Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

[Jerry_E]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

[MENTION=95050]Jerry_E[/MENTION] will click a pic tomorrow and check.

Thank mate. Waiting for that!

[B7ACKTHORN]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 ABS rear disk plate replacement.

I recently bought a Dominar 400 ABS 2nd hand and took it to Bajaj workshop at Kirti Nagar, New Delhi for a check up. I was told that the rear disk plate and break pads needed replacement as they were damaged. I agreed and got it replaced.

I did not pay much attention to the disk plate when I received the bike but 2 days later I realised that the new disk plate was not entirely round and to my surprise it resembled the 'petal disk' plates found on the Pulsar 200 RS or 200 NS. Thereafter, I complained about the same but was reassured by the supervisor there that the new spare disk plates of Dominar for replacement purposes are Petal disks and not the original round ones. He also mentioned that he had confirmed this from the spare department there.

I am still not convinced and I have written to Bajaj Auto complaining about the same.

Thoughts?[

This definitely isn't OE spec Dominar rotor. The spec sheet is 230 mm and most of Bajaj bikes' 230 mm rear disc mm. Also, no bike manufacturer will give a rounded profile disc on one end and a petal disc at other end, it's always a pair. Either the dealer must have not had the right part or he'd have swapped another stockpile of the same rotor specifications. Do keep your observations posted.

Cheers!
VJ

[leedonotrix]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 ABS rear disk plate replacement.

This definitely isn't OE spec Dominar rotor. The spec sheet is 230 mm and most of Bajaj bikes' 230 mm rear disc mm. Also, no bike manufacturer will give a rounded profile disc on one end and a petal disc at other end, it's always a pair. Either the dealer must have not had the right part or he'd have swapped another stockpile of the same rotor specifications. Do keep your observations posted.

Cheers!
VJ

That's what I believe too (no manufacturer will provide different types of disks at both ends). I'll pay them a visit in a day or two and contact Bajaj again.

Cheers! [emoji106]

[Ijs]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

Thank mate. Waiting for that!

See if this pic helps figure u out the alignment, it is not in line with the cone set bolt coz the corners of the bolts are not in center but it is straight and properly in center alignment with the tank.

[Jerry_E]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

See if this pic helps figure u out the alignment, it is not in line with the cone set bolt coz the corners of the bolts are not in center but it is straight and properly in center alignment with the tank.

Yours seems to be slightly offset to the right while mine seems to be slightly offset to the left which is kind of weird. Will get it checked and let you know if that is the problem or anything else.

[Sujitjad]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

I am new to this forum.
Just bought dominar 400 ABS.
Bike performance is very good, Major missing thing is gear shift indicator.
Can anybody tell me where in Mumbai I can fix gear shift indicator to dominar 400 ABS?

[FamilyMan]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

I gave my bike for service today. Done 15K. Service guys is suggesting to change the chain sprocket as there was some noise from below while going over potholes. Do we really need to change the chain sprocket? The cost he says is 3500/-. please advise.

[Ijs]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

I gave my bike for service today. Done 15K. Service guys is suggesting to change the chain sprocket as there was some noise from below while going over potholes. Do we really need to change the chain sprocket? The cost he says is 3500/-. please advise.

Post 15k it has been changed on many bikes, this is the normal life of chain set but u can stretch it till 20k.
If the chain set is at the last point of adjustment the yes it has reached the last of its life, other thing is that chain will always going to hit the slider as the swing arm is long. I suggest take a second opinion try a different service center. 3.5k cost is ok 2.8k for chain set 750 Labour.

[leech]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

Post 15k it has been changed on many bikes, this is the normal life of chain set but u can stretch it till 20k.
If the chain set is at the last point of adjustment the yes it has reached the last of its life, other thing is that chain will always going to hit the slider as the swing arm is long. I suggest take a second opinion try a different service center. 3.5k cost is ok 2.8k for chain set 750 Labour.

I recall there was confusion about which type of chain the Indian Dominar uses, o ring or x ring. Have you found out which one it is?

