Kawasaki Dominar 400

Overview

The Dominar 400 is an attempt by Kawasaki in a segment where it literally doesn't have any presence/experience, i.e., entry-level cruiser sport motorcycles. Providing the best of both the worlds -city commuting and long highway riding, the Kawasaki Dominar 400 gives an appeal of a big bike at a very tempting entry-level price point. The Dominar 400 is available in one variant in the Philippines and is offered in two color options – blue and red.

Design

When Ducati previewed the Diavel for the very first time, it immediately vowed the fanatics, owing to its balanced design in the middle ground of a cruiser and a naked roadster. The Kawasaki Dominar 400 follows the same footsteps, which make it a smart and muscular motorcycle to look at.

At the front, the Dominar 400 has a distinctive looking full LED headlamp, which is flanked by LED turn indicators on the upper side.  The petite front visor could have been bigger, owing to its touring characteristics.

Talking about the side profile, the Dominar 400 has got a low positioned macho looking fuel tank with large extensions and knee recesses accommodating enough for tall riders as well. The radiator positioned ahead of the engine and below the fuel tank has got premium looking silver owls on either side.

The sleek looking side body panels become a bit wider while moving towards the rear, which make the Dominar 400 look big when viewed from the rear. While the engine has been finished in golden, the alloy wheels are diamond cut units, giving a premium essence to the Dominar 400. At the rear, the Dominar 400 has got a twin vertical set of LED tail lamps and split pillion grab rails, which are very reminiscent of that of the Rouser NS series. The split seats are quite accommodating for two big size adults.

The rider’s cockpit consists of a flat single piece handlebar, backlit switchgear, and a fully digital instrument console with trapezoidal LCD screen displaying digital speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, odometer, trip meters, and a clock.

Ride & Handling

The Dominar 400 has been engineered to make it homely in both the city as well as highway conditions. Kawasaki should be praised to give the Dominar a balanced setup. The telescopic forks at the front and the monoshock at the rear are set on a slightly stiffer side to make it agile. However, the ride quality is equally comfortable as well, and major credits for this go to the excellent ergonomic setup on this motorcycle. The low seat height gives shorter riders an edge as well, however, the long turning radius might be an issue for some. The disc brake setup at both the ends provides excellent feedback too.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

At the heart of the Kawasaki Dominar 400 is a four-stroke, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 373 cc DTS-i engine borrowed from the KTM Duke 390. However, for the Dominar 400, the engine has been heavily retuned, and here, the engine pumps out a maximum power output of 35 PS and a peak torque of 35 Nm.

The engine impresses one with its punchy bottom end and mid range performance, however, the performance at higher revs could have been better. Also, beyond the speeds of 120 kmph, the vibrations begin to creep in from the handlebar and footpegs, which could have been better controlled.

Braking & Safety

The Dominar 400, despite its entry-level positioning, has been blessed with disc brake at both the ends, which get the worthy support of dual-channel ABS as standard.

Verdict

The Kawasaki Dominar 400, in our opinion, is one perfect stepping stone from the brand in the entry-level sport commuter category.  The motorcycle looks handsome and packs in some really nice features, thus making it a complete value for money.

 Kawasaki deserves a round of applause for getting the spot on balance in terms of performance and ride quality. This particular attribute makes the Dominar 400 equally impressive for all the riding conditions possible.