership.

City riding -

In slow moving traffic, a decent rider can weave through gaps in traffic, provided that he / she understands the bike's limitations -

Short gear ratios = annoying engine braking.
Long wheelbase = relatively long turning radius.
Kerb weight of 182 kg + seat height of 820 mm = difficult to maneuver in slow moving traffic.

If I wanted a useful and effective commuter, I would buy an Activa with my eyes closed. The Dominar is not the best commuter out there. It simply hates going slow. Speeds below 20 kmph will require first gear, and a whole lot of clutch play. Even after 10k kms, I regularly stall the bike in stop-n-go traffic. Embarrassing, to say the least. The motorcycle is in its element only in higher gears and at speeds over 50 kmph.

Highway riding -

Out on the open road though, this bike comes into its own. Crosswinds or not, the bike's long wheelbase and heft keep it stable in the straights and on the big curves. The low center of gravity with that scooped out seat makes me feel quite safe; and the ever so slight forward lean means that this motorcycle will willingly play ball if I try to flick it round at speed.

The 373 CC engine in this state of tune has some serious legs on the highway. The bike pulls effortlessly in higher gears making cruising at highway speeds a fuss-free affair - 100 kmph comes up at 5500 rpm in 6th gear (@6500 rpm in 5th and @7500 rpm in 4th).

The lack of fairing can make a sail out of the rider's torso; but, I don't mind the wind blast all that much. In a pinch, I crouch down and instantly tack on 5 to 8 kmph on the speedo. Problem solved.

The limitations of the engine's displacement only start to become apparent from the high 130s. Even at that point, the bike will pull all the way up to the mid 150s if the rider has the skills and the courage. On a group ride with the Triumph guys, the sales guy from Shaman (who was leading the ride on a Tiger) made a bee-line for me during a pit stop and grudgingly patted my motorcycle. He said, "...you were doing 140 for a while back there. This bike is faster than it looks." I smiled and said thank you.

Riding with a pillion will compromise handling a little bit. But, that is to be expected.

Off-roading -

On one of my longer rides, I went up to the Hilton in Shillim; got delayed and had to actually ride back in the dark. Those of you who have been to that area know that the approach road to Shillim is 5 or 6 kms of pure torture. In pitch blackness, this bike used its 157 mm of clearance to handle that road way better than I did. The suspension wasn't plush and my back has had better days since. But, on that day, this bike got me the hell out of there and did its job admirably. No punctures. No bent wheels. No nothing.

A few months later, I went out with a bunch of ADV riders who were on GSes and Tigers. There too, the Dominar was able to come through with its head held high. For the average rider, there is not a lot that this bike cannot do.

https://youtu.be/eVu7xcg0yGU

Off-roading with the ADV guys.

Engine heat -

Engine heat management is a feather in the Dominar's cap. Part of it is because less heat is generated in the first place. The 373 CC engine's SOHC set up and 11.1 compression ratio put out relatively less heat. Dominar 2.0 cranks out an impressive 5 more HP by changing to a DOHC set-up with an enhanced compression ratio of 12.1. New owners can comment on their experiences.

Overall NVH levels -

Par for the course. In the initial days of its release, the Dominar caught a lot of flak online for vibrations felt at around 4000 RPMs. Someone I know ride my bike and told me that there were vibrations to be felt. Strange!! Because I have not felt anything noticeably wrong in that department.

Brakes -

Stopping power is par for the course. The brakes work very well and the ABS has saved my butt on more than one occasion. The front brakes, in particular, have lots of bite.

Incidentally, during its latest service, the bike was given a diesel wash and the brakes felt weak afterward. I read up on it and found that this really is a 'Supandi' move by the service center. Using kerosene or diesel leaves an oily residue and ends up lubricating the brakes!! HOLY S**T!! Apparently, there is really no need to clean the brake rotors as they spend their life getting scrubbed anyways. Even if one does want to clean them, one is supposed to use specialized brake cleaners. I am going to pass this finding along to Bajaj and ask them to percolate it to their SAs.

