The Dominar was always known for its road presence, and with the 2019 model, things have gone to a new level. Firstly, the new paint scheme which Bajaj calls the Auroral Green, does turn heads. This colour has been launched to give the bike a bit more youthful and vibrant feel. Secondly, the upside-down forks have enhanced the overall look. It not only gives the bike an imposing look, but makes the bike look complete. (Remember the CS 400 concept from Auto Expo 2016?)

The 2019 Dominar 400 is a better packed motorcycle now. The 375cc single-cylinder engine now gets a DOHC setup. The bike is more powerful at 39.5bhp – an increase of 5bhp over the previous model. But the torque stays at 35Nm. The engineers have worked hard to reduce engine vibrations – one of the main concerns on the older Dominar. While the weight has increased by 2kg, the power-to-weight has increased too from 190bhp/ton to 214bhp/ton.

The Dominar 400 was a fast motorcycle, but with some major upgrades, this Bajaj has now become better in munching miles. The additional 5bhp has given extra oomph to the bike to not only ride faster, but to also maintain that speed for longer durations. Twist that throttle, and it wouldn’t take much time to reach the 100kmph figure. In fact, the bike continues to feel energetic at 120-130kmph. The excellent mid-range, and the linear power delivery imparts the Dominar 400 churn with its comfortable touring abilities. The bike does 120kmph in just 7000rpm, with the bike redlining at 9500rpm. Thanks to the Bajaj engineers, there’s hardly any vibes till 8000rpm. Post that, some can be felt on the pegs and the seat. The gearshifts are direct and the throttle response is crisp.

Bajaj is yet to reveal the price of the 2019 Dominar. But expect to see a good increase in cost, thanks to the inclusion of high-cost hardware like USD forks. If the Pune-based manufacturer increases the cost by Rs 20,000, it will make the Dominar cost Rs 1.83 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). Even at this pricing, the Dominar is value for money. It gets more power, better equipment and the most importantly – it can do high-speed touring really well.