Bajaj is preparing to launch the 2022 Dominar in the Indian market. The motorcycle has already started reaching the dealerships. Here, is a first ride review of the new motorcycle. The video is uploaded on YouTube by Dino’s Vault. We can see that it is an incremental update of the Dominar because Bajaj has only added more accessories.
The motorcycle is finished in matte black. It gets a tall windscreen that protects the rider from windblast. The vlogger says that the windscreen is very effective. Then there are knuckle guards that protect the gear and clutch lever in case of a fall. They also provide some protection to the hands from the cold wind and they are offered in different colours to match the colour scheme of the motorcycle. The knuckle guards also have a fly screen integrated into them to deflect the wind. There is also an updated crash guard which now also protects the radiator.
The number plate holder is also new. It is of better quality than the previous one and also gets rubber mountings to reduce the vibrations. Bajaj has also added a top rack that is of very good quality and it comes with an integrated backrest for the pillion. There is also a bash plate that protects the engine and cat con. Bajaj has also added a mount for the mobile phone holder and a USB charger. Bajaj has also added handlebar risers to provide a more upright and comfortable riding triangle.
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There are no changes to the mechanicals of the Dominar 400. All this equipment will be offered as accessories. Till now, people were buying these accessories from the after-market shops. Well, now they would be able to get them from Bajaj itself and they are of top-notch quality. The accessories do not ruin the design of the Dominar 400 and it still looks quite nice. The prices of the accessories are not yet announced.
The engine is the same 373 cc unit derived from the KTM Duke 390 and RC390. However, it has been reworked heavily. It still comes with liquid cooling, has a DOHC setup and is a single-cylinder engine but now gets Bajaj’s triple spark technology. Because of all the work that Bajaj has done, the Dominar produces slightly less power and torque than the KTM’s engine but now the torque is spread across the rev range so it is available readily whereas in KTM’s you have to rev the engine to its redline to extract all that power. Bajaj’s iteration of the engine also feels less stressed.
The engine puts out 40 PS of max power and 35 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch. It is a very touring friendly engine and can hold triple-digit speeds easily. Liquid-cooling ensures that the engine does not heat up.
It still comes with aluminium rearview mirrors, an LED headlamp, a digital instrument cluster and an LED tail lamp. Braking duties are done by a 320 mm disc in the front and a 230 mm disc at the rear. It gets a dual-channel Anti-lock braking system as standard. Suspension duties are done by up-side down forks in the front and a mono-shock at the rear.
