Bajaj Dominar 400 small updates, but is It Still Relevant 2025 ?

Meet the 2025 Bajaj Dominar 400. Yes, this is an updated model. What it doesn’t get and what we expected was the new 399 C engine shared with the KTM. It still gets the 373 C engine of the earlier model, but it gets some significant updates. It gets rid of the Y throttle. Now it has four riding modes. Ergonomics have changed. It gets a new instrument cluster and all that.

We’ll tell you all about it now in 2025, almost 9 years after the Dominar was launched. Do those updates make any sense? And should you even consider buying it? And has it really transformed the motorcycle or not? That’s what we’ll talk about.

Bajaj Dominar 400 Design

So in terms of design, not much has changed on the new Dominar 400. It still looks the same, but this is a motorcycle, a kind of a sport touring motorcycle which nothing else is available at that price segment and in that segment. 

Bajaj Dominar 400 Touring Ready

So it gets some standard features which are quite likable like this visor, you get this handlebar, knuckle guards, you get a crash guard and towards the rear you get a standard luggage rack and you get these very handy hooks to tie your luggage. So it’s a kind of a sport touring motorcycle. So it’s meant for touring and it gets all those standard features and quite well kitted out straight from the showroom. you’ll get all the standard features. So quite nice looking features there. But uh that’s how it looks. You let us know in the comments what you think about the designs.

Bajaj Dominar 400 Features

What do you think about the features? And in terms of features now you get the new LCD color instrument console which is shared with the NS400Z. And you get four riding modes, road, sport, rain and off-road as well. Ride by Y throttle of course. How it rides and all that we’ll tell you all about it. But for now, you let us know what you think about a design. It was launched, remember, in December 2016.

It’s almost been 9 years now. Do you think it still looks contemporary? Do you think anything should have changed in the design? All that and more. Let us know in the comments what your thoughts are about the design of the Dominant. I know a lot of people still like the Dominar 400 for its versatility. It can be used as a daily commuter. It can be used for touring and all that. But you let us know what you think about the design now in 2025.

Bajaj Dominar 400 Performance & Ride Modes

Now in terms of overall engine performance, not much has changed on the new Dominar 400. So performance peak output remains the same. But what is different is of course the ride modes. A road mode is a slightly docile mode where you feel smooth and sort of relaxed riding. Road mode works well and  sport gives you that added punch which you feel on the throttle and the difference is not very stark but yes it’s noticeable. So for those of you who want a slightly more performance or slightly punchier throttle response probably sport mode will work best for you.

Bajaj Dominar 400 Vibrations

Now in terms of overall performance of the engine, it is a single cylinder engine. So there are some vibes particularly at about uh over 5,000 RPM to about 6,6500 RPM. So you will feel some buzz on the pegs. 

Bajaj Dominar 400 tractability

This is a quite attractive engine. Even in sixth gear, you can go as low as 58-60 km/h. You can potter around town. The engine doesn’t knock at those speeds even in sixth gear. and you can pull cleanly from that and go upwards to about 80-90 wherever you want to be. Now this is primarily designed as a touring motorcycle and that’s why the design is touring oriented. So those of you who have to on the Domino 400 you will still appreciate the qualities but there are some vibes at 6,6500 RPM when you’re sitting at 100 km/h you will feel some buzz on the pegs. So it is a buzzy engine whose character has not changes. 

So in terms of refinement and overall character, smoothness, everything remains the same. But yes, it gives you a slightly more uh wider experience with those ride modes, road, rain, sport, off-road, you can play around with those. And of course, it gives you a slightly more relaxed riding position now because of the ergonomic changes and so engine. 

The 373 cc engine has got performance, but what is a compromise is the weight. This is a heavy bike at 193 kgs. So even with the same engine on the Duke, the last gen Duke felt more pesky, more punchier than before. Of course, there is slightly more power, but because of the weight, it doesn’t feel as eager to get up to speed as it should be. But that doesn’t mean it’s a lazy bike by any standard. It’s got a performance. You can cruise at 120, 130 all day long. No problems there in the performance department. 

Bajaj Dominar 400 Dynamics & Handling

On the downside though, because of the long wheelbase and the weight, it is not exactly a sharp handler. It’s a stable bike, yes, but it’s not so sharp around corners and because of the weight and the long wheelbase. The main downside more than the handling is pushing it around corners and taking U-turns because the turning radius is really  wide. 

So, if you’re going to be using it in the city, that’s something which will probably bother you at some point or the other. Pushing it out of parking spots, taking U-turns, the turning is quite wide. So that is something you need to take care of or you need to keep in mind before considering this bike the 2025 Bajaj Dominar 400.

So now time to answer the final question: in 2025 is the new Bajaj Dominar with those updates worth considering? Now let’s put it in perspective. When it was first launched in 2016 or early 2017, the Dominar had no real rivals. There were not so many 400 cc motorcycles in the market. There was the KTM 390 Duke, the last gen KTM 390 Duke. Of course, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 411, the previous Himalayan, and there was the Mahindra Mojo as well at that time. 

But over the years, you have a lot more options now. You have the Triumph Speed 400, you have the Triumph Scrambler 400X, you have the Royal Enfield Gorilla 450, you have the Himalayan 450. of course at different price brackets, but in the 400 C segment at least, there are a lot of options to choose from. 

More importantly,  if you walk into  a Bajaj showroom to check out the Dominar 400, you’ll also see in a corner the Bajaj Pulsar NS400Z.

Same engine, lighter bike, more features. It also gets a quick shifter by the way and it’s a more agile, sportier machine, but it is also 40 to 50,000 rupees less expensive than the Dominar 400. So that’s something you will have to decide. I can’t help you with that. Should you consider this or should you go for the NS400Z?

But in 2025, that is where the Dominar 400 stands. And is it relevant? You let us know in the comments and let us know. Would you pick this over any other 400 cc motorcycle?

In the end, the 2025 Bajaj Dominar 400 has got updated, but it’s not really much of an upgrade if you ask me. If it had the  new 399 cc engine, then I would have definitely said this is now an upgrade. But with just those features, I don’t think it is really an upgrade in terms of practicality. And of course, the price, the price is at par with a lot of other rivals which you can consider.

Read More