Suspension -

Unlike the new Dominar's USDs, my bike comes with regular telescopic forks in the front; and honestly, I prefer my set-up. With my skill levels, there isn't any risk of me outgrowing this set-up. The stock setting of the rear mono-shock too is just right for me. At any rate, adjustable or not, I am not one to go experimenting with suspension settings, or any settings for that matter.

After the last service, this is the extent of suspension travel. But, that outer tube does seem to have another 30 mm of room inside.

The bikes does dive on braking; nothing alarming though. On the contrary, I really enjoy the suspension travel in moderate city speeds. Brake and throttle after an evasive move and the bike dives first and then rears on its haunches as the inner tube of the front forks travels up. For a fraction of a second there you feel like you are riding a living, breathing, animal. SAAWEET!! Overall, I feel that the suspension hits a nice balance in ride quality between city and highway riding.

Wheels and Tyres -

The wheel and tire sizes are apt for this bike. I am actually so glad that Bajaj didn't try to under-tire the front wheel. However, I think that the grip on the stock tires could be better. On a couple of occasions, I have felt the rear move around a bit on iffy surfaces. Nothing too scary as I was not riding too fast. But, better grip would help a lot. Certainly, when the time comes for a change, I will think about options.

Incidentally, my bike came with MRF Revz tires. I have had 3 punctures in my rear tyre, one of which was a huge nail that went in at the tread and came out of the sidewall. Still haven't changed the stock tires though.

Fuel efficiency -

Aggregated fuel efficiency is about 27 km per liter. Some people have told me that that's low. But really, I didn't buy the bike with a mileage number in mind. My car gives me 8 kmpl and I don't sweat that. In my opinion, if one is the type to worry too much about running costs, its best to either not make the purchase, or buy a pre-owned vehicle so that the money saved up front can be put towards running costs.

Sound -

The Dominar is a quiet cat. Not conspicuous at all. The exhaust sounds reasonable. It would have been nicer if the engine growl had more base. But, a 373 CC engine isn't going to make the Dominar sound like liter class bikes. Jitni aukat hai utni hi awaaz honi chahiye. Time to make peace with that reality.

Overall Fit and Finish -

As mentioned in the 'Likes' section, everything about this bike feels solid. Paint quality is good. No obvious panel gaps or inconsistent finishes anywhere. None of the metal parts sound tinny.

The quality of switchgear is decent. I particularly like the blue backlighting of the switches at night. I am told that this is a Bajaj signature. If so, then it is a thoughtful touch. Even 10 lac rupee Kawasakis do not provide backlit switches. Incidentally, I have ridden in pouring rain a couple of times and my switches worked just fine; both during and afterward.

Even after two years, the foot pegs do not show much wear. The quality of components on this bike is good.

[mohansrides]

Running Costs.

Service Stats -

The bike has had 5 service visits in two years. Four of these were full services and one was about an issue that was bothering me; but turned out to be nothing. Please note that my first paid service was done at a mileage recommended for third free service.

First free service - Rs. 2361.14 (507 km)
Intermediate visit to check squeaky front wheel - Rs. 449.50 (2113 km)
Second free service - Rs. 1933.59 (3524 km)
Third free service - Rs. 2263.59 (5907 km)
Battery replaced - Rs. 1990.00 (8151 km)
First paid service - Rs. 4142.00 (10913 km)
Punctures (3) - Rs. 360.00 (8916 km, 9415 km, 9825 km)
__________________________________________________ __

Total Service and Repair Cost - Rs. 13499.82
Service Cost / KM - Rs. 1.30
Number of major problems - 0
Number of minor niggles - 1.
Number of parts replaced under warranty - 0
Cost of parts replaced - Rs. 0.0

Fuel and air filters are to be changed every 10 k kms. But, I changed mine at 6 k on the odo; and then again at 11 k on the odo because that's just how I roll.
It is advised that chain should be oiled once every 500 km. I actually didn't touch the chain for 5000 km straight. My bad.
I also didn't ride the bike for 2 or 3 months as I was busy with work and other commitments. This combined with my overall low mileage usage meant that my battery completely discharged and could not be revived at all. So, I had to put in a brand new battery. A cost that I could have completely avoided with better planning as my Mom had so nicely pointed out.

