Original Source: Bajaj Pulsar 220 vs Hero Karizma ZMR from BikeAdvice.in

Bajaj and Hero Motocorp (Hero Honda previously), are the two pure Indian make motorcycles who have been at loggerheads continuously after Bajaj came out with its extraordinary concept, the powerful “Pulsar”. Hero Honda was no meek player either who went on to create a biking tradition with its charismatic Karizma. However, due credit does go to Hero Honda for venturing into the virgin territory of 200+ cubic capacity displacement when Bajaj was happy making the favourite “Hamara Bajaj” scooters and trying to give competition to the already established hugely successful 100cc bikes from the Hero Honda stable.

However, Bajaj is a quick learner and soon came up with a strong contender for the tall standing Karizma, the Pulsar 220. Since then, it has always been a boggling question for many as to which one is better. Which one should you buy if you want the ultimate performance motorcycle? We thought it’s time we take both and make them face head to head and see who eventually comes out victorious!

The Styling

To start, I take up the aspect of the styling since that is the first thing anyone is going to notice about any motorcycle. Add to it the 220cc class and any motorcycle lover is bound to demand fabulous styling that should make him look apart from the crowd and also make heads turn when he/she rides past! The two motorcycles I am comparing here have very different design languages. Each one has been distinctively designed to appeal to a specific sensory perception of the consumer.

The Pulsar 220 with its “wolf” like headlights looks really stylish while the Karizma ZMR with its GSX1000R inspired headlamps look menacing. Coming to the tail lights, the twin LED lights on the Pulsar 220 are the coolest ones ever seen. On the Karizma ZMR, you get one “inverted pentagon” shaped light which is LED stripped. Coming to the side stance, the Pulsar 220 has got a horizontal fairing extending from the headlights to the fuel tank. It also has a netted slot providing air flow.

The small fairing gives the bike a “naked bike” look and adds dynamism to it. The contour line on the fairing extends all the way upto the fuel tank too. The Karizma ZMR on the other hand, has got a full fairing that on which the ZMR is inscribed in a Japanese script style (inspired from the Suzuki Hayabusa). The fairing is styled excellently with the front end of it following the curve of the front wheel while the rear sporting a Z shaped design.

The ZMR with its full fairing looks mighty muscular, big and more like a “speed goddess”. Both the bikes have got a single exhaust. The exhaust tail pipe on the Pulsar 220 looks not much different from its younger siblings and has no colour which looks a bit out of place. On the other hand, the Karizma ZMR gets golden finish tail pipe which blends along well with the design. The engine, the front shockers and the inner circle of the front and the rear discs are gold painted. Both the bikes get split rear handle grips. The Karizma ZMR offers those as body coloured while they are black on the Pulsar 220.

Pulsar 220: 3
Karizma ZMR: 4

The Performance

Now let us come to the performance factor. The Pulsar 220, as evident from its name is powered by a 220 cc motor that delivers a power figure of 21.04 PS @ 8500 RPM and a healty torque figure of 19.12 Nm @ 7000 RPM. On the other hand, the Karizma ZMR is powered by the same 223 cc engine that powered the old Karizma. The 223 cc engine delivers a power of 17.6 BHP @ 7000 RPM and a torque of 18.35 Nm @ 6000 RPM.

Going by the figures alone, the Pulsar 220 is definitely way powerful than the ZMR in terms of power and in terms of torque. The Karizma ZMR may look like a speed goddess, but it is the Pulsar 220, in which the speed beast is hiding, waiting to be unleashed. Just twist the throttle and the 220’s thrust will make you go backwards in awe and surprise. The Pulsar 220 wants it to be taken seriously.

Gently input the throttle, and all will be well. On the Karizma ZMR, it is a bit more relaxed. Though it is about 1 Nm short in torque than the 220, yet the delivery is quick at the low RPM (6000 on the ZMR as compared to the 7000 on the 220) which makes it fun to drive. One of the big things separating these bikes is the kerb weight. The Pulsar 220 with its small fairing weighs 150 kg while the Karizma ZMR with all its fairings tips the scales at 159 kg making it 9kgs heavier than the Pulsar! The Pulsar outperforms the ZMR in power-to-weight ratio.

The 220 offers one of the best power-to-weight ratios because of which it gets the tag of “the fastest Indian”. Fuel delivery to the 220’s engine is through the carburettor while on the ZMR a fuel injection does that duty. The fuel delivery feels smoother in the ZMR across all rev ranges. On the 220 however, you twist the throttle suddenly and there is a lag. It is like the lull before the storm to come.

You can witness the speedometer needle surging very fast in the post-lag period. The Pulsar 220 can do the 0 to 60 kmph sprint in just about 4 seconds while the Karizma ZMR takes a bit more to about 4.7 seconds. A top speed test wasn’t possible because of too much traffic. On road, the Pulsar 220 returns a good fuel economy of 38 kmpl under mixed driving conditions while the Karizma ZMR returns about 40 kmpl.

Pulsar 220: 4.5
Karizma ZMR: 3.5

The Handling

One of the key aspects any sports bike deserves to be talked about is its handling. Sit on the bike, and you feel more close to the ground on the Pulsar 220 than on the Karizma ZMR. The Karizma ZMR will not be an ideal bike for the short people. Also, the ZMR feels wider than the 220 because of its broad fairings. The Pulsar 220 features a split-seat design which provides you with good support and makes you prepared to race anytime.

On the other hand, the Karizma ZMR features a single piece providing a comfortable seating for you as well as your pillion. On straight lines, both the bikes feel planted to the ground, but relatively the Karizma feels more planted because of its higher kerb weight. The Pulsar 220 despite its raw power feels planted because of its thicker tires. The 220 rides on 90/90 section (Tubeless) at the front and 120/80 section (Tubeless) at the rear. They are fitted to 17inch alloy wheels both at the front and back.

