2019 Kawasaki Dominar 400: Changes explained

Kawasaki Dominar 400 has managed to create a large fan base in the Philippines since its launch. With a handful of parts borrowed from the naked orange monster KTM Duke 390, the Dominar 400 offers a great value-for-money package. It has a powerful engine, comfortable riding posture, full LED headlamp, ABS, and much more to have you glued. Even with all these mouth-watering features, the bike has room for improvement which we hope would be addressed in the next generation model. Well, guess what? The new model of the Dominar 400 is up and ready.

Bajaj manufactures the Dominar 400 in India and exports it to the Philippines. It has been testing the new model for quite some time now and finally, the work is complete. Bajaj has done a certain number of changes in the 2019 Dominar 400 to make it that much more desirable. So, what are the improvements in the new model? Let’s find out.

Aesthetics

The 2019 Dominar 400 looks very similar to the outgoing model. You can still easily spot it in a crowd. However, there are some interesting changes done to differentiate the new model from the old one.

Gone are the golden alloy wheels. The 2019 Dominar 400 features a set of dual-tone black alloy wheels which are similar to what we had in the first-generation model. Then we have the beefier 43 mm USD forks. We will talk about their performance later on. They add to the look of the bike as well. One of the most noticeable changes in the 2019 Dominar 400 is the rearview mirrors. They have a new design and are made up of a different material than before. They really look premium. We hope to see a lot more in these mirrors than just our elbows while riding the bike.

The front disc brake has been relocated from the right side to the left. This also resulted in a slightly tweaked front fender. There are a few blacked-out parts here and there over the entire motorcycle for that added sportiness. The exhaust on the new model is a twin-barrel design which might not be appreciated by all for its looks. Hopefully, it could compensate for that by its sound. The rear end of the new model remains untouched.

Engine

The Kawasaki Dominar 400 specs list a 373.3 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that is the same unit which powers the Duke 390. However, it has been re-tuned to suit Dominar’s character. While the outgoing model produced 34.5 hp and 35 Nm, the new model receives a slight bump in power. It produces 40 PS at 8650 rpm which is 650 revs higher than before.

The engine now features a DOHC (Dual Overhead Camshaft) borrowed from the Duke 390. This will enhance the overall fuel efficiency and performance of the motorcycle. As far as the transmission is concerned, it will remain the same, i.e., a 6-speed unit with slipper clutch.

Suspension

Now let’s jump to the new 43 mm USD forks at the front. These are from Endurance. They will help in the manoeuvrability of the Dominar 400, especially at low speeds. The rear gas-charged mono-shock also gets a slight revision in its spring rate. Overall, the suspension setup is said to be tuned to provide a more comfortable and plush ride than before without compromising the bike’s cornering capability.

Brakes

Both the disc brakes on the new model remain the same in terms of size - 320 mm front and 230 mm rear - however, the front one gets a new calliper. The old axially-mounted calliper has been replaced by a new radial-mounted unit from Bybre only. Dual channel ABS continues to be a part of the safety package and still can’t be turned off.

The 2019 Dominar 400 does offer new features that are supposed to make the bike better overall. In this process, it has gained 2 kg and now weighs 184 kg (kerb). All the new changes will make the Dominar 400 a much more capable touring-friendly motorcycle. But would it remain affordable? We will have to wait for that. The current Kawasaki Dominar 400 price in the country is Php 165,000. We are surely expecting to see a hike in the price of the new model. As far as the availability is concerned, there is no official confirmation on this, but we will be updating you guys at the earliest so stay tuned for that.