The niggle mentioned earlier was a squeaking noise that I kept hearing at around 2k on the odometer. It seems to have disappeared after the service center lubed the front wheel bearing.

I went to Sai Service in Andheri for four of my five service center visits, and have been quite happy with them. I feel that they are a bit more attentive because they know that I am a BHPian. It could also be because I refused to leave my bike with them in my absence. I would insist on staying as they finished up. It could also be because I would allow them to sell me their over-priced wash and wax packages. Each time, I would hum and haw before ultimately accepting that service. The truth is that I used to love standing there and watching my bike getting washed and waxed. These days, I am all about saying 'No'.

Incidentally, the stay-during-service approach could not be sustained during my last service at Kanchan. I had to leave the motorcycle and come back later. Result = Dissatisfaction with work done. The friction quotient in the vehicle seems to have increased after the latest service. Next time, I am definitely staying in while they work on my bike.

First Free Service





Intermediate Service Center Visit





Second Free Service





Third Free Service





First Paid Service (above and below)

Fuel Stats -

Total Cost of Fuel - Rs. 32008.25
Number of fill-ups - 53
Total Fuel - 401.9 liters
Average Cost per Fill-up - Rs. 615.54
Average Price per Liter - Rs. 79.631
Fuel Cost / KM - Rs. 2.93
Average Monthly Cost of Fuel - Rs. 1396.78
Average Fill-up Volume - 7.584 liters
Average Fuel Efficiency - 27.22 kmpl
Average Distance Between Fill-ups - 209.90 km

[mohansrides]

The Mod Journey.

I am not a mod-head. In fact, I absolutely hate tooling around any vehicle after purchase. Buy and just ride (or drive). That's typically how I like it. But, over time I have noticed the need for a few items that the motorcycle does not come with. So, with great reluctance, I have taken efforts to rectify some of the omissions.

Auxiliary lights -

The Dominar's headlight has been touted as it's crown jewel. It certainly is a great look on the bike. But, other than that I have to disagree with the majority out there. Call me crazy, but I am not a big fan of white lights. For clarity and immediate cognitive connect, I prefer plain old halogens with their yellow light. In the Dominar's case, at low beam, the throw of the lights is farther ahead than usual; this dilutes the quality of illumination. A shorter throw would have increased the intensity of the lights and made them more useful. I would have preferred a clear cone of yellow light lighting up the road 10 to 12 feet ahead of me. In any case the weak wash of whiteness in front of the bike doesn't do anything for me.

The story is no different in high beam; the Dominar does a great job of blinding oncoming drivers with a marginal uptick in functional illumination for its rider. So, all in all, the headlights could be better. At least, that's my opinion. This is less of an issue if one rides only during the day. But, with my schedule, there were many months when I could only ride at night. So, I had to solve the headlight problem for myself.

None of the lights available appealed to me as I was very particular that the design of the light should complement the Dominar's headlight cluster. After a wide search, I found Light Bot. They work well and also look great on this bike I think. But, at 8 k a piece, they are not cheap. The wiring for them has been linked to the ignition. Thank God for that. Many a times, I have come down to the motorcycle to find that the kids from my society have been screwing with the motorcycle switches. If it had been a direct connect, my battery would have drained a long time ago.

Light Bot Auxiliary Lights.





Low beam without auxiliary lights (above) and with auxiliary lights (below).
Notice how the rectangular beam of light, which looks like a call sign for the Batman by the way, transforms into a cone.
See how there is better lateral visibility closer to the motorcycle with the auxiliary lights.







High beam without auxiliary lights (above) and with auxiliary lights (below).
I actually see very marginal difference between low beam and high beam with the auxiliary lights on.







Low beam without auxiliary lights (above) and with auxiliary lights (below).
The difference that the additional lights make w.r.t to visibility closer to the bike is better felt on rough terrain.







High beam without auxiliary lights (above) and with auxiliary lights (below).