The ZMR rides on thinner sections, 80/100 on the front and 100/90 on the rear. However, the ZMR rides on bigger 18 inch alloy wheels. On the corners, the two show up different dynamics. The Karizma ZMR with its bulk and bigger dimensions is slightly difficult to manoeuvre with a considerable lean angle. However, the bulk coupled with the smooth power delivery gives you a confidence of solid grip that the bike maintains with the road. The 220, while is smaller in dimensions and with low kerb weight is very quick around corners.

The rev-friendly engine always entices you to throttle hard while you are exiting the corner but a slight mistake and you can lose control. The bike packs in so much power at the top-end that you need to have considerable amount of experience to master it. The ZMR uses Telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers at the front and a Swing arm with 5 step adjustable IGRS system at the rear. While on the 220, you get telescopic shocks at the front and 5 way adjustable Nitrox shock absorbers at the rear.

The suspension at the front and the back does a good job of taking care of potholes in both the bikes. However, the Karizma ZMR has got a slightly softer suspension making it good for long tours as well. The Pulsar 220 on the other hand, has a stiffer suspension which makes it not so good for long journeys but great for fast cornering. However, take both the bikes to whatever speed you like, both offer equally good stopping power according to their stature. The Pulsar 220 gets 260 mm disc brakes at the front and 230 mm ones at the rear while the Karizma ZMR gets 276 mm disc at the front and 240 mm discs at the rear.

Pulsar 220: 4.5
Karizma ZMR: 3.5

The Ergonomics

Coming to the instrument cluster, both the bikes offer good looking digital consoles. The Pulsar 220 offers an analog tachometer and a digital speedometer. The round tachometer is on the left while the digital speedometer is on the right of it. The speedo console also shows other information like the fuel level by the left side of the speed, the odometer and the trip meter at the bottom and battery, oil temperature etc at the top.

Below the speedo console are 4 round lights; the turn indicators, the neutral gear position, the hi-beam and the side stand engage respectively from the left. At the extreme right of the console, is the RESET switch. Coming to the Karizma ZMR, it sports a trapezoidal console with the analog tachometer at the bottom centre of the console. On the left is the digital speedometer below which it also shows the time. On the right is the fuel level, odo and trip meter and the alphabetic display.

On the top centre it has small 4 lamps; the engine malfunction light, the neutral gear indicator, the hi-beam and the direction indicators from the left respectively. Both the consoles are equally good, but somehow I feel that the console of the Pulsar 220 has been designed keeping the “racer rider” in mind. The large speedo and the large tacho ensure that you get to know your state without have to look closely which is not the case in the Karizma ZMR. Also the Pulsar indicates if you have the side stand engaged or not which is a good thing for many in India.

Pulsar 220: 4
Karizma ZMR: 3.5

Conclusion

The Karizma ZMR will cost you Rs. 1,02,939/- (On Road, Gurgaon) while the Pulsar 220 is Rs. 86,250/- (On Road, Gurgaon). Over such a price difference anyone will de definitely inclined to go for the cheaper alternative. However, you cannot buy a bike of this segment just by the price. Anyone should also look into what kind of usage he is going to have. If you are a ride daily for long distances then the Pulsar 220 is not a good choice for you, the Karizma ZMR definitely is! If you are a person who loves corners, then the Karizma ZMR is not the right bike for you, the Pulsar 220 is! Overall, the bikes come very close in this heated competition with Pulsar 220 gaining marginally due to its sheer focused nature on speed and handling, the two basic necessities of a sports bike and nevertheless, a bike lover!

Regards,
Joy Chatterjee

Original Source: Hero Honda Hunk 1250kms Ownership Review by Arjun from BikeAdvice.in

Hi Everyone, I am Arjun from Bangalore and this is a review of my 2.5 months old Hero Honda Hunk. What led me to select Hunk as the bike best suitable for me?

Price is the ultimate criterion in selecting a bike. Instead of choosing a bike and regretting because it’s out of my reach, I decided to sort list the bikes first based on Price. Since I was ready to shell out anywhere between 75,000 to 80,000 INR, P150, P180, HH Hunk, HH CBZ xtreme, Honda Dazzler, Honda Unicorn, Yamaha FZ-S, TVS Apache 160.

Comfort

Second important criteria for selecting a bike for me is comfort. I travel around 30km per day in city traffic, comfort is something that I can’t ignore. Pulsar’s are slim i.e. they have narrow seats. Not really suitable for long rides. The riding position can cause back pain in Apache, as it’s designed for racing conditions and not for city riding.

So, made my mind to avoid them. Also since HH Hunk, Unicorn and Dazzler have better height for rider, and are designed for city commuting, they offer the best comfort. I don’t have much of an idea of Yamaha FZ-S, as I never rode it myself.

Control (Brakes & Handling)

I always preferred to buy a bike with rear disc brakes. Honda Unicorn Dazzler, HH Hunk & Apache were the bikes which offered it. Also the HH mechanic said that Hunk has better road grip than Karizma. Don’t know whether it’s true or not, but that did convince my dad that Hunk is a good bike. Read a lot about Apaches producing vibration at higher speeds. Unicorns, Hunk, CBZ xtreme being quite heavy, are stable at higher speeds.

Engine Cooling

As far as I know, all bikes from the above list are Air cooled. So, not much of a difference.

Power

Apache offers more horse power than others in the segment. Considered more of a menace for city riding conditions at times. Hunk & CBZ xtreme offer slightly more horse power than unicorns.

Maintenance

You can find HH service centres probably in every single area in major cities like Bangalore. Anytime the bike starts giving any problem, it shouldn’t be tough to find a service centre within a 2km radius. With so many service centers around, mainitaining the bike in good condition is no tough job. And finding service centres is no big deal with a SmartPhone in pocket. On the other hand, service centres of other major companies like Honda and Yamaha have a bad reputation.

