Bajaj Dominar 400

The Dominar 400 is aimed towards relaxed touring in contrast with KTM's sportier ergonomics and this shows in the upright riding position. This makes it suitable for daily commutes. The styling is sharp with more importance given towards visual mass that makes the Dominar 400 look like a larger motorcycle. It gets beefy upside-down forks, fat tyres and a broader tail-section compared to the KTM Duke 390.

It comes with top-of-the-shelf cycle parts such as full-LED headlamps, upside-down forks, lightweight aluminium chassis and swingarm, rear monoshock damper and front and rear disc brakes with standard single-channel ABS and optional dual-channel ABS. The instrument cluster is completely digital and the there is also an instrument console atop the fuel tank that houses the warning lamps.

The powertrain is a 373cc liquid cooled single derived from KTM’s 390 Duke and RC 390. The engine will be retuned to deliver fewer horses but in a linear manner with a broader spread keeping in mind the touring nature of the bike. It wil retain the motor's bottom end but might have a different head similar to what they did with the Pulsar NS 200 which uses the KTM Duke 200's motor. On the KTM Duke 390, the 373cc motor makes 43PS but we expect the Dominar to have an output in the high 30s range. It should be enough to take care of triple-digit touring speeds without taxing the engine. When you are in the mood for some high-speed fun, the liquid-cooled engine with its 6-speed gearbox should be able to take you past the 150kmph mark.

The Dominar 400's suspension geometry has been designed keeping in mind the bike's touring needs. The steering while not as sharp as the KTM Dukes, should be involving enough in the twisties. The ride should be firm with enough damping to justify ity touring credentials.