Bajaj Dominar 250 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350: Image Comparison

Should the similarly priced Royal Enfield Classic 350 be worried about Bajaj’s latest offering? Let’s find out

Bajaj launched the Dominar 250 a couple of months ago at Rs 1,60,000. It’s essentially a toned-down Dominar 400. What felt like a compromise at first has now turned out to be one heck of a proposition. It packs some serious equipment, an engine derived from the KTM 250 Duke along with a host of features. The Dominar finally feels like it could outmatch the iconic Classic 350 which is priced at 1,67,780 (both ex-showroom, prices). Should Royal Enfield be worried? Here’s how the two stack up against each other, explained via detailed images  

Please Note: BS4 Classic 350 images used for representation purpose

Two very different bikes that cater to the same segment -- touring. The Dominar 250, especially in this Canyon Red paint, looks absolutely stunning. But that’s not to say that the Classic isn’t appealing enough. The bike has its own neo-retro charm, one of the biggest reasons for its cult following. 

The Dominar pretty much overshadows the Classic in terms of features. You get LED lights all around, a digital instrument console along with tank-mounted telltale lights, mirrors with cast aluminium stalks, and luggage loops below the pillion seat. 

There isn’t much to speak of when it comes to the Classic, you have a simple die-cast halogen headlamp up front, vintage graphics with blacked-out mechanicals, and the option of alloy or spoked wheels.

The same goes for the powerplant. The Dominar’s 250cc engine is far more sophisticated than the Classic 350. The 248.7cc liquid-cooled motor dishes out 27PS of power and 23.5Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed transmission that gets a slipper clutch. In comparison, the Classic 350 packs a 346cc air-cooled motor that delivers 20PS and 28Nm, mated to a 5-speed transmission. Sure, the Dominar 250 may lack the thump of the RE, but it sure as hell impresses when it comes to tractability. You can read more about it here. 

And while we’re on that topic, I’d also like to point out that the exhaust note on the Dominar actually sounds good -- almost thumpy! It’s mellow but manages to retain its bass, which gives it character. But it still can’t quite match up to the Classic 350 in terms of feel. The thumping exhaust is what makes fanatics go gaga over the Royal Enfield.

The Dominar and the Classic 350 stand shoulder to shoulder when it comes to fuel tank capacity. The former stores 13-litres of fuel while the latter has the capacity to accommodate 13.5-litres.

In terms of underpinnings, it’s the Dominar 250 that takes the cake again. It gets premium hardware such as a 37mm USD fork and a preload-adjustable monoshock. The Classic 350, on the contrary, makes do with a telescopic fork and a twin shock absorber setup at the rear. 

Neither of the bikes classify as lightweight machines. The Dominar 250 weighs in at 180kg kerb while the Classic 350 tips the scale at 195kg (wet). 

Naturally, these bikes need some decent braking performance to bring them to a stop. The Dominar features a 300mm single disc brake up front mated to a radially mounted caliper, and a single 230mm disc at the rear. The Classic too gets disc brakes at the front and rear measuring in at 280mm and 240mm respectively. Both bikes benefit from dual-channel ABS. 

The Dominar employs a 100/80-17 section tyre up front and a slightly fatter 130/70-17 section tyre at the rear. As for the Classic, it uses a 90/90-19 front and 120/80-18 rear tyre configuration. 

The Dominar 250 and Classic 350 feature a box-section swingarm, which also contributes to cost-saving.

The Dominar 250 undercuts the Royal Enfield Classic 350 by almost Rs 8,000 despite carrying a lot more equipment. Overall, we feel the Dominar 250 is a better value for money proposition compared to the Classic 350.