Bajaj Auto has hiked prices of its flagship motorcycle Bajaj Dominar 400 by Rs. 2000, both for the ABS and non-ABS variant. The non-ABS version of the Dominar 400 will now cost Rs. 1.38 lakh, while the top-end model with dual channel ABS will come at Rs. 1.52 lakh (both ex-showroom, Delhi). Stating the reason for the price hike, a company spokesperson told carandbike.com that, "We had mentioned at the launch of the bike (Dominar 400) that the prices are introductory and will be increased a few months later."
The Bajaj Dominar 400 was launched in India on the 15th of December 2016 and is currently the most powerful motorcycle from Bajaj Auto. Positioned as a power cruiser in the Indian two-wheeler market, the Dominar 400 is powered by a 373.3 cc single-cylinder, 4-valve, liquid cooled engine borrowed from KTM 390 Duke that has been revised for the Dominar and it also meets Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) emission regulations. The engine gets Bajaj's signature DTS-i, triple spark technology and makes 34.5 bhp and 35 Nm of peak torque, with a 6-speed transmission.
Being the company's flagship motorcycle, the Bajaj Dominar 400 also brings several best-in-class features to the table. The bike offers features like all-LED headlamp and daytime running lights, Auto Headlamp On (AHO) function, reverse backlit instrumentation and slipper clutch. All these make the Dominar 400 the most feature-rich bike in its price segment. And despite the price hike, the Dominar 400 still remains a good value for money product. And we have already told you that in our review.
The Bajaj Dominar has also been very well received in the Indian market. In fact, a month after the launch, the company has revealed that a maximum number of bookings received for the Dominar 400 is for the ABS variant, which also shows how customers are now open to paying more for better safety features.
Now, during the launch of the bike, Eric Vas, President, Motorcycle Business, Bajaj Auto told carandbike.com that the company aims to capture 20 per cent of the market share, which is roughly about 10,000-12,000 units a month. So far, the Bajaj has sold over 12000 units of the Dominar 400, amounting to average monthly sales of 3000 bikes. So seeing the numbers Bajaj still has a long way to go before the said target is achieved. Having said that the company doesn't sell the Dominar 400 pan India and it is still only available in selected cities. The company says that it is working on increasing the sales network for the Dominar 400 and these sales numbers will start going up soon.
In India, the Bajaj Dominar 400 competed in a price segment dominated by Royal Enfield. While Bajaj has been notching up sales numbers with the Dominar 400, it still lags behind the market leader in this segment. Royal Enfield sells over 50,000 bikes every month with sales of the Royal Enfield Classic 350 bikes accounts for about 80 per cent of those numbers.
