KTM’s ties to India’s motorcycle manufacturing establishment have left us with the Bajaj Dominar 400, a machine that looks an awful lot like a 390 Diavel.
What’s that, you say — the Dominar is neither a KTM, nor a Ducati? True and true. But thanks to the Bajaj/KTM team-up, the Dominar 400 is powered by the same 373 cc single-cylinder motor that’s found in the KTM 390 Duke and RC390, with liquid cooling and six-speed gearbox.
Expect the Dominar 400 to put out about 40 hp, like those bikes. That’s fairly pedestrian by North American standards, but for the Indian market, that makes this bike a monster of the highways. So, add in that muscular styling (looking very Ducati-esque), and you’ve got yourself a power cruiser for the subcontinent, with frills like USD forks, ABS, and digital display as standard. Again, basic features for our market, but certainly a sign that the Indian market is moving forward.
The Bajaj Dominar 400 originally appeared as the Pulsar CS concept bike last March, with no guarantee it would actually hit production. Now, we know it will show up in showrooms overseas in the middle of this month.
So what does this all mean for the North American consumer? First, it’s a sign that developing markets are catching up fast. India has long been dominated by bikes 200 cc or smaller, with the main exception being Royal Enfield, a brand that was previously unobtanium to most buyers there.
Which brings us to the second point: With the in-country competition heating up, expect to see India’s motorcycle manufacturers looking to expand more aggressively beyond their borders. For years, Royal Enfield has been the only made-in-India brand with an impact in North America. Soon, that may change. Just don’t expect to see those other marques here in Canada anytime soon, unless they figure out how to take a machete to Transport Canada’s red tape.
And finally: We certainly wouldn’t go so far as to say this bike was a trial run by KTM, an attempt to try a new concept through a partner company. But wouldn’t that be a clever strategy?
In an age where European manufacturers are building stronger and stronger ties with the giants of the Asian industry (excluding the Japanese marques), we could see all sorts of interesting concepts tried out, with little repercussion to the European brands if Western customers decide they don’t like the new bikes built under the Asian brand names. Again, we’re not saying KTM is doing this here with the Bajaj Dominar 400, but it would certainly be a tricky manoeuver.
is this available in canada?
I like it!
Launch is on Dec 15 2016. The USD forks has been given a miss in the production version.
The bike is getting LED headlamps a first for the country on a bike.
This strikes me more Brutale than Diavel. I like what I see. I find the 390 Duke seating position just too upright and these bars look to lean the rider forward ever so slightly. Not bad at all.