[Vikramaditya]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

Following are some thoughts I had while and after riding my Dominar on a recent short solo trip. It is very long and may not appeal to everyone so feel free to skip if it gets boring. Also apologies for the few pictures. Since I ride solo I don’t take too many of them.

I keep reading about the motivation which powers people to achieve something that they at some point of time doubted they would ever be able to come close to. They eventually build up the momentum and reach what they set out to grasp.

It’s a very unique cycle. In essence it is our lack of being able to achieve something at the current moment which fuels the preparation to achieve it in the next.
I think this is what as a rider (or is it biker?) is common between you and I. I would hear people crossing cities on their bikes and be impressed and frankly intimidated at their perseverance as well as their courage. It took me a couple of bikes and some grey hair to build up that momentum. I still haven’t got the knack of riding in groups but when it comes to going solo, I am hooked.


So this past weekend, I simply decided to ride to not just the neighbouring city, but the one neighbouring that as well! A 400 km round trip all within a span of about 7 hours with proper down time between stretches. The Dominar is more than capable than its rider to keep going but in the interest of not getting fatigued and losing focus I took breaks every 50 mins of riding. These were about 5 – 10 mins long. I really enjoyed this solitary and longish ride. Its not some fake lone wolf bullshit I am going for. Just riding at my own pace with the engine ticking somewhere around the 5000 rpm sweet spot are more than enough to keep the negativity at bay. But not fast enough to catch up with anything untoward.


For the curious souls I rode to Surat and back from Vadodara. I must admit the Mumbai highway is a treat to ride on with mostly smooth tarmac and lots of rest areas on either side. I got up sharp at 5 am and was out the door by 5:45. I was fully Geared up and tanked up the previous night. It was still a little dark till 6:30 but thankfully the headlight is bright enough to light up the highway. If there is one thing I wish I could fix on the bike though, it would be the weak single horn. Its virtually mute on the highway. I am not a trail blazer but there are times when I am easily moving faster than whatever it ahead of me and a weak horn just makes me that much more anxious to complete the overtaking move quickly.

The ride also helped me to understand the bike a lot better than I have in the past year riding with groups. You see when you ride with a pack of friends its easy to be distracted in the company and the merriment and security of riding with your posse almost nullify the characteristics of your ride and your riding style. In this ride I was able to feel the technology working between the wheels. This was perhaps most pronounced when it comes to the slipper clutch. To be frank, I have never really noticed its working in the city or in my previous rides, but this time around I was easily able to appreciate when it kicked in. I could almost feel the tech hard at work to avoid wheel lock ups in more than one occasion when I downshifted faster than I should have (on purpose) and was glad it had my back. I have often in the past said that the slipper clutch seems to be a pretty redundant tool till you are on the track. I was wrong and this seems just like the tip of the iceberg.


One thing about riding solo which was a revelation was just how much car drivers tend to bully a rider even if he is riding cautiously. Despite riding in the slowest lane I was constantly tail gated at scary close distances by hatchbacks to SUVs and honked at continuously. I never ride across the shoulder line or go off road to give way as it is simply risking a skid at highway speeds and it took me quite a bit of patience as well as maturity to not chase down the drivers and give them a piece of my mind. Anyway, thankfully the positives easily outweighed such instances.

The recent highway instances of bikers ending up in trouble is something that I kept in mind and it didn’t weigh my spirits down one bit while at the same time, the learnings they gave made me ride with more caution. I always tell myself, “Just because I have a fast bike does not mean I am obligated to ride hard and fast all the time.” I think this needs to be followed religiously. Anyhow coming back to the Dominar, the bike impressed me again due to its high kerb weight. Crosswinds be damned! This bike is pretty much unshakeable – it also helps that this particular rider is above his BMI and adds to the stability of the bike!


I also got a decent opportunity to appreciate the use of blind spot mirrors which I installed on the bike’s regular mirrors. There was quite a bit of traffic flow and I often caught traffic coming right alongside me just before shifting lanes. I used to think bind spot mirrors are a hype, but after this ride, I am pretty sure I will be installing them in my car as well. They are truly a blessing and more so when you are sporting a hefty bike jacket which restricts visibility in the mirrors.

