If you are confused about whether to go for the Dominar 400 or wait for the upcoming Pulsar NS400 then you need to read this article
If you are planning to purchase a sporty motorcycle in the 300-400cc budget category, then you know your options were limited until the launch of the Triumph 400 twins and the Harley Davidson X440. Although these are great motorcycles, it is still too early to classify them as reliable and there are a lot of questions about spare parts and after-sales service.
So, if you’re a little sceptical, then your only options will be the Apache RTR 310 and the Bajaj Dominar 400. Luckily, Bajaj is planning to update its 400cc lineup with the upcoming Bajaj Pulsar NS400 and in this article, we compare the upcoming bike with its closest rival from the same stable which is the Bajaj Dominar 400.
Bajaj Dominar 400:
The Dominar 400 has been the flagship motorcycle in Bajaj’s lineup ever since its launch. It is classified as a sports tourer, and it has everything it needs to prove itself. Right from the powerful 373cc engine from the KTM Duke 390 which has been detuned to 40 bhp, to the design which features a windscreen, knuckle guards and a tail rack as standard. The primary target of the Dominar was the slower, and less powerful Royal Enfield motorcycles, so it took the form of a sports tourer.
The Achilles’ heel of the Dominar 400 is the 193kg kerb weight which is on the heavier side. While this does help in maintaining triple-digit speeds effortlessly on highways, it does cause a problem in the city as the weight makes sure that it is not as flickable as a sporty naked.
Bajaj Pulsar NS400 (Or N400):
Enter the Pulsar NS400, which is a street naked that will be lighter and more flickable compared to the Dominar 400. We are unsure whether the engine configuration and its outputs will remain the same, but we can confirm that to stay true to its NS roots, it will be considerably lighter and easier to handle. The chassis will be tweaked based on the learnings from both Bajaj and KTM motorcycles to make it a great handling machine.
In terms of features, the NS400 may get the same digital instrument console that was available on the recently launched Pulsar N150 and N160 and the NS200. The NS400 is expected to be considerably cheaper than the Dominar400 which is currently retailing at Rs 2,29,781 (ex-showroom).
Coming back to the question of choosing between the Dominar 400 and the Pulsar NS400 based on the information provided above, if you are someone who is looking for a comfortable and affordable tourer to visit as many places as possible then the Dominar 400 makes more sense, but if you are someone who wants a sporty flickable street naked that has good power and can handle well then it would be better to wait until the Pulsar NS400 is launched (likely in Q2 2024) and then write the cheque.