Fuel Efficiency

Another important criteria as I ride long distance in heavy city traffic. Read too many reviews on internet about Apache & FZ-S not being so economical when it comes to mileage. Decided to avoid them.

Somethings that are not much of importance for me

• Engine Sound: Sound made my Unicorns, Hunk and CBZ Xtreme may not please hardcore bike enthusiasts.
• HH not being Parent of Engine: Why should anyone bother about it, as long as he is getting the best service with best engine in the market?

Since Hunk is not so common on roads, it catches a lot of attention, special thanks to its muscular looks. I finally decided to go for it.

TL;DR: Avoided Apache for lack of comfort, mileage. Pulsar for being too common, less comfort. FZ-S for mileage. Unicorn and Dazzler for waiting time and bad service centres. Between Hunk and CBZ xtreme, looks and better fuel efficiency made Hunk my perfect choice.

Journey So Far

So far its been about 2.5 months and 1250km with Hunk and its been a delightful journey. Got the rear and front disc version of Hunk for a little more than Rs.79k (Yeah, its costlier here in Garden City). Its worth the price as it comes with tubless tyres & rear disc brakes.

Initially the bike started off with not-so-good mileage of about 38-40kmpl, but after the first service, the mileage is about 46-48kmpl. Pretty good, considering I ride about 1km everyday on 1st gear (Thanks to Bangalore traffic).

Handling has been easy. For the first 500km, I tried riding below 3500RPM & 40kmph, and for the next 500km, 4500RPM & 55kmph. The highest speed I could reach in Bangalore roads is 85kmph and I never felt that I was driving at such high speed. The bike was completely stable.

Reaching 60kmph is an ease for this bike, attains it in no time. However speeds above 60kmph takes time and attains gradually. Coming to comfort, the bike is superbly designed. The rear GRS Suspension is so good, that I never had back pain after the drive (I had back pain problems before).

Looks of the bike are great. I have attached pics of side, front, rear, and top views of bike for you to decide the same.

Coming to the Cons

• The bike is heavy and its a bit difficult to park in crowded places.
• The same dirt problem. Too much dirt gets collected at the rear part during rainy season as the tyre hugger is very small.

Apologise the pillion rider in advance if you are taking him for a ride during rains. To Summarize, the bike offers good comfort, mileage, looks and handling. Yeah, it’s a perfect bike.

Regards,
Arjun

Original Source: Hero Honda Karizma ZMR – 28,500 KMs Ownership Review by Sachin from BikeAdvice.in

It’s been a long time since I bought ZMR and the love for this bike is just increasing everyday. Today after completing 28,500+ kms in about 18 months it’s time for me to pen down how my experience has been on riding my Karizma ZMR. After munching miles after miles on my ZMR I can proudly say that this bike has been an excellent companion for me where ever I travelled so far.

Be it riding in off roading high altitude conditions in Ladakh or be it riding in twisted single lane roads from Mumbai to Goa or butter smooth straight highways from Mumbai to Rajasthan, I have taken this bike through everything and it does not dissappoint.

It’s sheer presence, huge size, superb metallic paint job, FI engine, higher displacement were the key facotrs which made me pursue this ‘Grand tourer’ if I may call it. I had options like R15 & P220 but since I m 6 feet tall, I was uncomfortable riding R15 and felt it will become difficult for long distant travelling on R15 as I needed more relaxed position bike. P220 was also looking as a good option but not reliable enough in my eyes hence, I decided to go for ZMR.

Flaws

With over 18 months of riding on this bike, with all the good things that comes in this bike there are a few issues which I have faced. After all you can’t expect any bike to run year after year without any issues Can you?

Battery Issue: This was more specific only to my bike as I could not start the bike without pushing it. It looked so odd and embarassing having to push your bike to make it start. Nevertheless, this temporary problem got resolved as HH provided me a new battery and starter issues were resolved.

Headlight Issue: For someone like me who does a lot of rides on bike I always felt the need of switching over to HID which will give me better vision at night. With the stock bulb your visibility in dark is very low.

Vibrations: There are a lot of vibrations that you can feel at lower revs while riding due to the bulky fairing attached to the bike. It is a big set back for many who would like to buy this bike as there are just too much vibrations coming from the bike. You can feel the vibrations in your feet, hands which will make you uncomfortable.

Even with these few hiccups I’m still enjoying this ride and this bike has never dissappointed me no matter what the circumstances were.

Features

Mileage: At a cost of over 1 Lakh rupees, ZMR is slightly overpriced if you compare it with other bikes in this segment. However if you plan to use the bike for a long time then this price will be justified because of the wonderful mileage this bike returns. I have always managed to get an efficiency of 45+ at highway and 40+ in city which makes it the most fuel efficient premium Indian motorcycle mainly because of the PGM-FI set up.

It is definitely above all in terms of mileage and the RTMI [Real Time Mileage Indicator] another feature in the bike is very useful if you want to keep a check on how you are faring on the mileage at your current speed. Though this feature is more helpful if you are riding at a constant speed. Talking about features, one of features is the digital intrument cluster which has all the information you need starting with welcome message where you can add your name. Nice touch I would say.

Suspension: ZMR’s suspension is wonderful and this bike can be taken anywhere because of the telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers in front and GRS [Gas Reservior] at the rear which provides great comfort to rider and pillion.

Ergonomics: After years of riding on this machine, I can say that it is very easy and comfortable to ride this bike because of its seating arrangement. The up right position is a boon for riders who are into long distance touring. If you are planning to ride to Leh, the ZMR should be the best choice because of its comfortably reachable handlebars for an effortless and pleasurable ride.

Crash Experience: Many of us including me would always be wondering how would a full faired bike like ZMR manage if you were to have a fall. Well, I have had 1 fall from this bike which was my first in 8 years. I had a fall in Delhi after competing my Ladakh trip in the final few kms before reaching Delhi Railway Station.

