Bajaj Auto Launches Its Most Powerful Motorcycle Yet

Bajaj Auto Ltd. went beyond its conventionally set limit in terms of engine capacity with the launch of the Dominar 400 sports motorcycle. The motorcycle has been given an aggressive introductory sticker price of Rs 1,36,000 ex-showroom Delhi.

Dominar 400 is Bajaj Auto’s first offering beyond the 220 cc category, apart from those in its subsidiary, KTM’s stable. The motorcycle houses a 373 cc, DTS-i single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine, that churns out a peak power of 34.5 bhp at 8,000 rpm, and a highest torque of 35 Nm at 8,500 rpm.

The motorcycle, said Bajaj Auto’s managing director, Rajiv Bajaj, would be exported to all of Bajaj Auto’s markets except Africa, with despatches beginning in February, 2017.

Bajaj Auto sees the Rs 1 lakh- Rs 2 lakh segment accounting for a million unit sales by the end of 2017, and hopes to see the Dominar 400 capturing 20 percent of that pie within the next year.

Bajaj Auto, initially hopes to sell 10,000 units of the Dominar 400 per month, exclusively through online bookings, said the president of the motorcycle business, Eric Vas.

The ‘online only’ model will negate the adverse effects of the government’s demonetisation drive, said Vas as buyers would not have to shell out any cash to buy the motorcycle.

The motorcycle maker, was not willing to quantify the entire impact of demonetisation, on its business, with Vas saying it was for the government to know when the situation would end.

The Dominar 400 would be pitted primarily against the KTM Duke 200 and Duke 390 products, given the price, and the engine displacement, respectively.

If one were to judge Rajiv Bajaj’s focus in terms of competition, it happens to be Eicher Motor Ltd.’s Royal Enfield and its products. Royal Enfield is the market leader in terms of sales in the 250cc-750cc segment.

On a lighter mood, about competition from global players, Bajaj mentioned how his company and that of Siddhartha Lal’s (Royal Enfield), accounted for 60 percent of the total sales in the premium category, which he said was a great achievement, considering both are homegrown players.

“I’m confident that Siddhartha (Lal) will replicate Royal Enfield’s success overseas,” he said, adding that he was confident about his company managing the same success.