Attention Modenas Dominar D400 owners from Southern Malaysia, Modenas wants you to join their next “Explore the Unexplored” ride happening this Saturday on 12th January 2019! This ‘first come, first serve’ ride (via e-mail, details below) will start from Tebrau heading towards Mersing for a nice lunch (on them!) before making way to Kluang and back again. (more…)
Are you an owner of a Modenas Dominar? If so then we have an offer you may not be able to refuse.
Modenas and their partner Bajaj Auto Limited of India, would like to invite you to join them for a ride to Kuantan which is happening this weekend (13th and 14th of October).
The ride which is exclusively for Dominar owners only, will begin on Saturday morning at 7am from the Modenas headquarters in Glenmarie (EMOS) to Kuantan via some fun roads along the way.
You will spend a night in Kuantan where there will be a BBQ party, live music, and a chance to show off your singing skills.
The best part? It is an all expenses paid trip, well almost, the only thing you have to worry about is fuel and a change of clothes. Food and accommodation is covered by Modenas and Bajaj. There has been no better ride than this for Modenas owners.
On the next day (Sunday 14th of October), the convoy will then head back to KL via the East Coast Highway and you will be back in KL by the afternoon so you are able to spend the rest of your Sunday recuperating, and spending time with your loved ones.
The ride is part of the epic Modenas Explore the Unexplored adventure ride series that will take place all over Peninsular Malaysia. This ride to Kuantan is the third such ride to be hosted by Modenas and Bajaj and organised by Bikesrepublic.com, you can watch the videos from the first two rides below.
Participants will also get a chance to win many prizes with the Motography photo contest where you will need to upload your best Dominar moments to your social media with the #motographymalaysia hashtag. You stand a chance to win a Shark helmet or an Alpinestar riding jacket.
If you are interested to take part in this ride, click here to register your interest and Modenas will inform you if you have been selected. Be quick as space is limited to 20 riders only!
See you there!
There’s no doubt that Malaysia has many attractions that are unique; and the best way to enjoy not only these destinations is by riding a motorcycle, which makes us motorcyclists a lucky lot. Consequently, this is what Modenas sets to do when they organized the Modenas Dominar “Explore the Unexplored” Ride from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh yesterday (19th August 2018).
The ride was also part of Bajaj and Modenas’s #motography project whereby the pictures snapped by the participants are shared as a database of sorts for other Bajaj owners around the world who wished to ride in Malaysia.
Apart from those, the ride was catered to the Modenas Dominar D400 owners, since the bike is branded as a sport-tourer.
A total of 12 riders signed up for this first ride and showed up at 6.30am for registration, breakfast and briefing. The organizers handed out a special T-shirt and sticker to each participant to commemorate the ride. They were then briefed about the #motography project and the ride.
True to the sport-touring spirit, a few had mounted larger windscreens and GIVI panniers and top cases.
The convoy pushed off from Modenas’s HQ and made onto the PLUS Highway toward their way to the Sungai Buaya exit for a short ride to the Selangor Dam at Kuala Kubu Bahru for the first photography stop. The convoy progressed in a smart fashion and the marshals made sure not to get in the way of other road users.
The sun started to shine down as the participants looked for the best angles to shoot the best pictures of their bikes.
From Kuala Kubu Bahru it was another short ride back onto the highway via Serendah as the group headed to the Tapah R&R to refuel. They got going after the short stop and rode to Ipoh for lunch.
A sumptuous lunch was organized at the multiple award-winning Indulgence Restaurant.
Based on the grounds of a pre-war bungalow, the restaurant’s ambience and food was a welcomed comfort from the blazing sun.
The haze had thankfully dissipated by then to a clear blue sky.
The organizers invited the riders to join in a fun game was organized in the restaurant’s compound.
The first required the riders to ride as slow as they can for 50 metres to test their skills in motorcycle control and balance.
The second game involved riding with a pillion. The passenger needed to throw a water balloon over a length of tape raised across the “track” and re-catch it without breaking it, while the rider must ride as slow as he can.
The winners received a RM50 Petronas fuel card each.
The ride got back on the road and headed to the last stop at Kellie’s Castle. Here, the riders took another round of pictures to be uploaded to the #motography mini site. The riders dispersed from this point afterwards.
There will be many other such rides coming up in the future, so please make sure to join if you are a Modenas Dominar D400 owner. Also, please follow the official Dominar Malaysia Facebook page for the latest updates.
Although Bajaj Auto Ltd’s push for higher market share has consumed their profit margins, the world’s sixth largest and India’s second largest manufacturer remain unfazed.
Bajaj is pushing for a larger share of the Indian motorcycle market through aggressive product pricing, according to Mint. “Aggressive product pricing” could be construed as the cheapest two-wheelers in India.
Competition for motorcycle sales is expected to peak in the next few months with the coming festive season. Most of the exponential growth is expected from rural areas where consumer spending sentiment is on the rise.
Bajaj seeks to increase the 110- to 125cc category in addition to their sub-100cc entry-level segment, said Kevin D’sa, Bajaj’s President of Finance said. The company intends to achieve 20% domestic market share this fiscal year and sees 25% as the long-term goal.