After 21 hours of continuos riding from Nako, Himachal Pradesh to Delhi due to lack of sleep unfortunately I hit a big stone in middle of a four lane highway! What followed next was a series of events like both my rims got bend at speed of 100kmph and then with all my effort still trying to control the bike and avoiding the fall I still could not control and had a fall.

Alas, due to a full face helmet and riding gears I got saved and yes, ZMR to me and friends surprise only beared a few scratches without any damages to the fairing. Unfortunately due to the miserably bend rims the bike had to be towed. The big body cowl is good and because of the handlebars and sari guard the fairing manages to escape with less damage.

Someting Unique: Well, I’m not a big fan of customising bike as I love the ZMR the way it is. However I did few minor changes in the bike which I considered where required in the bike. As mentioned earlier, ZMR’s multireflector headlamps wasn’t adequate for me at least so I replaced those with Bi-Xenon H4 4300K HID.

Adding a better bright headlamps makes a world of a difference to your riding experience especially if you have ZMR. You feel more comfortable at higher speeds and confident while riding in dark. Another important change which I made to the bike is replacing the stock tyres.

Stock tyres are too thin for the complete look of the bike and HH could have given this huge bike at least a little wider tyre. Nevertheless, I used Michelin’s M45 tyres which provided excellent on road and off road grip. Currently I’m riding on Pirelli Sports Demon 110×90 18″ which offers the best grip and enhances the rear look of the bike. Other additions covers addition of Motographix tank pad, Red wheel rim tapes and LED pilot lamps.

Been there, Done that: There are many short and long rides which I done on my ZMR however a few memorable ones are listed below.

Ladakh & Lahaul Valley: There is a sense of proud feeling when I write these lines. ZMR being an FI bike, I consider the best bike to be taken to Leh-Ladakh as it is too good there. When other carb bikes feel power loss, start up problems & problems climbing high mountain passes, ZMR surpasses all these issues.

Ladakh has always been considered as biker’s pilgrimage and it was a great experience riding ZMR in almost as many as 10 high mountain passes. During this ride there were many challenges like riding in slush and mud in Rohtang pass, countless really difficult water crossings, starting the bike at almost -5 degree celsius, Riding in zero visibility in snow at Nakee La pass, riding with a pillion and successfully reaching Chang La pass (second highest pass in the world) & the feat of riding at the highest motorable road without any issues.

Mt.Abu, Rajasthan: Yet another memorable ride, even after ripping the bike continuously at over 120+ kmph for hours the bike never dissappoints. I along with 2 other riders managed to come back home (Mumbai) from Mt.Abu around 750 kms in 14 hours. That says a lot of about the bike which can take high speeds for a long time and does not complaint.

Goa Ride: New year and Goa are perfect combination and when this plan is combined with great friends and a grand tourer like ZMR you are in for some serious fun. I have never had so much fun on ZMR until I took it to Goa. In the return journey via NH17 which is a single lane road on beautiful hair pins ZMR twisted and turned without any issues.Cornering on this bike was not a problem though you might not have the precision as what R15 has at corners.

All in all this is a wonderful bike and hopefully HH now Hero Moto will bring in the higher capacity flagship Karizma with more power and better quality plastic to continue its legacy.

Hope you liked my review and especially my photos. Please leave your comments. Will be looking forward to it.

Regards,
Sachin Nair

Original Source: Hero Honda Karizma ZMR Ownership Review By Gaurav from BikeAdvice.in

Hi Riderz, Karzima, is the one word synonymous with Indian biking unleashed during early 90’s. I always had a thought what could Hero Honda could do extra in such an old model given the fact the power mill is the same and that’s why I was apprehensive before buying this bike.

A quick intro about me, Software management professional, mostly travels on bikes on weekend getaways, passion for Bikes & Cars, best rides driven in past- Bajaj Pulsar 200. Let me recap the decision before buying Karizma ZMR and the possible options which came in my mind. Budget!- Being from my own Kamai/Earning, had to limit the budget around 1 lac, thus Honda CBR250R was an obvious No, Nope!

First bike, which came to my mind, was Bajaj Pulsar 220F. With a whole lot less burn on my pocket, More BHP, Top Speed less than none in the this category, this was the obvious choice. But, I took a long Ride before buying! Then did flip my mind like a coin in an instant.

I had a lot of expectations as far as handling is concerned and the power delivery is concerned. Pulsar 220F is quick but it doesn’t feel like one, it has weight, but doesn’t feel like one connected to. I wanted to speed up the bike on corners but couldn’t. Probably, I needed something which connects better to the ground.

Definitely, Yamaha YZF-R15 was the second bike which crossed my mind but then came the long waiting period before me, a whole 2-3 Months, this just made me switch-off. But before that, I had also taken R15 for a ride from my friend and felt that this ride was made for highways only, it ran just like a regular bike under 5k rpm and needed high revving to get that smooth feel within city.

Although, it felt the best on cornering, it felt way more balanced then Pulsar 220 F. Also, the rider position was not all that comfortable. My mind started tossing on the ocean, being a city rider mostly. Ultimately; Yamaha Brand was getting away from me. The next ride was TVS Apache RTR 180.

“WoHero Hondah… what a ride this is, the power is bang on!, The handling is quite good, price is also good, looks good/OK” these are the words which came to my mind when I had seen/driven this bike. But again, due to engine issue in past which I had seen with my friend’s RTR, I decided not to go with Apache. Although, I must admit I liked this bike.

The last test ride which was in my mind was Hero Honda Karizma ZMR. Reasons: Price of Rs.1.07 for 223 cc bike and Hero Honda being not the parent to the technology. Now about the test ride, what can I say, I felt just so right when I rode this bike for the first time. The ride position is just so comfortable, it feels just so connected and the power is also there, which I earlier assumed to be absent.

