The upcoming 2018 Bajaj Dominar 400 has been spotted at the Chakan production facility wearing an all-new Racing Red livery.
The domestic market hasn’t been very kind to the Pune-based motorcycle manufacturer’s Dominar 400. Following a promising start provided by the hype built around the CS 400 concept, the flagship product became a victim of Bajaj Auto’s unclear positioning (from dominate the night to hyper-riding and those races against social media!).
Exactly one year from launch, the actual sales figures, with half of them coming from exports, are way off the brand’s optimistic 10,000 units per month sales target. The Pulsar maker now plans to recapture the market with the launch of the 2018 Bajaj Dominar 400 in the coming months. The motorcycle has been spotted at their manufacturing plant in Chakan, Pune without any camouflage.
To start with, the new version isn’t vastly different from the current Dominar in appearance. There are no changes to the body panels and the motorcycle continues to sport a menacing street-fighter look. Donning a glossy Racing Red single-tone paint scheme, the 2018 Dominar 400 also gets silver accents on some parts to make it an absolute eye-candy.
The silver shade can be seen on the split grab rails, handlebars, frame and swingarm which helps these elements to stand out. From the picture, it also appears that there are no changes to the suspension setup or braking hardware.
Also, there are no mechanical changes expected on the 2018 model. Sharing its 373.3cc engine with the KTM Duke 390, the Dominar 400 churns out 35 HP of power and 35 Nm of torque in the current avatar. Its revised gearing ensures that the engine characteristics are tamed down and touring-friendly.
The liquid-cooled and fuel-injected motor comes paired to a 6-speed gearbox. Features such as LED lighting, digital console, disc brakes, slipper clutch and dual-channel ABS are already available on the motorcycle.
Recently, the Dominar 400 became the first Indian motorcycle to complete the gruelling Trans-Siberian Odyssey which speaks a lot about its build quality and capability. The bike is priced at Rs. 1.42 lakhs for the non-ABS version and Rs. 1.56 lakhs for the ABS version currently (both ex-showroom, Mumbai).
The price is likely to remain unchanged as the changes are merely cosmetic. Expected to be launched in the coming months, the 2018 Bajaj Dominar 400 will compete with the Mahindra Mojo and Royal Enfield’s 350cc cruisers based on its price and purpose.
2018 Bajaj Dominar 400
– 2018 Dominar 400 spotted at Chakan plant in Pune
– Gets new Racing Red colour, silver accents on design elements
– Powered by 373.3cc engine developing 35 HP and 35 Nm
– Launch expected in the coming months
Image Source – ThrustZone.com