Bajaj Dominar 250 vs Suzuki Gixxer 250 BS4: Which One To Buy?

With just a 200-rupee difference in pricing, you might be left confused. We weigh in:

Bajaj launched the Dominar 250 in a bid to offer touring enthusiasts something more affordable but with the same premium quotient of its flagship motorcycle, the Dominar 400. At Rs 1.60 lakh, it is just Rs 200 more than the Suzuki Gixxer 250 BS4. Of course, the caveat for the Japanese bike is that it will be available only until stocks last as the deadline for BS6 emission norms transition is nearing (April 1, 2020). Should you buy this motorcycle or should you go for Bajaj’s baby Dominar?

Buy the Bajaj Dominar 250 for its touring-oriented genes:

The Bajaj Dominar 250 shares its engine with the KTM 250 Duke BS6. However, it is tuned to be a bit more laidback to suit its mile-munching nature. It makes 27PS at 8500rpm and 23.5Nm at 6500rpm, which is 0.5PS and 0.9Nm more than the Suzuki Gixxer 250. This coupled with the six-speed transmission with slipper clutch should make the bike good fun to ride in the twisties. The ergonomics are also comfortable with a hint of sportiness as it is similar to its bigger brother, the Dominar 400.

Also Read: Bajaj Dominar 250 vs Royal Enfield Classic 350 Single-channel ABS: Which One To Buy?

Bajaj has made sure it exudes the same kind of premium quotient as the Dominar 400, so it comes with a similar design language and is loaded with features. Compared to the Gixxer 250, the Dominar 250 gets a more sophisticated suspension (inverted front forks and rear gas-charged monoshock), disc brake on both ends with a radial caliper up front, and standard dual-channel ABS. It also gets an all-LED lighting system and a fully digital split-type instrument cluster. Overall, the Bajaj Dominar 250 will be a right fit for those who like to go on long rides often.

Buy the Suzuki Gixxer 250 if you want an agile Japanese naked:

The Suzuki Gixxer 250 BS4 is priced at Rs 1,59,800 (ex-showroom Delhi). While it makes more or less similar power and torque compared to the Dominar 250 (26.5PS and 22.6Nm), it weighs 156kg, which is a whole 24kg lighter. This coupled with the 113mm shorter wheelbase (1340mm) should make it an agile motorcycle, perfect for everyday commutes. It can also handle the occasional weekend rides thanks to the reasonably powerful engine and a 6-speed transmission. 

Like the Dominar, it also comes with an LED headlamp and tail lamp, dual-channel ABS, and a fully digital instrument cluster. Also, it gets a fatter set of rubber on both ends. The motorcycle rolls on 110-section front and 150-section rear as opposed to the Dominar 250’s 100-section front and 130-section rear. More importantly, both the tyres are radial units so that means they have stronger sidewalls than the non-radial ones in the Dominar. This should instil more confidence while cornering. All in all, the Suzuki Gixxer 250 is ideal for those who want a balanced quarter-litre naked that can do the daily commuting duties as well as offer some weekend fun.

Select dealerships are also offering a huge discount of up to Rs 24,000 on the remaining BS4 stock, so you better hurry. The BS6-compliant iteration makes the same power but 0.4Nm more torque compared to the BS4-compliant Gixxer 250. If you’re willing to wait for this version, you might want to know that it could very well command a big premium. This is considering the 155cc Gixxer BS6 twins are more premium than their BS4 counterparts by around Rs 11,600 to Rs 12,000, despite already packing fuel-injection technology. Suzuki might replicate the same with the bigger quarter-litre twins as well.