Cell phone holder and charger -

I hardly use this holder as it tends to soil the phone on the go; what with us riding in dusty conditions. But, in a pinch when one is far from home and when one needs the blessings of the Google Gods, it comes in handy. These are a cheap Chinese version with a built-in charger that cost Rs. 600. The wiring is directly connected to my battery. There is an additional switch on this wire, and under the seat, which needs to be turned on for the mobile charging port to become available.

Mobile holder. The rubber thingy on one of the legs either fell off, or was stolen. I am going with fell off.





With the phone in it. I prefer small phones. But, those of you carrying phablets will have to seriously think about this piece of equipment.





The switch under the seat (below) has to be turned on before the charging port (above) will work.

Carrier -

The biggest installation for me was the rear carrier. This came out of two separate requirements.

a.) We needed a back rest / holding bar for the pillion for those very rare occasions when my wife came along.

b.) I needed a spacious rack to keep a tailbag of sorts.

Try as I might, I could not find a fabricator who would work to my specs. The one clear requirement that I had was that any carrier was not to visually disturb the silhouette of the bike in profile. The guy who made it for me came highly recommended. But, he is also a real diva who I had to chase down over a full 12 months. He overcharged me by 100% I think since I had little choice at the time. The important thing though is that he did a really good job with the design and installation. In profile, the carrier simply extends the line of the pillion seat and looks really unobtrusive.

Carrier in profile. I really like how it simply continues the line of the pillion seat.





It's installed with these heavy duty bolts that also hold in place the original grab handles.





Measure 11" in width close to the seat (above); and 7" at the tail end (below).







Height is about 3" from the top of the pillion seat.





Overall length is about 11".





Without the carrier (above), I had to work hard to find anchor points for my bungees. Now, no problem (below).







This carrier comes in really handy when it's time to move the bike around as the original grab handles aren't very helpful in this maneuver. The best way to execute the move is to take a step back and away from the bike; find a firm foothold; and then lean into the motorcycle to use one's body weight as a counter to that of the machine during the move. Any attempts to muscle the bike around using only one's shoulders or back will not end well at all.

Flashers -

I never use them. But, just for emergencies, I installed aftermarket hazard flashers. They set me back Rs. 1000 and are useful. But, the operation is not straightforward. To activate the lights, I has to flick the indicator switch to one direction, then the other direction, and then press it to the center. After that, I can cycle through a 100 different patterns of lighting.

Frankly, I don't need a hundred patterns. All I need is one pattern that can be switched on with the push of one toggle switch. Come on Bajaj, you could have given us that.

The guy who makes this piece of equipment found a nice niche to capitalize on.
This component requires some effort to install on the Dominar. On the KTM, it is a direct plug-n-play. Very handy.

https://youtu.be/Mqo_rJY8MQA

The flashers in action.

Crash guards -

I thought about installing crash guards; but never got around to it. For one thing, the aftermarket ones available felt too expensive. Secondly, I quite like the bike's stock crash guards. They may be less effective; but, they are also low profile. In this journey of self-discovery, I am fast learning that I like most things to be less conspicuous.

Visor / Windshield -

I did not even consider getting one of these. Most of them available in the market completely take away from the look of the bike in my opinion. I would much rather deal with the wind blast instead and move on.

[mohansrides]

Protection.

My motorcycle is relatively inexpensive. But, I believe in investing in top quality gear as I am all about protection all the time. In fact, barring a couple of items, I bought my gear even before I bought the motorcycle. Here is a quick list for those of you looking to take the plunge.

• Highway Helmet - Qualifier DLX Blackout by Bell. DOT and ECE certified. Comes with an additional dark smoke shield which I take everywhere. All Bell helmets come with those nice little reflective stickers that aid visibility of the rider on the road. The stickers on my lid are durable and have not come off in 2 years. Notice how they pop in the flash of the camera. Super.
  
  The helmet has worked very well. But, the intermediate oval shape is tough on my round melon. They are also not eyewear friendly and it's a struggle to just push the stems of my glasses in as the helmet's pressure on my temples is very high. I am definitely considering the Arai Quantum X for my head shape.
  