A lot has been mentioned about the umpteen number of mods available for the bike. Honestly the only thing I may invest in would be a reliable centre stand (if someone comes up with it) and perhaps a back rest. I bought a naked cruiser so I could feel the wind and honestly I do not feel that the wind blast tires me down one bit. Maybe on 500 kms plus ride in a day it may play a factor but again to be honest I don’t see myself doing those without getting fitter and that itself should compensate for things.

Now I continuously get asked this question by other prospective buyers about the reliability of a Bajaj and the vibrations. Lets address the simpler vibration question first. In all the kms I have toured on the bike, I have never felt its vibes to be a bother or them tiring me. Perhaps this also comes down to the amount of padding I wear on the highway rides. Gloves, jacket, thick boots, knee guards and a snug helmet are the protocol. Honestly I think this has just been hyped a lot. The bike is just fine. Secondly about the reliability issues, I will lay it down once again for whoever has been reading this post till now, the bike will run if you just stick to regular servicing and oil change. Treat it with respect and it will last long without losing power.

[Ijs]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

I recall there was confusion about which type of chain the Indian Dominar uses, o ring or x ring. Have you found out which one it is?

Still unclear to me have check some old chain to confirm. Manual refers to o ring and other stuff point towards x ring.

[prasadD400]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

Following are some thoughts I had while and after riding my Dominar on a recent short solo trip. It is very long and may not appeal to everyone so feel free to skip if it gets boring. Also apologies for the few pictures. Since I ride solo I don’t take too many of them.

I keep reading about the motivation which powers people to achieve something that they at some point of time doubted they would ever be able to come close to. They eventually build up the momentum and reach what they set out to grasp.

Nice review vicky bhai..
Did u checked the milage on this peace ride..?
And u were in between 4k to 5k rpm where the noticeable vibration is evident (as per my D400).. shouldn't u ride above that rpm or below of it so that u give more life to both bike n you.
Summer is heating up and how was the heat radiation feel on your leg( only right leg feels more hot i don't y[emoji4]).

Keep riding..[emoji106]

P.S. REMOVE ALL PICS before quoting long posts and posts with more than one picture.

[Vikramaditya]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

Nice review vicky bhai..
Did u checked the milage on this peace ride..?
And u were in between 4k to 5k rpm where the noticeable vibration is evident (as per my D400).. shouldn't u ride above that rpm or below of it so that u give more life to both bike n you.
Summer is heating up and how was the heat radiation feel on your leg( only right leg feels more hot i don't y[emoji4]).

Keep riding..[emoji106]

Hi Prasad,

Thanks for your feedback. The mileage was about 30 kmpl since I did not even touch the 6th gear in the entire ride. There was a lot more traffic than I expected and frankly I love being in the power band of the engine which is about 4500 - 6000 rpms as per my experience. You dont need to think before planning an overtake if you are in that range and I love that feeling.

Sure vibes must exist there but as I said my gloves and boots alienate me quite a bit from them and I also wear thick jeans so that pretty much takes care of any engine heat. Also as long as you are going along on decent highway speeds I dont think the engine heats up as much.

[Harideep]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

Following are some thoughts I had while and after riding my Dominar on a recent short solo trip.

Do you carry Puncture Tool kit while Riding Alone?? Pls mention Puncture Kit name if you are using.

[jacob]

Re: Bajaj Dominar 400 Ownership Experience Thread

Do you carry Puncture Tool kit while Riding Alone?? Pls mention Puncture Kit name if you are using.

I don't think there is any specific kit provided by Bajaj. Never the less here's a neat little kit i found for a good price on Amazon India

Secondly hello to every one here. Its been a few years I've checked back on the forum. Life happened you see (In a good way )

I've been a close spectator to this thread for a while now. My last bike was a CBR250R (Sold) and on a hunt for a new ride. The D400 ticks all the right boxes for me.

I've done short commutes on the Dominar and feels its a bloody good machine for the price. And might make the cut soon.

Anyways, any Hyderabad owners here? A few questions for you folk...

1. Whats the rice quoted for the D400 (Any handling charges and shiz)

2. Hows the service quality at your SVC

Cheers!!!