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The Bajaj Dominar probably falls into any number of categories. You could think of it as a naked bike, a sport bike, a sport tourer or maybe even as an everyday commuter. It is because of this that the Dominar has so many rivals out there. For now, however, we are pitting the Dominar against the KTM 390 Duke, BMW G 310 GS and Royal Enfield Classic 500
Getting down to design and styling first, the 390 Duke sports a naked bike design. While the Dominar too is technically 'naked', it doesn't look the part. The 310 GS is an adventure tourer with a tall stance and high clearance for touring off road too.
The Royal Enfield Classic, on the other hand, sports its legendary retro design with a long flat seat and tear drop fuel tank. Where the 390 Duke and the Dominar get all LED headlamps, the units on the BMW and the Royal Enfield are halogen affairs.
KTM probably has the most futuristic instrument console though with a full colour TFT dash. The consoles on the BMW and the Bajaj, are digital units. The Dominar does get a secondary display on the fuel tank too allowing for more information to be displayed. The Classic 500's instrument panel is true to its retro nature, completely analogue with a few warning lights.
Coming down to the engine, the Classic 500 has the biggest displacement with 499cc compared to the 373cc motors on the KTM and Bajaj and 313cc on the BMW. Despite this, the Classic's engine is the most under powered churning out 27 PS of peak power as against BMW's 34 PS, Dominar's 35 PS and 43.5 PS on the 390 Duke. In terms of torque though, the Royal Enfield takes the cake with 41 Nm, while the Dominar gets 35 Nm.
Suspension on the Dominar and 390 Duke comes via USD forks up front and a rear monoshock. The BMW and Royal Enfield get conventional telescopic front fork set-up though the 310 GS suspension is taller with more travel for off road use. Braking comes via disc brakes for all bikes, with ABS as standard thanks to the upcoming safety norms.
Where ride quality is concerned, each bike is vastly different. Where the Royal Enfield and Bajaj have a mostly upright riding position, the Dominar's footpegs are not as forward positioned as the Classic 500's. The KTM on the other hand has a slightly sportier tucked position along with rear-set footpegs for that more aggressive feel. The 310 GS is a specifically built for touring so a tall seat, high handlebars and forward footpegs gives it the most comfort on long journeys.
In the end, it's not even about which bike is better. Each of the bikes on this list serves a vastly different purpose. If you need some sporting capability to carve up mountainsides, opt for the 390 Duke. You need more retro in your life, you look for the Classic 500. You think you want to travel to the far reaches and may not see roads, you hop onto the 310 GS.
But if you think you want a whole of city riding, some sporting capability and good comfort on long journeys, the Dominar offers all of that in sufficient quantities.
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