India is one of the fastest-growing economies and also one of the largest two-wheeler markets in the world. In recent times, we have seen a lot of new motorcycles in the country coming up in various segments. Be it the entry-level segment, mid-capacity bikes or high-capacity models, all are growing steadily. However, there is one category which is growing expeditiously and that is the quarter-litre motorcycle segment. The quarter-litre bike segment in India has always been dominated by the Japanese manufacturers like Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha. We do have other brands too in this 250cc category like the KTM and Husqvarna. Finally, in 2020, an Indian automaker entered this segment to make a mark. Bajaj Auto recently launched its first quarter-litre motorcycle, the Dominar 250 in India. And in this article, we have for you the First Look Review of the new 2020 Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6.
Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6: What is it?
Bajaj launched the Dominar brand for the first time in India in 2016. Around half a decade back, the Dominar 400 made its India debut and was loved by all. The Dominar 400 became a preferred choice among the biking enthusiasts who love to go on long-distance touring. However, the earlier model had quite some niggles and Bajaj addressed it and launched the Dominar 400 UG in 2019, where UG stands for Upgrade. This bike was leaps and bounds better than its predecessor but wasn't accessible to all. So what Bajaj did is that it removed some cosmetic bits, plonked in a 250cc engine, priced it aggressively and here we have the Bajaj Dominar 250. The Dominar 250 is the younger sibling of the Dominar 400 and it is the second most expensive bike in Bajaj's portfolio.
Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6: Looks, Dimensions and Colour Options
So, as we mentioned before, the Dominar 250 is the younger sibling of the Dominar 400 and in terms of looks, it completely resembles its elder sibling. The motorcycle borrows the cycle parts from the Dominar 400 and it does look very good. It gets an all-LED headlamp, a muscular body with a large fuel tank, underbelly cowl, etc. The Dominar 250 also gets a twin-barrel exhaust that produces a soothing exhaust note and bungee straps on either side of the seat to accommodate luggage while riding as it is a touring machine. Also, compared to the Dominar 400, the Dominar 250 gets minor nip and tuck and the D400 badges are replaced by the D250's.
Talking about the dimensions, the Dominar 250 measures 2156 mm in length, 836 mm in width and 1112 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 1453 mm and the saddle height stands at 800 mm. The motorcycle gets 157 mm of ground clearance and it weighs around 180 kilograms. Also, another thing that differentiates the Dominar 250 from its elder sibling is its colours. The Dominar 250 is available in two colour variants Canyon Red and Vine Black shade while the Dominar 400 gets other paint schemes.
Also Read: 2020 Yamaha FZ 25 BS6 vs Suzuki Gixxer 250 vs KTM Duke 250 vs Bajaj Dominar 250 The Mega Battle Of BS6 250s!
Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6: Engine, Transmission and Mileage
The 2020 Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6 shares its engine with the KTM Duke 250. However, the engine has been detuned to produce slightly lower power and torque figures and also to improve the fuel economy. Powering the Bajaj Dominar 250 is a BS6-compliant 248.8cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected, liquid-cooled DTS-i engine. This motor produces 27 PS of power at 8500 RPM and 23.5 Nm of torque at 6500 RPM. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. For reference, the Duke 250 pumps out 30 PS of power at 9000 RPM and 24 Nm of torque at 7250 RPM. The Dominar 250 is a touring machine and delivers a very good mileage of around 35-40 kmpl.
Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6: Tyres, Brakes and Features
The Dominar 250 packs in some solid hardware too. The motorcycle is based on a beam type perimeter frame. Upfront, it gets a chunky 37 mm upside-down (USD) forks with 135 mm of travel. While at the rear, it gets a nitrox gas-charged mono-shock absorber. It gets wide 17-inch tyres both at the front as well as at the rear. The front tyre measures 100/80-17 while the rear one measures 130/70-17 providing superior grip and confidence to the rider. For braking duties, it gets a 300 mm disc at the front and 230 mm disc at the rear and it also gets dual-channel ABS for added safety. Talking about features, the motorcycle gets a slipper clutch and a fully digital main instrument cluster along with an auxiliary screen on the fuel tank for gear position indicator, etc.
Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6: Price, Rivals and Verdict
The 2020 Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6 is sold in only one fully feature-loaded variant. Currently, it retails at Rs. 1.60 lakhs, Ex-showroom Delhi. The Dominar 250 rivals the other quarter-litre motorcycles which include the KTM Duke 250, upcoming Yamaha FZ 25, FZ S 25 and the Suzuki Gixxer 250. Finally talking about the verdict, so if you are someone who wants a feature-packed, powerful and a well-rounded 250cc sports motorcycle with great touring abilities, then you should definitely consider buying the Bajaj Dominar 250.
So, this was our First Look Review of the 2020 Bajaj Dominar 250 BS6. What are your thoughts on this motorcycle? Do share with us in the comments below. You can also join our 91Wheels Two-wheelers Whatsapp group (click via mobile to join) curated exclusively for the fans, enthusiasts and the owners.
