Here we have compared accleration and braking of the Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 vs Bajaj Dominar 250, two of the newest 250cc motorcycles and both powered by a KTM Duke 250-derived engine. Let’s see how it rolls.
The 250cc motorcycle segment has been booming a lot lately and if you are looking for a sporty commuter motorcycle, this is the segment you should be looking at. There are more options now than ever. If a sporty 250cc motorcycle is what you are looking for, the KTM Duke 250 is immediately the first motorcycle that comes to your mind. But what if you were looking for a little something else with the same sporty character. It’s the new Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 and the Bajaj Dominar 250 that should fit your bill perfectly. But which among these two is the quicker, which accelerates and brakes harder? Well, let’s find out.
This test has been conducted by Zigwheels and although both motorcycles are powered by the same KTM Duke 250-derived 250cc engine, there’s a world of a difference between them. The Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 gets its 250cc engine in the same spec as the Duke 250 and produces a healthy 30PS of power. Meanwhile, the Dominar 250 produces 27PS of power, and that it produces slightly higher in the rev range. The Svartpilen also produces 1Nm of more torque than the Dominar 250. As for the weight, the Dominar 250 weighs 180 kg (kerb) while the Husky just weighs 154 kg (kerb).
Acceleration
| Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 | Bajaj Dominar 250 | |
| 0-60 kph | 3.45 seconds | 4.18 seconds |
| 0-100 kph | 8.64 seconds | 10.92 seconds |
Factor in the advantage in power and torque for the Svartpilen 250 and much lesser weight than the Dominar 250, the results in acceleration will be quite obvious, and the numbers say exactly so. While the Husky is able to sprint from 0-60 kph in well under 4 seconds, the Dominar 250 takes 4.18 seconds, a difference of 0.84 seconds. The gap widens further in the 0-100 kph sprint where the Dominar is 2.28 seconds slower. Light weight and more power has always been the formula for being quick.
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Roll-On Acceleration
| Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 | Bajaj Dominar 250 | |
| 30-70 kph | 4.91 seconds | 5.60 seconds |
| 40-80 kph | 6.60 seconds | 7.92 seconds |
Even in terms of roll-on acceleration, the Husqvarna is still quicker of the two with quite a comfortable margin. The Dominar 250 does manage to close the gap a little owing to its meatier mid-range but its still not enough to compensate for less power and more weight. It is also this exact tune of the engine in case of the Dominar 250 that makes it so much nicer in the city in regular traffic conditions. And that’s a great plus for the Dominar 250.
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Braking
| Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 | Bajaj Dominar 250 | |
| 80-0 kph | 32.86m | 31.53m |
| 60-0 kph | 18.62m | 18.50m |
Although both the motorcycles use the same braking hardware, the results here were a little shocking. The Dominar 250 manages to stop better than the Svartpilen 250 in both cases of decelerating from 80-0 kph and 60-0 kph. And that’s despite the extra weight. Well, that because the brakes on the Dominar 250 have always had a great progression, bite and feedback, which is why it is that much easier to brake hard on the Dominar 250.
