Introduction: The Dominar is a well packaged motorcycle on paper but has failed to fire up sales charts for Bajaj. The 2019 model however gets multiple revisions including more power and better dynamics. Is this what Bajaj should have launched in the first-place way back in 2016?
Does it look better?
The Dominar has always been seen as a ‘large’ motorcycle for the price point and hence Bajaj decided to carry over the same design language without any major revision. But there are tweaks. For instance, the color option you see on the screen right now. This green-n-black theme lends a new sporty character to the bike and is an eye magnet too. Bajaj has given the bike a black-out effect for mechanical parts like the alloy wheels, frame, exhaust, engine et al. The alloy wheels further get standout metal polish finish on the spokes. Looks nice we say!
Next on are the upside-down forks that look beefy and the new dual barrel exhaust set-up that defiantly adds to the muscle. There is a new tank pad and the pillion seat has a prominent D embossing. The rest of the bike is same with minor tweaks to the headlamps and the casing of the tail lamp.
Feature loaded?
We have outlined most of the changes above but there is more to the bike. The LCD displays for example have more information on hand for you. This includes average and instantaneous fuel economy figures as well as average speed display. Other information includes gear indicator, fuel level, speed, engine RPM and trip meters. Next on, Bajaj has included four bungee straps under the pillion seat. These can be used to strap on your luggage and cords for that annual Ladakh ride!
Does it have the same engine?
Yes, but with added punch. The older Dominar was known to offers max bang for your buck in terms of performance per rupee and this one takes it to a whole new level. Power has gone up from 35 PS to 40 PS and the engine now uses a DOHC or a double overhead camshaft set-up. The compressor ratio has also been bumped up. With the same slick shifting 6 speed ‘box on avail, the bike is quicker off the line and in terms of top speed.
We shall let the numbers do the talking. Bajaj claims the 2019 Dominar can hit 60km/h and 100km/h in less than 3 and 8 seconds respectively. And given the road, it will do in excess of 160 km/h as per the speedometer with ease. And all this while, the claimed fuel economy remains unchanged.
One of the biggest shortcomings with the older Dominar were the vibrations and character of the engine. That has improved and by a huge margin. Even between 4000-6000rpm, vibrations at kept at bay and its only when you keep the throttle pinned is when you feel the tingling sensations coming in. But for most riding patterns, we appreciate the new-found smoothness in here.
We would also like to add that the new exhaust set-up sounds far better. It has a deeper bass to it and the note remains throaty even in the higher rev of the range.
Is it comfortable?
Remember we spoke about the upside-down forks earlier? They do help in terms of dynamics though we couldn’t test this during our session with the bike. However, what we can vouch for is the rear suspension comfort. The springs are softer and this does help to remove the underlying firmness of the previous model. The stock factory setting works well for a single rider and undulations are kept at bay. Worthy of a mention here are the new mirrors that are wider and give you a better view of what’s happening behind. Adds to the peace of mind factor on long rides. Also, the new bar ends on the handlebars also play a crucial role in reducing the vibes which means a smoother riding experience for the rider.
What’s missing then?
During our run, we subjected the bike to a couple of emergency braking maneuvers and felt that the front brake lacked a proper bite and ‘feel’ that is so important to infuse confidence in a biker. Second, the space between the left foot peg and gear shifter could have been more. I was wearing riding boots and found it difficult to shift gears.
Pricing?
The only missing piece in the entire puzzle is the pricing. Bajaj confirms they will announce it by end March or early April. The 2019 Dominar becomes more powerful, gets added features and is dynamically an improved motorcycle too. It retains the usual bits of being a good long-distance hauler, comes with dual channel ABS and slipper clutch as standard. If the new version can be priced at around the Rs 1.80 - 1.85 lakh mark in terms of ex-showroom price, the Dominar will continue to offer unbeatable value for money in our opinion.
