Bajaj Dominar 250: All You Need To Know

Bajaj’s most affordable Dominar is finally here! Is it a compromise or does it pack enough features? Here’s everything you need to know

The Bajaj Dominar 250 has been launched in the country at around Rs 30,000 less than the Dominar 400 BS4. The USP of this motorcycle is that it offers enthusiasts a more affordable entry point in the touring-oriented Dominar lineup. Before you sign that cheque, here’s everything you need to know about this baby Dominar:

Comes with a reasonably competitive pricing:

Over the years, inflation, emission norms, insurance regulations and, of course, generational changes have made the Dominar 400 a lot more expensive than its launch price of Rs 1.5 lakh (for the ABS variant). So, a more affordable tourer was the need of the hour. This explains why Bajaj had to introduce the Dominar 250 at similar pricing - Rs 1.60 lakh, to be precise. In comparison, the current-generation Dominar 400 costs Rs 1,90,002. All prices, ex-showroom Delhi. 

Gets powertrain based on the KTM 250 Duke BS6:

The Bajaj Dominar 250 gets a KTM 250 Duke BS6-derived 248.7cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled powertrain, which churns out 27PS at 8000rpm and 23.5Nm at 6500rpm. Comparatively, the KTM 250 Duke BS6 produces 30PS at 9000rpm and 24Nm at 7500rpm. It’s pretty evident that Bajaj has tuned the motor for accessible power lower down the rev range compared to the Austrian naked’s high-strung setup.

It comes with a dual-spark setup as opposed to the triple spark plugs in its peers, the Pulsar RS200, NS200 and the Dominar 400. The engine works alongside a 6-speed transmission with slipper clutch that enables aggressive downshifts without locking up the rear wheel. Bajaj claims the motorcycle can accelerate from 0-100kmph in 10.5 seconds, which is 3.4 seconds slower than the Dominar 400. The claimed top speed stands at 132kmph, which is good enough for our roads. Also, the kerb weight is down by just 4kg, at 180kg.

Gains some and loses some in terms of underpinnings:

The Bajaj Dominar 250 was expected to pack a traditional front fork and an axial front caliper to keep costs down. However, Bajaj proved us wrong by equipping the bike with a properly premium inverted front fork and a radial caliper. However, the front fork is a 37mm unit as opposed to the Dominar 400’s 43mm fork. Also, the front disc brake is 30mm smaller than its bigger brother, at 300mm. The rear uses the same Nitrox monoshock and 230mm disc as the Dominar 400. Bajaj hasn’t cheaped out on the safety front. It gets a proper dual-channel ABS like its bigger sibling. 

Another major change is the box-section swingarm, which also contributes to cost-saving. The Dominar 400 uses a more expensive stamped metal swingarm. Bajaj has also equipped the 17-inch alloys with MRF Nylogrip Zapper tubeless tyres (100/80 up front and 130/70 at the rear). The Dominar 400 rides on fatter 110-section front and 150-section rear, both radials. These radial tyres offer better sidewall strength and therefore impart greater confidence while cornering as it doesn’t tend to squish as much as the non-radial ones.

Same goes for features as well…

To keep the premium quotient intact, the Bajaj Dominar 250 gets the same split-type LCD instrument cluster as its bigger brother. However, this one is the older-generation Dominar 400’s unit. It houses only the tell-tale lights in the tank-mounted pod and there’s no real-time or average mileage display like in the current-gen Dominar 400. 

Fortunately, Bajaj has retained the all-LED lighting setup and the beefy-looking twin-barrel exhaust as the Dominar 400. It also gets four loops under the pillion seat to secure bungee cords -- a handy feature for long-distance touring. The fuel tank capacity remains the same at 13 litres. Since it packs a smaller engine, expect slightly more range compared to the Dominar 400, at least theoretically. The wheelbase (1453mm) and ground clearance (157mm) are the same as the Dominar 400.

The bike is available in two colours: Canyon Red and Vine Black. Interestingly, the red colour was featured in one of the promotional videos for the Bajaj Dominar 400.