Bajaj Dominar 250 Vs Bajaj Pulsar 250; Which One Should You Pick?

Though Bajaj has introduced newer, more sophisticated and more powerful models in their product portfolio, Bajaj has struggled to match the legacy the Bajaj 220F has created.

Now, Bajaj has introduced two new 250cc motorcycles with a very similar recipe as the Bajaj Pulsar 220F. Since the latest from Bajaj comes under the 250cc motorcycle category, we shall compare it against the Bajaj Dominar 250 - Another 250cc motorcycle in the Bajaj product portfolio.

In this comparison, we will compare the motorcycles under five different categories - Design, Features, Powertrain, Suspension & Braking, and Price.

1. Design

Like always, design is totally subjective and what one prefers may not be your favourite.

When Bajaj Dominar was launched in India, many were comparing its design to the Ducati Diavel due to its 'power-cruiser' stance. Moreover, the Bajaj Dominar 250 design consists of a more muscular fuel tank and a chunkier-looking tail section.

On the other hand, the Bajaj 250 twins sport a more conventional design that consists of sharper lines and a more conventional-looking stance. However, with the semi-fairing, the new Bajaj F250 looks slightly bigger and touring-friendly than its naked counterpart - The Bajaj N250.

2. Features

Since both these bikes are basically aimed at younger demography, they come with a decent feature list. However, both bikes from Bajaj miss out on the Bluetooth connectivity functions.

While the new Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins get a bi-functional LED projector headlamp, the Bajaj Dominar 250 gets full-LED headlamps with multiple lighting elements.

On the new Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins, Bajaj has offered features such as a tachometer, speedometer, trip meter, fuel efficiency indicator, service reminder, gear-position indicator, distance-to-empty fuel gauge, clock, etc. However, where the Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins come with an analogue tachometer, the Bajaj Dominar 250 comes with an all-digital unit.

While there is not much to point out on paper, I personally prefer the part-analogue and part-digital layout of the new Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins.

3. Powertrain

The Bajaj Dominar 250 is powered by a 250cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine that pumps out 26.6 bhp and 23.5 Nm of torque, which is 2.6 bhp and 2 Nm more than the new Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins with its 250cc, oil-cooled, single-cylinder engine.

On paper, it may seem like the Bajaj Dominar has outgunned the Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins, but weighing in at 180kg, the Bajaj Dominar 250 weighs almost 18kg more than the Bajaj Pulsar N250 and 16kg more than the Bajaj Pulsar F250.

However, the Bajaj Dominar 250 again reels back the advantage through a touring-friendly 6-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch. The Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins on the other hand come with a 5-speed gearbox and a slipper clutch.

According to the specs, it seems like Bajaj has deliberately used a 5-speed gearbox to make the motorcycle more urban-friendly.

4. Suspension & Braking

Clearly, the Bajaj Dominar 250 reigns superior in this comparison with its 37 mm USD forks, 300 mm front and 230 mm rear disc brakes with dual-channel ABS.

In comparison, the Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins come with more conventional 37mm telescopic forks and a similar disc brake setup. However, unlike the more sophisticated dual-channel ABS in the Dominar 250, the ABS unit on the Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins consists of a simpler single-channel mechanism.

5. Price

The Bajaj Dominar 250 is priced at Rs 1.59 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), whereas the Bajaj Pulsar N250 is priced at Rs 1.38 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and the Bajaj Pulsar F250 is priced Rs 2000 more than its naked sibling at Rs 1.40 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Thoughts About Bajaj Dominar 250 & Pulsar N250 And F250

Even though the naked variant of the Bajaj N250 is Rs 21,000 cheaper than the Bajaj Dominar 250, it offers significantly more features that justify its higher asking price.

If your schedule rarely allows you to enjoy the open road, it is advisable to stick to the Bajaj Pulsar 250 twins and use that additional money to fuel your bike.