The Dominar 250, being nearly INR 30,000 cheaper than the 400 cc variant, is accessible to much wider audience base
The Bajaj Dominar 250 arrived at the scene when its elder sibling, the Dominar 400, has been witnessing dwindling sales. The quarter liter variant’s objective is to enhance the potential of the Dominar brand and bring in incremental volumes. As it turns out, the new variant came just in time for damage control.
In June 2020, the Bajaj Dominar 250 clocked sales of 1,018 units compared to the Dominar 400 which managed to reach a tally of 717 units in the domestic market. The Dominar 400’s sales volume represents a YoY decline of 65% (2,044 units in June 2019).
If we include the 250 cc variant’s sales figures, the Dominar nameplate’s YoY performance stands at 15%. So, we can clearly see that the quarter liter variant managed to save the day to a significant extent.
Bajaj Dominar 250 vs 400 Sales in June 2020
As far as exports are concerned, Bajaj Auto is yet to ship its new Dominar 250 to international markets. The Dominar 400, on the other hand, registered export of 816 units last month compared to just 450 units during the same month last year. The company would be hoping to have better sales performance for its flagship nameplate in the domestic market after the pandemic emergency is over.
Differences between Dominar 250 and Dominar 400
The new Bajaj Dominar 250 looks identical to its bigger-engined sibling to an extent that one would be hard pressed to distinguish between them. However, the Dominar 250 is a good INR 30,000 cheaper and the cost-cutting has been on areas that are are too obvious. For example, the 250 employs a conventional box-type swing arm in place of the 400’s cast aluminium unit. The wheels and tyres are also of lower specification on the Dominar 250.
Moreover, the entry-level Dominar employs 37 mm inverted telescopic front forks as against the 400 cc variant’s 43 mm units. Bajaj has also reduced the front brake dia by 20 mm on the new bike while the rear discs are identical at 230 mm. Both motorcycles benefit from two-channel ABS.
While wheelbase, height, ground clearance, width, etc, are identical, under-the-skin changes and a smaller engine have resulted in the Bajaj Dominar 250 weighing 4 kg lighter than its sibling. The 250 has 27 hp on tap while the 400 boasts 40 hp, so the latter more than makes up for its additional weight.
With a price tag of INR 1.60 lakh (ex-showroom), the Bajaj Dominar 250 is a lot more accessible to much wider audience than its sibling which is priced at INR 1.91 lakh (ex-showroom). It competes with the Suzuki Gixxer 250, Yamaha FZ 25 and KTM 250 Duke.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