  
  
  
  Bell Qualifier DLX Blackout - Night view. Notice the pop on those reflective stickers.
  
  
  
  
• Jacket - Tornado 2 by Rev'it! (available here). Absolutely love it. This jacket is one of the few with CE level 2 armour. It works well in our heat. I have never had reason to use the thermal liner.
  
  
• Gloves - Dirt 2 by Rev'it! (available here). These gloves have been very nice. Grip is good and they vent great. But, that smartphone touch point on the index finger almost never works. I have to keep taking off my gloves to work the phone's touchscreen. Also, on cold mornings, I wish I had on a waterproof glove to cut the wind.
  
  
• Boots - Street Ace Air by TCX (available here). These work great for our weather, except for the rains when my socks get soaked. That happened only once and in any case, the shoe is not advertised as being waterproof.
  
  Better pictures of helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots can be found here (Ridden: Bajaj Dominar 400).
  
  
• Knee guards - Bulwark Bionic Knee Armour by Mototech (available here). They have served me well over 20 or so rides. But, I am getting tired of two things with regards to these guards.
  

  a.) These guards not holding their position on my legs. They keep sliding down.
  
  b.) The extra elastic of the bands keeps flapping in the wind. Looks unsightly, and can also be borderline dangerous if they catch on something on my bike or on a passing vehicle.
  

  So, I am looking for better guards that will hold their position. I have heard really brilliant things about the protective capabilities of knee braces like the Leatt Z frame. But, they are so expensive.
  
  
• Kidney Belt (not visible in the picture) - 3DF 3.5 by Leatt. Available here.
  
  
• City Helmet - Paradoxically, I wear no gear at all when I ride in town. Distances are short, speeds are very low in our Hell-ish traffic, and the heat is stifling. So, it is a calculated risk.
  
  In the city, I rock the Scorpion Belfast (available here). ECE certified. Comes with a neat little sun visor which is super useful - it cuts glare during the day and keeps dust out of my eyes. Sometimes, I use it at night too to cut glare from the hi-beam headlights of oncoming cars driven by our thoughtful citizens.

Scorpion Belfast - Excellent open faced helmet for city traffic.
The ability to lift the visor without affecting aerodynamics is a big plus. The visor is effective too.

Gear Wishlist -

• Arai Quantum X helmet.
• Solid chest armour.
• Leatt neck brace.
• Inner tights with thigh and hip armour.
• Better touring jacket with more pockets and CE level 2 armour.
• Non-bulky waterproof gloves.
• Riding pants with good abrasion resistance and styling that doesn't make them look too technical.
• Multi-weather, and water proof riding boots that don't look hardcore.
• Sena com system. Preferably the one with a camera built in. Not so much for action photography; but more for protection.

Gear for the Missus -

• Helmet - Qualifier Tagger Splice by Bell (available here).
• Jacket - Venus by Aspida (available here).
• Gloves - by Aspida.
• Knee guards - by Aspida.
• Boots - by Exustar.
  
  
  
  
  Wife's gear - Bought at my insistence. So, although I have not received any feedback from her on how her gear fits and feels, I haven't pushed further for a conversation on this topic. Thought it best to not go looking for trouble.
  

Luggage bought -

• Fully waterproof tailbag - By Viaterra Claw (available here). Totally unnecessary purchase. Bought 14 months ago and still brand new with all its tags. This thing is absolutely cavernous and can challenge most check-in bags in terms of carrying capacity. I have never gotten around to doing a trip that will do justice to the Claw. But, I will say this. The quality of the product is top notch; as good as any imported product that I have seen. Also, the Viaterra guys know how to conduct a business. Queries by WhatsApp are answered promptly and substantively. Their customer focus was so reassuring that I bought a bag from them that I don't even need.
  
  
  
  
  The Claw by Viaterra - You can totally pack for an overseas trip with this bag.
  
  
  
• Tail roll bag - By Nelson Rigg (available here). This is the bag that I had in mind when I fashioned that tail rack. I think that top boxes are bulky and look hideous on motorcycles. I wanted something with the form factor of a roll, with a shell hard enough to retain its shape even when the bag is empty. I think this bag satisfies those criteria.
  