On the test ride itself I was able to corner at 60-70 Kmph which I wasn’t able to do confidently with other bikes. Well, I had made a choice for myself, I had made my mind that this is what I would like to ride. I searched a few more showrooms in Pune and finally bought a white Karizma ZMR, as it accentuated itz bulky looks quite grace fully.

Ride Experience

It’s been 7.5k on the run from Feb 2011 with a top speed clocked at 127kmph and also throne the bike into quite a potholes as well. Yes, It’s running as one would expect it to be, great I would like to break the ride experience into two categories: (A) Riding In outskirts of city, (B) Daily routine to Office, purely city traffic.

Riding In outskirts of city: The experience so far has been quite good for the ride I have done to places like Lavasa, Lonavala, and Sinhagad to name a few all near Pune. Well one thing is common in all these rides is twisty roads, Ghats, some steep corners, And I am happy to say Karizma ZMR brought smiles to my face at every turns. If any one of you like to do less gear shifts then this is the bike for you, absolutely marvelous. A comment from Pillion on a ride to Lavasa: ”I feel your bike is much comfortable yaar, compared to FZ-16 and Bajaj Avenger”.

Daily routine to Office, purely city traffic: If anyone is from Pune and has office in Hinjewadi, he would know what I am referring to. The traffic is like hell and maneuvering through it is quite painful, but it is quite less with Karizma ZMR owing to the fact that I have driven some other bikes as well on this road. The mirror position is quite practical but requires folding in case of extreme less gaps to pass through from.

Technology

• The bike has PGMFI engine, so better mileage & a smoother ride.
• The suspension is very comfortable; GRS is what Hero Honda have termed it.
• The digital speedometer console is undoubtedly the best on any Bike available in India Under 500cc as per my observation. 2 Trip meters, clock, welcome message with your name, adds a nice touch, last 10 secs fuel average in kmpl. Easily viewable in day light as well.
• Disk brakes at both front and rear
• Tubeless TYRES
• Sensor: 7 types- crank position, oil, throttle, air intake, etc. Totally awesome!
• Lights are good looking and illumination is decent, rear one’s are LED.

Pros

• The bike is well built, the paint is good, the plastics are of good quality, and it’s a head turner.
• The suspension is on a softer side thus can absorb the potholes quite easily without any concerns.
• The ride position is just awesome; you won’t feel stressed even after long rides.
• The power is Okay, it can take you 0-100 kmph quite comfortably without letting you know.
• The 5 speed gear shift is smooth; the engine is the smoothest I have ever driven (at all RPM’s).
• The balance of bike is excellent.
• Fuel injection engine give smoother ride and better mileage as well. It give 35-40 Kmpl, any way you ride
• Longer seat length, Split seat isn’t there, I feel, this is better, practically, if tripling is to be done at some point of time, (although not advisable)

Cons

• The top speed isn’t that great, although you can cruise at 110-120 kmph for all day long.
• The bike suspension is on a softer side, so isn’t made for track surface.
• May be bulkier for shorter people, it’s quite huge in size.
• Braking isn’t that great either, need better skills to manage the braking.
• TYRES could have been broader, given the fact that every other manufacturer is giving it now.
• Rear of the bike looks puny compared to the front.

Verdict

If you are looking for head turner, if you are looking a comfortable bike, if you looking for refined engine, good handling, decent mileage then ZMR is the one. Just ride it once and feel the difference!

Regards,
Gaurav Deshmukh

Original Source: Hero Group Looking for Design and Engineering Experts from BikeAdvice.in

Greetings! There are a lot of things going around in the motorcycle market from the launch of new bikes to the break of successful joint ventures. When it comes to break up in context of the two wheeler market, the first thing coming to everybody’s mind is the Hero Honda joint venture menace.

Hero Honda pulled their ways apart somewhere last year and since then both the companies are only working on building their own brands and revenues. We at Bike Advice are continuously involved in tracking down the story for our readers. As per the latest development in the story, Hero MotoCorp (also known as Hero Honda till they receive the certificate of incorporation) is looking for engineering and design experts in order to develop technology base so that they can retain their top spot in the industry post its separation from Honda .

Though there is a clause in the memorandum of understanding between Hero and Honda that the latter can actually provide technical support to Hero till the end of 2014, Hero group feels like they have to be self dependent so that the company ‘s fate is not ruined after 2014. Thus the company is taking all the mandatory steps in order to build their brand and protect it. Mr. Ravi Sud, CFO of Hero group said that technology tie ups are brain storming and also a long term process. He said that the company is exploring various avenues and is looking for various tie ups and contracts with foreign firms for engines, transmission and design capabilities. It is clear that Hero is evolving its own technology and trying to produce new bikes on their own without being dependent on any other outsider.

Mr. Sud also said that the companies like Recardo and AVL from UK and Austria are good in engines and for design it would be Europe or Japan. Although he mentioned names of few companies, he did not clarify whether Hero group is in talks with them. News also has it that the company is also looking to hire engineering experts to strengthen their R&D. All in all, Hero group is all set to make their mark and is looking to strengthen the areas they were lacking. We will have to wait and see if Hero can actually make it bigger on their own and roll some new models based on their own technology.

Original Source: Hero Honda Karizma ZMR Review by Mahindra from BikeAdvice.in

Hi all readers, am Mahindra from Coimbatore, currently doing Engineering Degree in Electronic Communication. Here in this review am not going to compare any other performance bikes. As am riding Hero Honda Karizma ZMR now is because of my mom. I thank her first before starting the review. This is purely based on my experience and instincts. This is a long story down there with some great pics…

I was like other boys just knowing the name of the bike and its cc and used to tell tons of stories without knowing facts. I thought biking is just for travel purpose from point A to point B but it was more than that when I entered to college life. Some blogs like BikeAdvice, XBHP, XKMPH, and Motorbeam made me to realize the true spirit of biking and most importantly the technical knowledge part.

