In 2018, Kawasaki finally brought to the country the “game-changer” motorcycle for a lot of Juan Dela Cruzes. With the then SRP of only PHP 165,000, the Kawasaki Dominar 400 became the most-affordable expressway-legal motorcycle. Those who dreamed of one day riding through the the once exclusive toll roads now had an accessible means in.
Though not without controversy, the Dominar has easily found its way into the hearts of Pinoy riders. After 3 years, it will finally be receiving some updates.
2022 update
According to Indian Vlogger, Dino’s Vault, the 2022 model year Dominar 400 will be updated with touring-friendly features to make riding long distances more comfortable.
There are a lot of accessories that will be fitted as standard, at least for the Indian market version. For instance, it will be equipped with a tall windscreen as standard, as well as a pair of handguards and a set of radiator and engine guards. Behind the tall windscreen is a smartphone mounting point. The rear gets a bigger topbox rack with a small backrest for the pillion. A steel and plastic bashplate is added to protect the bike’s underbelly.
The engine still remains to be the same potent, 373.3cc liquid-cooled thumper that also powers KTM’s Duke 390. There don't appear to be updates to the engine, but the exhaust iswill see some improvement, with a new tip inspiration from Kawasaki's Z1. It's paired to a 6-speed transmission with a new slip and assist clutch.
Bringing it to a stop is the same single disc in front and single disc in the rear. The front disc has been relocated to the left side of the wheel. It is also equipped with an ABS as standard.
That rounds up the updates for the Dominar 400, and while mostly cosmetic and just a few improvements, should continue to make it a competitive choice in the segment.
