KTM Duke 390 & RC 390 Outsells Bajaj Dominar 400

KTM 390 Duke and RC 390 sold a total of 1627 units in June 2017. This makes them good for 700 more units than the nearest displacement rival, Bajaj Dominar 400. The parent brand may sound same in both cases but interesting fact is that both KTM bikes are priced at least INR 90,000 above the Dominar.

The introduction of Dominar 400 at a very affordable point helped it gain the initial popularity but with passing months, the sales number fell drastically to just 927 units in June 2017. Fans around the country are disappointed after hearing about few accident reports that questioned the quality of Bajaj’s economical sports tourer. Dominar is currently priced at INR 1.41 lakh and INR 1.55 lakh for non-ABS and ABS variant respectively.

Bajaj Dominar 400 uses the same displacement 373.2cc, single cylinder engine as KTM RC 390 and 390 Duke. The version on Bajaj Auto’s side is good for 35 PS while other KTMs produce a much higher 43.5 PS of maximum power. This is the first factor that will always keep Dominar behind in terms of overall performance.

KTM uses expensive materials while manufacturing engine components of the KTM duo while performance parts like USD forks, rear monoshock, premium tyres and many more factors define the price gap between both the brands. Still, Bajaj Dominar 400 is quite capable for its price tag and was victim to another motorcycle than these two cousins.

Yamaha FZ25 was the final jolt that Bajaj Dominar could get in its first few months of sale. Priced at INR 1,19,300 and carrying ideally the same performance figures (except top speed) as Dominar 400, FZ25 soon gathered the number that was once on the Dominar side.

KTM fans are strict and would never think of coming down from INR 2.25 lakh to 1.20 lakh but those who desired Dominar got an even more responsive motorcycle with INR 20,000 of less investment. Bajaj still has some chance for the Dominar as FZ25 lacks ABS and safety is now highly prioritized by Indian riders.

June 2017 was a tough month for all manufacturers as GST surprise halted the decision of many potential buyers. We even have a list for Top 25 Best Selling Motorcycles in India in June 2017.