“We want to expand the bottom of the pyramid and take the entry-level segment share to 45% to 50% from 33% at present,” he said, adding that the new 110- to 125cc motorcycles are expected to debut in the last quarter of this fiscal.
According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Bajaj Auto Ltd’s market share in the three months to June had expanded to 16.27% from 13.96%, compared to a year ago.
Bajaj’s plans to conquer both segments are likely a sore thumb in the eyes of their rivals Hero MotoCorp Ltd., Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. and TVS Motor Co. Ltd. who had lost marginal market share to Bajaj last quarter.
Investors were disappointed with Bajaj Auto’s announcement of lower than expected June quarter earnings (due to lower profit margins). They expect to witness a downtrend in profit margins for the next six to eight quarters if there are no further price cuts.
Bajaj Auto Ltd is also the technical partner to KTM Motorrad AG in building the lower capacity KTM Duke models. The Indian manufacturer has also exported the Pulsar 150, Pulsar 200 and Dominar 400 models to Malaysia.
When buying a bike, build quality is probably not up there on the priority list. Power, comfort, design, price and reliability will probably be the focus, and then build quality. But admittedly not always in that order.
Well, every once in a while though comes a bike that seemingly does it all and does it well. Enter the Bajaj Dominar 400, known locally in Malaysia as the Modenas Dominar.
It is a bike we rode in India last year and grew to be particularly fond of. It has a lively 373cc engine that gives you better power output than most bikes in its class. It also comes with Brembo brakes and an adjustable rear monoshock suspension. It features an LED headlight and a smooth-shifting 6-speed gearbox, in short, there is nothing much to complain about when it comes to the Dominar.
And then there is the build quality. Now quality is usually subjective as it is usually difficult to assess how well-built a bike is. Touch and feel is usually the only way to tell. But not anymore.
These photos have been circulating around the internet showing a Dominar that was rear ended by a truck. And as you can see, the bike won. If this is not a testament to the brilliant build quality of the Dominar, then we’re not sure what would be a good testament.
This accident supposedly took place in Kerala, India, and though we’re not sure who the photos belong to, we’re glad he or she posted them online. As is clearly visible here, the bike is stuck in the front grille and the front bumper of the truck, and that’s what is holding the bike upright.
Perhaps the owner got really lucky, but credit is due where it is deserved and we tip our hat to Bajaj for their solid build quality. Well done.
As we’ve reported earlier (click here for the article), hot on the heels of the runaway success of the Pulsar RS200 and Pulsar NS200, Modenas felt that it was the right time to bring the Dominar D400 to our shores.
To recap, first and foremost, the bikes are built by the Indian giant, Bajaj Auto, and rebadged as Modenas. It isn’t such a bad thing, really, since Bajaj also builds the smaller KTM 200/250/390 Duke/RC range that has also taken the Malaysia and the world markets by storm. We’ve also ridden the Modenas Dominar D400 during our visit to the Bajaj Auto factory (click here for the article).
The Modenas Dominar D400 is a step up to the bigger capacity market. The electronically fuel injected, 4-valve, liquid-cooled, 373cc, single-cylinder engine has some shared architecture with the KTM 390 Duke but with a few differences such as the Digital Triple Spark (DTS-i) configuration to promote more complete combustion throughout the rev range.
As far as styling goes, it has that big headlamp, fat fuel tank look of Indian-built bikes. The seats are thick and wide, fitting for what Modenas/Bajaj calls a sport-tourer. Build quality is, well, let’s just say you can’t expect the quality of a much more expensive motorcycle at this price.
However, the headlamp is fully-LED which includes Daytime Running Light. There’s a comprehensive LCD instrument cluster, while the fuel tank has a smaller LCD screen placed into it. The main LCD was clear even in direct sunlight. The graph tachometer and speedometer were easy to fathom at a quick glance. Additionally, the switchgear symbols on both sides of the handlebar are backlit for ease of night operation.
The seat height is at the correct height for most riders; I was able to place both feel on the ground comfortably at my 167cm height. The handlebar is placed high up and comes back to meet the rider for an upright seating position. As for the footpegs, they were set further toward the front and lower for comfort.
The Dominar D400 started up quickly at the tap of the button, everytime, to that familiar clatter of a single-cylinder engine. Clutch lever pull was light. A few blips of the throttle saw the revs built up smoothly but a little slower – heavier flywheel, perhaps?
Out on the road, the bike got going easily and speed increased progressively. It slowed down smoothly when you went of the throttle too. Besides that, engine vibration was acceptable for a single-cylinder. So, it seemed to confirm our conjecture of a heavier flywheel in the engine. Anyway, the bike could hold a cruising speed from 110 to 130 km/h comfortable; it’s the rider who has to hold on above that speed due to lack of wind protection.
As for the suspension, front and rear ends were supple up to when the bike hit a large bump or deep pothole. The initial stroke was soft then hard further into the stroke.