Initial Stages of my Life

I had some experience with Indian bikes in beginning. My dad had a legendary Yamaha RX100. Till this date many people has some craze on RX100 which was rocking in roads at 90’s. Many times I used to hop on it and will fall from it in a bad way. Then he got 2006 model Splendor+ which used to be real fuel efficient commuter.

And lastly my dad laid his hands on 150cc bike which is to be 2009 model Unicorn. A bike with good pick-up and a class apart comfort. Unicorn used to be my favorite bike than 150’cc due to magnificent comfort it gives (one must ride this bike to feels its comfort and butter smooth gears). In this bike only I fully learned to ride in traffic and highways. So I have some experiences in bikes with different categories.

Choosing the Right Dream

Like all teenagers I too had the madness of buying new bike. After tired requests from my parents they finally agreed to buy me. As my dad itself got a 150cc bike so I never thought about fuel efficient commuters. So I chose its sibling unicorn dazzler because comfort was my priority than performance. To my result no one liked the looks of it not even by my friends.

My parent’s regretted it. Wow! this is the turning point for me to get my dream which I used to stare in roads and magazines. Guess what? Its Karizma. I simply named it to my parents due to anger for rejecting Dazzler (Are u going to buy me a Karizma? It possess all looks and everything what u expect from a bike with loud voice).

To my surprise they said ok in one question. I was excited in tons of joy. This bike in my school days in a magazine a black Karizma was glittering in full page, I can’t even remember magazine name but the looks stored in my mind. I never have imagined such a bike to own which is always a dream and my parents have said damn ok for it.

I started analyzing and researching then I found a new variant karizma was launched. I was impressed by its stunning and gigantic looks. And I start requests for ZMR. As whooping a price 1lac+ it took hardly six months to convince my parents. All this regards for convincing my parents and made them to understand my passion for bike goes to BikeAdvice and Xbhp. As they considered the price tag then I started analyzing on other bikes in this bracket. It was

• Karizma ZMR
• YZF R15
• Pulsar 220F

Also I do some occasional long rides. Am a guy always find comfort so Pulsar 220F striked out from the list and am a 5ft 11’ inch with 83kg weight so I will look like a monster sitting in R15. So my choice left out with ZMR. Somewhere ZMR was tailor made to me.

ZMR in my Life

My parents agreed and I booked white ZMR. To my eagerness they said it will one month+ waiting period. Then I saw 4 Black ZMR closely standing in showroom. Wow! What a metallic paint finish it was sparkling. Then love went to Black Beauty. Then I bought Karizma Black ZMR 2011 model with everything registered.

It was 27th May 10 A.M the day where I watched in roads and magazines was in my hands. I got bike from a service engineer and he gave the keys to me. I sat on the bike and put keys in. The engine roared to life with an engine note from silencer and my name was welcomed in the dashboard (this makes something special as my bike greeted me).

The words can’t express my joyous at that moment. I did some pooja and while returning home I noted many turning their heads to my bike. This is where an owner gets pride and I too had it. I think this a whole lot of story. Sorry for boredom with my stories. Let’s look on to bike’s part.

Styling

To say I love the way huge built it looks. Please Don’t judge ZMR looks by viewing in pictures, its looks and hugeness, entirely awesome to see it in real. Its headlamp may look odd in pictures but it has the best headlamp design which is perfectly matched to bike’s hugeness. Rear part is not that much attractive but it’s really a head turner everywhere you go.

To my instincts I love its looks. Those ZMR logo makes the bike looks bold. Split Grab rails designed to latest trend which is common in every bike and gives some aesthetics. To say it is has ‘SuperBike’ looks.

Performance

In ZMR u never the feel the adrenaline rush as like p220 or apache 180. But it goes more equal to P220. Because of its 160kg of dry weight and large windscreen u can’t feel those rushes. But it really has breath taking pick up but will appear as linear smooth delivery. Power is provided at all rpm range.

Just a slight twist of throttle bikes zoom’s off. The FI really makes the bike’s throttle very crisp. I am satisfied with performance that I needed. Am not going to race nor a drag race my bike so I don’t expect raw power. I feel everything I got. Oil cooling is also provided for stress free engine from overheating after long rides. Bike is overall packed for ultimate touring.

Handling & Stability

This where I need to tell you the most. Handling is the superior part in ZMR. Even though it is clip-on handlebars you don’t need it to bend to hold it. Sitting posture is not up-straight nor sportier somewhere in the middle of these two. It offers the best comfortable ride. I love handling of FZ and in ZMR also has wide handlebars gives u more confidence at all levels.

It is stable at all speeds as far I gone. Rear tyres are not bigger but it offers best road grip. Even I attacked a corner heavily and close to touching my knee bit it’s all stable and sticking to the road. It can surpass comfortably even the largest potholes of India. Front disc brakes are not that much sharp as like apache or Pulsar but it can stop this beast at minimum time.

Rear disc has given right amount of power so it plays very well. To say it has best rear disc brake. The bike has low ground clearance due to full fairing and sometimes huge speed breakers will hit my center stand. But this is not a problem. To ride in city is bit complicated due to its power but in highways you are the king.

ZMR is not meant for city usage. To my college I travel 35kms daily but city riding is only for few kms so it is best companion to me. Its wide rear glasses offers you best road part from behind but it’s way too wide and this in traffic is very difficult to zip through the vehicles. Definitely it has some large turning radius people must be aware of the oncoming traffic from behind.

Dashboard

This is one thing which is kept Above all which are available under 250cc. When u put keys in the blue illumination appears and you will be greeted by a personalized message with your name. This is something more special and it impressed me very much.

A PGM-FI light blinks and checks your bikes sensors, fuel pump,etc. It has two trip meters for multiple records. A digital clock and real-time mileage indicator. Real time mileage indicator is bit funny thing and I don’t think it is big kind of usage to me.

