An all-new Bajaj Dominar has been spotted testing, and a close inspection of the images suggests that it is likely to be a small-capacity Dominar. Unlike the Bajaj Dominar 400, the test mule spotted is running on thinner tyres and also has a simpler, box section swingarm. The front disc diameter also appears to be smaller than the 320mm unit on the Dominar 400, further fuelling speculation that a sub-400cc model is in the works.
We suspect that this test mule is the new Dominar 250, powered by the same 250cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine in the KTM 250 Duke. In the KTM, the unit makes 30hp and 24Nm, and it’ll be interesting to see if Bajaj sticks with these specifications for the Dominar 250. The bike maker could also incorporate its triple-sparkplug head technology, as on the Dominar 400, but that remains to be seen.
This isn't the first time Bajaj is leveraging the 250 engine in another motorcycle; it powers the Husqvarna Svartpilen and Vitpilen 250 that were introduced at the 2019 India Bike Week.
The rest of the test motorcycle appears to wear the same body panels as the bigger Dominar. The alloy wheels, however, sport a different design and don't get the diamond-cut finish.
When launched, the model seen testing will make the brand more accessible as it is expected to sit at a significantly lower price point than the Dominar 400. Our guess is that Bajaj could price it around Rs 1.60-1.70 lakh, making it Rs 50,000- Rs 60,000 cheaper than the bigger Dominar.
Rishaad Mody
Ved Janve
Vishal Venugopal
Dinshaw Magol
