This motorcycle is the latest entry into the quarter-litre segment by Bajaj in India. Capitalising on the recent boom in motorcycle offerings in this segment from various manufacturers, Bajaj has a strong contribution of their own, the Dominar 250.
What sets it apart from the competition? What can one expect from the motorcycle? How are the service feedback, fuel economy, and maintenance factors? Find out all about the above and much more in this detailed research analysis on India’s very own small-capacity sports-tourer.
Pros – Affordable, Highly Refined, Comfortable, LED Headlights, Dual-Channel ABS
Cons – Weight, Smaller Tyres, Low Top-End Speed, Dated Instrument Console, Limited Colour Options
Bajaj Dominar 250 Design
At first glance, the Dominar 250 looks completely identical to the Bajaj Dominar 400, this is more or less an accurate observation. The Dominar 250 borrows the majority of its components and design from the elder sibling. What’s different? The smaller section front and rear tyres, regular black alloys as opposed to diamond-cut alloys offered with the Dominar 400, a simpler and rather limited instrument console in terms of features, a 37 mm USD front suspension set-up against 43 mm USD front forks of the Dominar 400. Overall, this motorcycle boasts a ‘big-bike’ presence on the road and is assured to grab attention wherever it goes.
Bajaj Dominar 250 Features
The Dominar 250 gets a fully digital instrument cluster, LED headlights, sharp LED front and rear indicators, and sleek alloys, available in 2 cool colour options, Canyon Red and Vine Black. As far as mechanical features go, this motorcycle gets dual-channel ABS, a slipper clutch and a liquid-cooled 250cc engine.
Bajaj Dominar 250 Engine Performance
The Dominar 250 gets a 248.8cc, single-cylinder, 6 speed, liquid-cooled engine producing 26.6 BHP at 8500 RPM and 23.5 Nm of torque at 6500 RPM. This means the motorcycle will have no trouble in city conditions while still packing a punch to ensure you’re having fun. Is it really a sports tourer? With an unimpressive top-end speed of 132 km/h and a staggering weight of 180 kgs while being equipped with an engine that’s more comfortable in the mid-range of an RPM meter rather than at the top, we would say it’s not an ideal sports-tourer but more of a dynamic city bike with occasional touring capabilities.
Bajaj Dominar 250 Mileage (or Fuel Efficiency)
The Dominar 250 has an impressive mileage of 35 km/l claimed by the Indian manufacturer. Real-life riding conditions and various other factors may bring down the numbers. The city riding mileage can be expected to be around 27-30 km/l. On the highway, one can expect almost 32 km/l.
Bajaj Dominar 250 Handling (or Dynamics)
In short, the Dominar 250 handles exactly like its elder sibling, the Dominar 400, with a few aspects differing in nature. What are these aspects you ask? The smaller front suspension set-up of 37 mm may prove to be inadequate in challenging road conditions. The feedback and stability the rider may feel from the handle will be diminished in light of what the Dominar 400 offers. The smaller section tyres undoubtedly reduce the area of contact to the road and the gripping confidence is reduced.
Apart from these two key points, both the motorcycles are a pin-to-pin copy of the other in terms of the chassis used. The Dominar 250 borrows the ‘beam type perimeter frame’ directly from the Dominar 400. One can expect the ride quality and handling feel to be identical to that of the Dominar 400.
Bajaj Dominar 250 Comfort (or Ergonomics)
Arguably the most comfortable 250cc motorcycle on offer in India, the Dominar series is well-known for being a very rider-friendly motorcycle that does not ask too much of the rider in terms of physical effort. What makes this motorcycle so easy to ride? The overall comfort of a motorcycle is a result of various aspects like handlebar placement and width, seating posture, foot-peg placement, quality and size of the seat, and weight of the motorcycle itself.
Dominar aces all the above criteria’s. The handlebar is propped up at a respectable height, it’s also fairly wide. This helps in stress-free handling and long tours. The seating posture and foot-peg placement are relaxed and complement comfort. The seat itself is at an ideal balance between stiff and soft.
The pillion will be comfortable on this motorcycle thanks to the quality of the seat and the comfortable foot-peg placement ensuring a relaxed sitting position. Bajaj also offers a back-rest accessory that can be further installed for better pillion comfort. The seat height is at 800 mm which can be safely labelled as practical for the majority of riders in India.
Bajaj Dominar 250 Safety (or Brakes)
The Dominar 250 is equipped with a 300 mm front disc brake and a 230 mm rear disc brake paired with dual-channel ABS. What do these numbers mean on the road? This means you should have sufficient stopping power to come to a stop comfortably in almost all road circumstances and the assurance of ABS should inspire confidence in the trickiest of situations. The sheer weight of the motorcycle may compromise some of that stopping power. Upgrading the brake pads will go a long way in boosting the brake performance.
Bajaj Dominar 250 Service
Bajaj being a well-established motorcycle brand has stood the test of time and proved resilient in all its endeavours, offers a wide range of authorised service centres and showrooms across the country where people can buy their motorcycles and get them promptly serviced at an affordable cost. The average service interval for a performance motorcycle is anywhere between 4000 to 7000 km, this particular two-wheeler should cost you anywhere between Rs. 1000/- to Rs. 2500/- for its service.