Pros: According to me,

• Humongous looks like SuperBikes.
• Best dashboard
• Smooth gears shifting
• Good initial pick up.
• Best ever comfort
• Good stability
• Mileage is good for the power it gives

Cons: Every bike has some negatives and according me only these few.

• Bit difficult under high traffics
• Front disc brake is not that much sharp
• Very wide rear view mirrors and hard to handle in traffics
• For such whooping price tag it must have a liquid cooling system
• Again for this price there must be update in gearbox to 6 gears
• Rear tyre should have been bigger and so it suits well with gigantic looks of the front. So better aesthetics in rear end also.

Final Verdict

Am a guy who seeks in comfort as primary purpose. For guys who takes their ride for the whole day and returns to his home without feeling any stress of riding the bike. This ultimate comfort can be provided only by ZMR. No other Indian bikes to compare in this category except Bullet. So if u looking for this kind of attitude then ZMR is yours. For drag races or track usage please never opt this wonderful machine.

My dear readers for hell’s sake please wear helmets and proper riding gears. Though riding gears may look like too fashion or something teased by your friends don’t hear it. It offers you protection to its best levels when you meet accidents. I know the worth of lives as I miss some of my friends due to accidents. Just remember when you are going fast without responsible, there is someone waiting for you in home.

“With Great Power comes with Great Responsibility”- spider-man (Bit funny but is has meaning). Thanks you BikeAdvice readers for spending ample amount of time. Hats-off! To Deepak for this wonderful portal which changed everything.

Real thanks to Deepak providing me the opportunity to express my story. All ownership reviews in this blog is awesome. According to me in this blog Karizma ZMR and R15 are best and special ownership reviews posted ever in internet. For ZMR Owners Dhak! Dhak! Go!

Regards,
Mahindra

Original Source: Hero Honda Karizma-R Review by Leonard from BikeAdvice.in

My Bike, Hero Honda Karizma, from my view as owner of this great bike that has been launched in India, I am really proud to write about this bike. My Karizma R, The awesome engine packs 17 bhp in a 223cc.

A real sporty looking bike, and the dreams comes really true with Karizma. Hero Honda engineers have put their best to develop the model Karizma. One big advantage of this bike is that the handle bars are free to turn because there is no extra weight attached to it.

Engine Specifications

• Displacement – 223cc
• Engine – 4 Stroke, SOHC
• Maximum Power – 17 Bhp @ 7000 rpm
• Maximum Torque – 18.35 Nm @ 6000 rpm
• Gears – 5 Speed
• Clutch – Multiplate Wet
• Bore – 65.5
• Stroke – 66.2
• No. of Cylinders – 1
• Cylinder Configuration – NA
• Engine Block Material – NA
• Chassis Type – Tubular Single Cradle, Diamond Type
• Cooling Type – Air Cooling
• Carburetor – NA
• 0 to 60 – 3.80 sec.

The only thing the bike should have, i.e. Fuel Injection / Tubeless Tyres / & Rear Disc. Otherwise its evry part is very good. 150kg weight, 1355mm wheelbase and 276mm disc brake gives it very stability in running in condition. In this point Karizma too much far away from any kind of bike(P220, R15, Fazer). So buy it, you will feel that you are riding a dream bike.

Its an excellent bike full of power I really enjoy its driving style and my bike gives me 38 km mileage in city and 42 to 46 on highways. Looking into the dash board of the Karizma, we can see 2 dials, a Rpm meter and a Speedometer and next to it is the digital panel which displays Fuel, a Trip meter, total distance and a digital clock, I really love the clock, I do not need to leave the handle bars to check the time in my wrist while driving.

People may think that fast sport bikes are risky, but in my opinion, Karizma is the safest bike in India. Provided with adequate wheel base and body weight, the bike comes to halt easily from very high speeds without losing any stability. I have made a little different in my Karizma R, in the modeling part with some colour change as per my taste, the original colour of this bike was Black body and red alloy wheels.

But I think people will definitely like the changes in colour which I made in my bike, pictures are attached here too. I have driven many bikes in my life but always praise the Karizma, as i went first time with my partner and both enjoyed the ride. The gear shifts are smooth and silky. The positioning of the switchgear is just about perfect with a sense of usability.

The blinder switches are placed superlatively and the horn, indicator (push cancel type), choke lever are all placed on the left side and the electric start and light switch is on the right side. It is a superb three pod instrument cluster. The first ever digital instrumentation on any Indian bike. A digital indiacator for the fuel levels, ODO and an in-built digital clock find their place in the Digital Instrumentation.

The speedometer and tachometer are anologue and are well placed. The neutral and high-beam indicators are positioned on the speedometer dial. The displays are backlit in Orange lights and are well visible at all times of the day/night. So, My suggest don’t wait go for the best Karizma by Hero Honda, and you will be proud to be a owner of this great bike.

Regards,
Leonard Oswald Mascarenhas

Original Source: Discovering Myself With Hero Honda Hunk from BikeAdvice.in

Hello Folks, I’m Subash from Salem, I am working for a reputed IT company in Coimbatore. I would like to share my experiences with my Hero Honda Hunk and how it helped me to identify my other passions apart from biking; yes this would be one of those longer posts.

It was my uncle’s Lamby Scooter with which I learnt to ride two wheelers and I’m still in love with that scooter which packs a power full 150CC engine and a heavy metal body. I have lot of nostalgic memories with it. I had a TVS-50 when I was in school (handed down from my brother) and a Third hand Suzuki Samurai when I was doing my MTech in Anna University.

Samurai was supposed to be a no problem bike but mine gave me lot more problems than an algebra book can, but of course one can expect that in a third hand machine and by then 2-stroke was already outdated. Other vechiles I’m used to are my Dad’s Bajaj Chetak and Bajaj CT100. Chetak is truly a warrior’s horse and it’s still in good shape.

