Btw who am I?
I am working in IT sector as a developer and I love to ride. I started long rides as early as 2008 and completed around 1.8+ lacs kilometers s on my own motorcycles. Dominar is my 10th motorcycle and I’m in love with it. Currently staying in Pune and I mostly ride with my group Motion Wheels (Pune).
From Pulsarmaniac to Hyperrider
I was riding my Bajaj Pulsar RS200 happily and clocked around 60000 kilometers in three years without many problems. The problem started when I rode a friend’s Bajaj DOMINAR 400 UG 2019. I was blown away with the thump from the twin barrel exhaust and that’s the reason I went to the showroom for a test ride and was again amazed by the sound and off-course the green colour.
I was very eager to upgrade to a 400cc motorcycle. Thus, I started comparing all the motorcycles available in the market.
After researching, I was left with only 3 options –
Bajaj DOMINAR 400 UG 2019
KTM Duke 390
Royal Enfield Himalayan 410
The KTM Duke 390 was superbly awesome and quick. No complaints at all but then I thought about our roads and the traffic. Not to forget the summer afternoon heat combined with that from the KTM Duke 390; horrible experience. So, as regards heat management, the Bajaj DOMINAR 400 UG 2019 got a plus point in my opinion.
On the other hand, the Himalayan was superb on our roads with lots of potholes and speed breakers but on the highway, it isn’t as much fun to ride. Also, the time when you get a puncture in your tube tyres. Thus I was sure enough to go for Bajaj DOMINAR 400 UG 2019 as because with 5 more horses it became a bit quicker than the last generation Bajaj DOMINAR 400 .
It’s been around 7 months and clocked around 8000 kilometers (very less as I was travelling by car in the recent times) and thus sharing my ownership experience.
To start with it, the thump is great. The increased power with the additional 5 horses due to the high compression ratio and the DOHC setup made the engine faster. Also, I found it more refined as compared to the last generation. And the best part, the front looks. The USD forks are giant enough to accentuate the bulkier design and offer a great handling experience too. The rear suspension is softer and thus clocking miles is easier and more comfortable.
The torque curve is linear and thus overtaking a vehicle becomes easier, even when you are cruising at triple digit speed. The sweet spot to cruise is 110-125 kilometers per hour. So far I’ve got a mileage of 29-30 kilometers per liter. In the city, with normal traffic, the average mileage is around 27-29 kilometers which is great considering it’s a 400cc motorcycle. The mirrors are well organized and you will be aware of all the vehicles at the rear.
But with all the good points, there are some negative points that always bother me:
The first and foremost are the service centers, the technicians with lack of proper knowledge.
The availability of some parts would make you feel that you own an imported motorcycle which feels good in a way.
However, waiting for the parts to be imported can be agonizing.
The quality of some parts is not at par. To start with, every 2019 Dominar’s leg guard bolt is broken after sometime.
Also, the console cover plastic does feel premium and thus creates a lot of vibrations.
There are some issues with the software as well – as the trip meter gets stuck at 999 kilometers. The mileage calculator doesn’t seem to produce the exact mileage and the range as well.
In the next ECU update, the trip meter should be on the primary console as people riding for long distance generally tie their tank bag on the tank. And thus are unable to see the trip meter and the distance clocked.
So to summarize, the Bajaj DOMINAR 400 UG 2019 is a great machine which justifies it cost and the purpose of a power cruiser. I mainly got this machine to ride long distances and for me, it serves the purpose very well.
Ride Safe.. Ride More!
For more visit my YouTube channel: Abhra Chatterjee Instagram: abhrachatterjee