  I envisioned this bag to function as an add-on to the Claw. On a long multi-day ride, the Claw would be the main luggage carrier with clothes, medicine, food and water. This NR roll bag would hold stuff that cannot be mixed with the clothes like maybe a lube kit, cords, puncture kit, flashlight, etc.
  
  I used this bag recently for a ride and it worked well. But, the outer fabric of the bag turned out to be less durable. It is starting to come apart after just one hard day on the bike.
  
  
  
  
  Roll-bag by Nelson Rigg.
  
  
  
  
  Nelson Rigg Roll-bag - Quality of the fabric and overall workmanship leaves something to be desired.
  
  
  
• All purpose compact backpack (15 L) - By Quechua (available here). This is my go-to in every situation. It carries everything without a complaint. Secured with bungees to the pillion seat, the bag stays put and doesn't slip under the cables. Bright blue is also easy to spot from a distance.
  
  
  
  
  My go-to bag for almost all my trips.
  
  
  
  
• Helmet Visor Sleeve - By Viaterra (available here). Absolutely brilliant product. Very thoughtfully executed. I use it every single time to carry my alternate visor. Every rider out there should order an alternate visor and keep it in one of these sleeves.
  
  
  
  
  Visor sleeve by Viaterra. Brilliant product that every motorcyclist should have.
  
  
  
• First Aid kit and Manual - Ordered these from Amazon. Totally worth it. The kit came to Rs. 400 or so and can hold all essentials. I wanted a First Aid kit to be bright red so that, during an emergency, it can be easily identified in the bag. The important thing though is to keep the supplies in it stocked and current; i.e. no medicines, or bandages, or antiseptic disinfectants past their date of expiry. Also, make sure to clean and disinfect the forceps and scissors in the kit before packing it back into the kit. I typically do this the night before a ride. The Manual is more expensive at around Rs. 550. But, it is detailed and has a ton of information.
  
  I plan on ordering one more set (kit and manual) for the car.
  
  
  
  
  First Aid kit. Measures 10" x 6" x 3". Compact enough for travel.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It holds medicine, plaster, and bandages on one side....
  
  
  
  
  
  .... and disinfectant, scissors, and forceps on the other.
  
  
  
  
  
  The First Aid Manual is quite comprehensive. For reference, it's slightly bigger than an adult palm.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Four bungee cords and a bungee net - Bought from a local bike store. Put to good use very often.
  
  
• Metal card holder - For credit cards, drivers license, bike registration. Bought from Amazon for Rs. 700. Best decision ever. A bulky wallet would have stuck out like an ugly blob under the jacket.
  
  
• Stainless steel water bottles - On long rides, I don't like to drink water from plastic bottles as they typically get hot under the sun, thus leaching BPA into the water. Some plastic bottles also start to deform during packing. Or worse, they get crushed and spill all the water if the rider has a fall; which ironically is the time when the rider will most need that water.
  
  So, I bought a couple of these stainless steel bottles. They are chemically inert under any temperature and structurally stable. The family liked it so much that we got rid of all our other bottles in the house. Then, we bought 4 or 5 more of these metal bottles.
  
  
• Bright colored napkins - For a multitude of uses.
  
  
• Paper Soap - Complete life savers. Costs Rs. 4 per pack. I buy them by the dozens and keep at least two packs in my pant pocket all the time. I recently gave these to my dad when he took the train to Bangalore. He said, "I didn't know that something like this is available. Very useful idea. Can you get me some more of these?" Yowza!! That day, I felt like DA MAN.
  
  
• Dynamo Flashlight - Bought from Decathlon. Holds a bright light for a good 4 or 5 minutes after a few vigorous spins of the handle. Good enough in emergencies. Not needing a battery is a boon.
  
  
• Alternative phone - I carry a low-tech phone and charger from 10 years ago as my just-in-case. Believe it or not, this phone is a gem. Nothing ever happens to it. Call quality is fantastic and battery life is a full day on a charge of 1 hour. This is definitely the phone to have on the road.
  
