The Bajaj Dominar 400 Desert Storm is fully custom prepped and ready to go for a rally.
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The Desert Storm Rally is one of the most enduring and challenging motoring events in India. The rally consists of several categories viz. 4×4 vehicles, cars and motorcycles. The vehicles which enter the competition are specially prepared for the event. The motorcycle category sees a lot of entries each year. Along with the riders, come a large number of rally prepared bikes. The rally itself is very tough and the riders go through about 2000 kms in a duration of seven days. The video shows a fully prepped Bajaj Dominar 400 which is ready to take on the Desert Storm rally championship.
As we can see in the video, the Bajaj Dominar here in question has gone through some serious modifications and looks nothing close to the stock motorcycle. The modifications carried out makes the motorcycle ready to be able to take the beating while participating in the rally.
The first changes that can be noticed are the spoke rims and a different set of tyres. The Dominar is now running an 18-inch tyre at the front and a 17-inch wheel at the rear. The tyres are also specific for off-road use suggesting its rally nature. The front fender is now swapped for a high-mounted long snout-like mudguard, often seen on rally and motocross motorcycles. The headlight unit along with the faring has also been replaced to a more compact one. The handlebar on the Dominar here is a custom unit which is placed according to the rider’s preference. The footpegs are also for off-road use and are placed in a more forward position. This makes the riding triangle much more comfortable for the rider. The handle has added knuckle guards for the protection of the rider.
Coming to the mechanicals, the front and rear suspension of the motorcycle has been reworked. The front forks have received a new set of springs and the ride height has been changed along with the nature of the springs. The rear gets a completely new monoshock unit. It has been tuned according to the rider’s weight and his preference. The motorcycle also gets a big aluminium bash plate. A fork raiser has been used too. This would effectively increase the height of the front end of the motorcycle giving it a higher ground clearance. The exhaust is a steel unit, which also gets a muffler in between. However, it is not a free-flow exhaust but gives the motorcycle a very throaty exhaust note. For better performance, the engine oil has been changed to Maxima 10W-60.
There are a few more modifications that are lined up for the motorcycle. Additional auxiliary lighting and a semi-engine cover will also be added. The engine cover will protect the motorcycle from getting any severe damages on the engine case. The tank is also planned to be changed at a later stage. The exhaust unit will be changed to a free-flow one before the rally. The sprocket is also going to be replaced with a bigger one as it will allow the motorcycle to have a better low-end response. Moreover, the motorcycle will also get a fresh fill of coolant and sintered brake pads for better braking efficiency.
The first edition of the Bajaj Dominar 400 is powered by a 373cc, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled engine derived from the KTM Duke 390. It pumps out 35 BHP and 35 Nm of torque. The transmission duties are performed by a 6-speed gearbox along with a slipper clutch. The facelifted version of the Bajaj Dominar makes more power along with several other mechanical changes, especially in the suspension department. However, the Dominar shown here is a completely different motorcycle from what it comes in the stock form. The motorcycle has lost a lot of its flab and now weighs around 160 kgs making it lighter and agile for the upcoming competition.
Dominar 400 Desert Storm
– It gets spoked wheels, customised footpegs and handlebar
– The suspension setup has been reworked according to the rider preferences
– The front fender and headlight unit are also custom units
Video Source – MotoSlug on YouTube
