The Indian two-wheeler market is eagerly waiting for the Dominar
400 – the most powerful bike that the homegrown two-wheeler maker, Bajaj has
ever produced. The new upcoming Bajaj Dominar 400 debuted first in India as the
Pulsar CS400 concept model at the 2014 Auto Expo. However, later Bajaj
thought of launching this new powerful flagship model as an entirely new brand
and not as a part of it’s highly popular Pulsar family, although it is based on
the Pulsar RS200’s platform. After a lot
of speculations regarding a few expected names for the brand new motorcycle,
Bajaj Auto has finally announced that it has christened it as the Dominar 400
and it is going to launch very soon in the domestic Indian market. Bajaj has an
aggressive launch strategy for its home market which includes several new
upcoming high performance motorcycle models, and the Dominar 400 is the first to
come among these. Post its market launch, the Dominar 400 will be fighting
with many competitors, among which one of the toughest rivals will be the KTM
Duke 390.
It is interesting to note that the Bajaj Dominar 400 and the
KTM
Duke 390 are cousins and both are being produced at Bajaj’s
manufacturing plant in Chakan, close to Pune. As the KTM 390 Duke is a highly
popular model known for its power packed performance, one wonders how the new
Bajaj Dominar 400 will fair against it in India.
Let us consider the capabilities of these two macho
motorcycle models by comparing them side by side, in order to know which, one
will win over the Indian biking aficionados better:
Bajaj Dominar 400 Vs KTM Duke 390 - Comparison
Specifications
The KTM Duke 390 packs in a 373 cc single cylinder liquid
cooled mill with direct fuel injection technology. The engine has the capability
to churn out a max power figure of 43 bhp at 9,000 rpm and peak torque of 35 Nm
at 7,000 rpm. The bike gets equipped with a 6 speed transmission gearbox
to offer smooth handling and ride quality. The handling and agility of the
motorcycle is enhanced by its weight of 139 kg with an empty fuel tank. The
Duke 390 is a brilliant machine on two wheels that offers equal performance on
both city roads and highways, owing to its great power to weight ratio.
The new Bajaj Dominar 400 will be coming powered
by the same engine that that of its cousin the KTM Duke 390, but it the mill
will be tweaked in order to offer better fuel efficiency. This engine will also
be endowed with triple spark technology from Bajaj. The engine after the
retuning is expected to offer lesser power of around 35 bhp. The
transmission duty will be handled by the same 6 speed transmission as the Duke
390.
Top Speed
The KTM Duke 390 can sprint from standstill to a speed level
of 100 km per hour in only 5.5 seconds and offers an impressive top speed
of 160 km per hour. While speculations say that the Bajaj Dominar 400 would
be faster with a top speed of 175 km per hour, in reality it is thought to
offer a top speed that is equal or even lesser than the Duke 390, in a range of
around 155-160 km per hour.
Fuel Efficiency
The Duke 390 is known for its incredible performance and
power, but it still manages to offer a good mileage of around 25 to 28 km per liter.
On the other hand, the Dominar 400 is tweaked to offer higher fuel
efficiency as already mentioned and it is likely to deliver around 30 to 35 km per
liter.
Design & Features
When looks are concerned, the Duke 390’s design language is
pretty much similar to what the Duke 200 flaunts. So much so, that on the road
these two siblings are quite difficult to tell apart. However, the Duke
390 comes with its own slightly different features including a bit larger
tank, slightly lower seating position and different body paint and decals. This
motorcycle also looks beefier and tougher than its smaller sibling. The Duke
390 has a menacing look with black lines running from its rear brakes, while an
added sportiness if offered by the contrast orange colored trellis as well as orange
wheels. The bike offers premium features such as Metzelers and Anti-Lock
Braking System (ABS) as standard fitments.
On the other hand, the upcoming Dominar 400 flaunts a design
that looks like the toned down styling of the Ducati Diavel. This premium
cruiser bike also shares some design cues with the 200NS, while coming
with a bit larger proportions. The motorcycle looks impressively intimidating
while keeping the design quite simple and straightforward in order to offer a
no-nonsense look. The bike flaunts a large LED headlamp and nicely styled front
cowl and a visor with a sweptback designed. This motorcycle features a split
instrument cluster, gear shift indicator with a white backlight and an LCD
display on its fuel tank. The Dominar 400 also comes packed with a stepped
saddle seat, a patent twin slash LED tail lights from the Pulsar family and stylish
large black alloy wheels.
Pricing
The KTM Duke 390 is bit costlier model as compared to its
upcoming cousin cum market rival, which is expected to come with very
competitive pricing. The Duke 390 sole standard version that comes with
ABS is tagged at Rs. 1.95 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).
On the other hand, the soon to launch Bajaj Dominar 400
is expected to be available in two versions – a non-ABS and an ABS version.
While the standard variant of the Dominar without ABS is likely to be
priced at around Rs. 1.60 lakh, the ABS version is expected to be tagged around
at Rs. 1.75 lakhs.
Conclusion
The Duke and the Dominar although market rivals, are
actually targeted at different customer groups. The KTM 390 Duke aims those
looking for power packed performance, while the Bajaj Dominar 400 Cruiser
Sports bike will be targeting those looking for powerful long distance cruising
capabilities. Nevertheless, both these bikes are superior machines.
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