However, the Dominar D400 handled pretty well, despite the softer suspension and feedback-less MRF tyres. The wide handlebar plus the bike’s light weight allowed us to steer the bike quickly and swerve around traffic. The ByBre front brake was grabby when riding at slow speeds but somehow needed a heavier pull when things got going.
As for electronics, ABS is standard for both ends although there is no rider mode and traction control.
All in all, the Modenas Dominar D400 is a commendable motorcycle and offers a good alternative to motorcyclists who want to move up the capacity scale without having to spend tons of money on one. If we had to choose a phrase to describe it, we would say, “Very good value for your money.”
| ENGINE | |
| Engine type | Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4 valves, single-cylinder |
| Compression ratio | N/A |
| Bore X Stroke | N/A |
| Displacement | 373.3 cc |
| Fuel system | Electronic fuel injection with Digital Triple Spark ignition (DTS-i) |
| Maximum power | 34.5 bhp (35 PS) @ 8000 RPM |
| Maximum torque | 35 Nm @ 6500 RPM |
| TRANSMISSION | |
| Clutch | Wet, multi-plate, slipper type |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| CHASSIS | |
| Front suspension | 43mm telescopic forks |
| Rear suspension | Monoshock with piggyback reservoir, ramp-type preload adjustment |
| Front brakes | Single 320 mm disc, single ByBre two-piston sliding calipers |
| Rear brake | Single 230 mm disc, single-piston ByBre sliding caliper |
| ABS | Dual-channel ABS |
| Front tyre | 110/70-R17 |
| Rear tyre | 150/60-R17 |
| FRAME & DIMENSIONS | |
| Frame | Beam type perimeter |
| Trail | N/A |
| Rake | N/A |
| Wheelbase | 1453 mm |
| Seat height | N/A |
| Kerb weight | 182 kg |
| Fuel capacity | 13 litres |
18th April 2018, Pullman Bangsar – The much-anticipated Modenas Dominar D400 has been launched tonight. The 373cc naked bike is termed as a “sport-tourer” by Modenas and Bajaj Auto. It is priced at a competitive introductory price of RM13,788 (basic selling price inclusive of 6% GST) for a limited time only.
The Modenas Dominar D400 features:
As the Dominar D400 is termed as a sport-tourer, the bike’s ergonomics are geared toward comfort: Upright seating position, footpegs placed forward and lower, comfortable seats, supple suspension.
In the aspects of safety, the bike features a dual-channel ABS system for both the front and rear wheels. a dual-channel ABS means that while the system is activated for one locked wheel, some brake pressure is also applied to the other wheel for chassis stability. A single-channel ABS, on the other hand, only performs its duty on that single locked wheel while still allowing the non-locked wheel to continue spinning freely – the large speed difference may cause the non-locked wheel to get “out of control.”
Modenas felt that it was the right time to introduce the model, based on their success with the Pulsar RS200, Pulsar NS200 and V15. Those bikes have sold well beyond Modenas and Bajaj Auto’s projection – 4,500 units have thus been sold since their introduction in May 2017.
The Modenas Dominar D400 had undergone some long distance journeys, according to Dinesh Kulkarni, Vice President, Bajaj Auto Limited. “The Dominar D400 successfully completed one of the world’s longest motorable journeys, the Trans-Siberian Odyssey covering 15,000 km in 53 days. The journey from Uzbekistan to Russia through six countries was successful without a single breakdown.”
We had the opportunity to test the Dominar D400 during our visit to Bajaj Auto’s factory (please click here for our first impressions) and actually test ride in Malaysia prior to the launch, so please click here for the full review.
Modenas (Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn. Bhd.) is set to launch another motorcycle which hails from their collaboration with Bajaj Auto Limited. Called the Dominar 400, it marks Modenas’ return to the big bike scene after the Jaguh in 1999.
Hailed as a sport-tourer by Modenas, the Dominar 400 is powered by a liquid-cooled, triple-spark, 373cc single-cylinder engine which produces 32bhp and 35Nm of torque. That gives the bike lots of pulling power and is able to hold high sustained cruising speeds. The 6-speed transmission has a slipper clutch for smoother corner entries.
Click here for our first impressions when we rode it in Pune, India.
The seating position is more upright for all-day comfort. The suspension is set on the plusher side to soak up bumps, also contributing to the overall comfort. ABS is standard on both ends.
Other contemporary touches include not one, but two LCD screens, the smaller one integrated into the fuel tank.
Check out the video below for our first impressions.
But what is more interesting is how much the Dominar 400 will be priced when it makes its entry into the Malaysian market. From our sources, it will cost under RM18,000.
That pricing will no doubt shake up the sub-400cc market. No 400cc motorcycle is priced as such, at the moment. Judging by how well the Pulsar RS200, Pulsar NS200 and V15 sold, we could expect the Dominar 400 to dominate that segment as well. Who knows, we may see more such larger bikes on Malaysian roads compared to mopeds in the future.
So, is the Modenas Dominar 400 a game-changer? You bet! The bike will be launched on 18th April 2018, so stay tuned.
© Copyright – BikesRepublic.com 2024 Trademarks belong to their respective owners. All rights reserved