  
  
  
  The items that I typically carry on my rides.
  
  
  
  
  
  Phone's old and small. But, it's a real gem. It beats most of today's phones hollow in call quality and durability.
  
  
  
• Reflective vest - Very useful. Even if I don't wear it on me during a night ride, I make sure to wrap it around any of the bags in the back. That way, most cars can see the bike a lot better.
  
  
  
  
  Reflective vest.
  
  
  
• Pillion grip aid - RiderGrips by Oxford (available here). Used only once. But, the missus was very happy with the product. Just for reference, we went on a ride before we bought this, and she almost fell of the bike on a steep incline. The Dominar offers nothing for the pillion in that respect.
  
  
  
  
  RiderGrips by Oxford.

Item Wishlist -

• Swiss knife
• Compact and yet complete toolkit. After I get this, I have to learn to use it.
• One of those portable stands to prop the rear wheel up out on the road.

__________________________________________________ ____________________________

This concludes my ownership report for now. I will update this thread with more material as and when required.

Cheers

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!

What a review, man . Your bike is going straight to our homepage.

[CarManMotorcycl]

If i was suggesting the Dominar to someone i would tell them to read this belter of a review! My brother also owns a Dominar in white and has been having a great time with it. I feel if the Dominar had 'retro' clothing instead of the 'modern' one it wear it would've sold a decent amount

[Kosfactor]

Amazing review, many thanks!

Several of my biker friends who used to tour on Enfield are no longer fans of classic bikes for touring. Dominar has questioned their choice in just one ride, made them think if all that sacrifice in the name of classic motorcycling was worth it.

It is now Bajaj's choice to make the best of this market situation, your current dealerships aren't equipped to handle a customer that needs a sports tourer, I think that much is obvious now. Maybe Bajaj wants to sell it's Kawasaki and KTMs more than Dominar, who knows.

[KPR]

Excellent review! 5 stars obviously. Viaterra Claw or tank bags are for long rides but what matters most for us is the storage space for all day to day local errands. I've installed a Via Terra seaty to the rear seat of TB bike for storing items like vegetables, grocery stuff, water bottles, lunch boxes etc when I ride single. Good thing is pillion can comfortably sit over the folded/zip locked seaty. Very happy about this purchase. Try it out in local store for dominar as it can save your storage woes. Just a recommendation on a good product and I'm not advertising the brand here.

[am1m]

Wow, what an awesome real-user/world review! Thanks!

Always wondered why I don't see more Dominars on the road. On paper this seems like a great, VFM package and a good challenger to the thousands of REs I see on the road for touring.

Pity that Bajaj dealerships make it hard for customers to test ride and get delivery the way they want to. I mean a 2L bike and a 500m test ride?! Absolutely unacceptable! (And just because superbike dealerships don't even offer test rides for 10L machines doesn't excuse this pathetically bad practice!)

Hope the sales numbers make Bajaj re-think the bad, potential-buyer unfriendly policies of their dealerships.

[Axe77]

Fantastic review (although I've only managed a speed read - this is hard core weekend material).

This review is so relevant for two types of folks:

1. those who have an interest in the Dominar;
2. those who have no interest in a Dominar but just enjoy a good read.

:-)

[catchjyoti]

Fantastic review. Rated a well-deserved five stars! The details to which you went and your word-play are both much appreciated

I would request you to also give the Amazon (or other) links for the gear like reflective vest and first aid kit. Would be very helpful for people like me who would like to buy them.

[RajeevSharma]

Amazing review of a bike which feels better through your review than in person. I almost feel like getting up and heading straight to Bajaj to order one for myself.

Your attention to rider safety is clap worthy something that all of us can learn from. I have friends who think they ride safe but that is is farthest thing from truth after looking at your safety guard. I am now going to lecture them on armour that they may not know that I know exist thanks to your review post.

And your passion for your bike is inspirational even for people who consider them enthusiast let alone someone like me who is ammeter in this department. I wish you many more safe rides on your " Buland Bharat ki buland tasveer -Humara Bajaj"!