Bajaj Dominar 250 Price
Following is the price of the Dominar 250 (on-road, Mumbai) –
- Bajaj Dominar 250 Standard – Rs. 2,02,253/-
The price of the Dominar 250 has been hiked by Rs. 4090/- as of 8 September 2020
Bajaj Dominar 250 Resale Value
As Bajaj is known to be a brand that promises motorcycles that are easy to maintain, sturdy, and have a respectable build quality while delivering performance, the Dominar should have a fairly adequate resale value depending on the mileage on the odometer, wear and tear, and over-all maintenance.
Bajaj Dominar 250 Colours
The motorcycle comes in two attractive colour options:
- Canyon Red
- Vine Black
Bajaj Dominar 250 Specs
Following are the specifications of the Bajaj Dominar 250 –
- Engine: 248.8cc, Liquid-Cooled, Single-Cylinder, FI
- Power: 27 PS @ 8500 RPM
- Torque: 23.5 Nm @ 6500 RPM
- 0-100 km/hr: 11.35 Seconds (VBOX Tested)
- Top Speed: 131 km/hr (VBOX Tested)
- Fuel Type: Petrol
- Fuel Consumption: 27-32 km/l
- Chassis: Beam-Type Perimeter Frame
- Gearbox: 6-Speed
- Tyres: 100/80/17 (Front), 130/70/17 (Rear), MRF
- Suspension: 37 mm USD Forks (Front), Monoshock (Rear)
- Brakes: 300 mm Disc (Front), 230 mm Disc (Rear)
Bajaj Dominar 250 Dimensions
- Length x Width x Height: 2156 mm x 836 mm x 1112 mm
- Wheelbase: 1453 mm
- Seat Height: 800 mm
- Ground Clearance: 157 mm
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 13-litres
- Kerb weight: 180 kgs
Bajaj Dominar 250 Variants
The Dominar 250 is available in only one variant, standard. It comes equipped with dual-channel ABS, disk brakes, and FI (fuel injection).
Bajaj Dominar 250 Rating
We give the Bajaj Dominar 250 a rating of 4/5. An updated instrument console, bigger tyres, and more colour options will help this motorcycle get a solid rating of 5/5 from us.
Bajaj Dominar 250 vs KTM Duke 250
The KTM Duke 250 is considered the main threat to the Bajaj Dominar 250 in the market, or is it? Considering the fact that the Dominar borrows a lot of its hardware, parts, and engine design from the Duke 250. The Duke 250 is priced close to Rs. 47,000/- more than the Dominar. What does half a lakh get you when both the motorcycles are similarly built? The Duke 250 is lighter, faster, and looks sharper according to who you ask. But the additional investment on the Duke 250 may not outweigh the benefits you will get from the Dominar 250. For Rs. 47,000/- cheaper, you will get a motorcycle that is more comfortable, stable and claims more fuel efficiency while being easier to maintain in the long run.
Bajaj Dominar 250 vs. Suzuki Gixxer 250
The Suzuki Gixxer 250 is a worthy contender to the Dominar. Both the motorcycles produce more or less the same power figures of 26 BHP. Both the motorcycles have complete LED highlights and a strong dual-channel ABS. The quarter-litre offerings may seem neck-to-neck so far, but, what sets the Bajaj Dominar ahead is the price tag of being close to Rs. 5000/- cheaper than the Gixxer and the strong service and after-sales foundation laid down by Bajaj, where quite honestly, Suzuki lacks. The two motorcycles are highly comfortable, refined, and fast but the Suzuki is almost 24 kgs lighter. The choice is yours.
Bajaj Dominar 250 vs. Yamaha FZS-25
The Yamaha FZS-25 is close to Rs. 15,000/- cheaper than the Dominar 250, this point alone is in favour of the Yamaha motorcycle. Apart from this, the Dominar is much faster and also has a 6th gear which the FZS-25 misses out on. The Dominar 250 outshines the Yamaha FZS-25 in engine performance but is on par in terms of the tech issued. You may grow tired of the FZS-25 provided it seems to be strictly commuting oriented opposed to the versatility the Dominar 250 offers.
Final Verdict
Considering the fairly popular nature in which the Dominar 400 was received in the market, it is acceptable to assume the Dominar 250 will be received with the same curiosity and interest. But, this motorcycle could face the unlikeliest of competition from its own younger twins, Bajaj Pulsar NS and RS. The Pulsar twins have long been established in the Indian market with a good record of performance and reliability. Additionally, the Pulsar twins are lighter, offer better top-end speed, and the NS is cheaper by close to Rs. 40,000/- but miss out on features on offer with the Dominar 250, like, LED headlights and USD front fork suspension.
In a conversation with other 250cc offerings available in the market, the Dominar 250 may face strong competition in the form of the Husqvarna huskies, KTM Duke 200 and Duke 250, Yamaha R15 and MT15, and the formidable Suzuki Gixxer 250. All things considered, the Dominar 250 arguably holds the highest value-for-money factor given the versatility and practicality the motorcycle offers in almost all aspects of riding.
We hope this article has helped address your questions about the Bajaj Dominar 250 and everything you need to know before making your big purchase. Thank you for reading and ride safely.