Bajaj CT100 is a great mileage bike which gave a whooping 70+ kms during the first year and probably it was my endless trips to nearby hill station ’Yercaud’ in this bike gave me enough experience to ride in any kind of terrain. Apart from Samurai which I bought and Sold in Chennai other machines are in good condition and I take them for a ride whenever I find the opportunity.

Finding My Passions

I was so much in love with Chennai that when my company deployed me in Coimbatore I was literally heart broken, cry. But all that changed after getting my Hunk. To be obvious when I decided to get a bike for myself my first choice in 150CC segment was Honda Unicorn. But I was very impatient to wait for 3 months so I decided go for a Hero Honda bike since I liked the reliability factor of Hero Honda machines.

I went to Hero Honda showroom in Salem with the intent of booking CBZ Extreme! But there I found these weird looking machines and I thought of taking it for a test drive. As soon as I jumped on to it I realized it suits me very well than a CBZ Extreme. I should mention here that I’m 6 feet 96kgs heavy Hunk myself, mrgreen, and HH Hunk was a perfect match for me. It was in November 2009 I fell in love with my ‘Basavi’ (named after Basava, bull of Lord Shiva).

Coimbatore is bordered by Kerala and Karnataka so an hour drive would land you in scenic locations of these states. After few trips to Ooty, Kothagiri, Valparai and nearby tourist spots of Coimbatore I realized my passion for riding and my love for Nature. Also, once in a month I used to travel home by bike which is a 163KM ride and slowly I started to take different routes via beautiful country side of Sathyamangalam (Popularly known for notorious smuggler Veerappan) and extend the ride up to 200 to 230 KMs.

While attempting to capture these loving memories I found my other passion which is Photography. I go to work only at 2 PM so I had lot of time to spare in the morning. One fine morning I woke up at 5 AM and not willing to go back to sleep I decided to go for a ride and that was the start of my early morning bike rides which is more like a meditation to me.

The villages surrounding Coimbatore is so beautiful and sometimes surreal in day breaks. Some how while riding through the country side and forest areas I am happy from my heart and I feel a special connection between Me, My Bike and My surroundings, roll.

A Life time Experience

Late 2010 I decided to go for a round trip to Kerala and started planning for it. Though I don’t speak or understand much of Malayalam I decided to ride alone for good. A colleague of mine from Kerala who is a splendid photographer himself helped me to come up with a route which would be a great riding experience and equally challenging.

Though I was very much determined to make this trip I somehow didn’t find the impulse to do it. And in early March Anant Singhal shared his experience here about his lonely ride to Mumbai and it was the inspiration and the kick in the back I required. I hit the road in late march. I’m very much thankful to him and Bikeadvice for posting it.

It was a wonderful 3 days, 930KMs and 650 photos trip of my life time. My long wait had actually resulted in perfect planning and everything went as per schedule. From Coimbatore I started with Valparai (tea estates) and then to Chalakudi, Athirampalli (falls) passing through Kerala Reserve forests where I was able to sight wild elephants and Lion tailed Monkeys, Perumbavoor (elephant orphanage and training centre), Kakkanaadu and I reached Kochi by evening, had a wonderful kerala delicacy and slept early.

Next day to visit Fort Cochi I had to take a ferry and I came to know that we can take our bike in a ferry. It was a different experience to sit in the bike and ride on a ferry, it costs only 2Rs and I did not forget to add zeros behind 2. From Kochi I headed to Alapuzha known for House Boating and Boat racing in Vembanad Lake the longest lake in India.

I spent a little time in Alapuzha and then I headed back to Kumarakom, this was the only time I travelled back in same route (though ‘Reverse is not an Option’). In Kumarakom I visited Birds Sanctuary otherwise known as Baker’s Island which was bordering the Vembunad lake on one side, I was eager to visit this place because it was mentioned in the Book ‘The Hungry Tide’ which is one of my favorites.

I hired a row boat to circle around Vembunad and then by dawn I reached Thodupuzha a small hill station where I spent my second night and there I tasted squid for the first time in my life. The last day of my trip was more eventful, In Thodupuzha I visited a falls and a hill called Ilaveezhapoonchira hills which was the toughest and most challenging ride.

Almost 5 kilometers of very steep and winding roads and then 7 kms of steep mud road in which even a 4×4 jeep would struggle, if going up was a struggle coming down was even worse, but it was all worth it and I loved the challenge. From there I went to Munnar but I did not spend much time over there because it was not the kind of place for ‘Single’ riders, it’s a Honeymoon location (lol).

Passing through Chinnar, Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) I was completing my 3 day trip, a journey through hills, Rivers, canals, dams, Peaks, Tea/Rubber Estates and so on. Knowing that my trip will come to an end in couple of hours I was recollecting all the memories and reliving it in my mind and all of a sudden I was stopped by a guy standing next to a pick up truck.

He told to me to wait for sometime because there is a wild elephant nearby (single elephant is more dangerous than herd). I wasn’t surprised with what he said because I was still well within reserve forest area. I was not afraid of the elephant but this guy who had stopped me in middle of no where concerned me more so I took off.

After a while I saw this female elephant with a little one, grazing in some 40 to 50 feet distance from road. It was not the first time I’m looking at a wild elephant from such a short distance and I’m used to it in Bhandipur so I decided to take couple of snaps. I kept the engine running and dropped the gear to neutral; I stood up from my saddle to focus on the elephants carefully not making any sudden movements.

At that moment a bunch of tourists in Zylo went past me not before making a howling sound all together evil. I turned back to look at the Zylo and slowly turned towards the elephant only to realize the elephant was marching fast towards me with her trunk waving madly at me. I was frozen shock at that sight and it took me 2-3 seconds to regain my senses and start my bike, she must have been 15 feet away from me when I escaped the scene, it was the final icing on the cake for a wonder full trip.

Revelation

After I posted few of my trip photos in Facebook, My project mates started to consider me as an outcast because most people type cast me as Bookworm given my educational background and constant FB updates about books that I read. It took sometime for people to understand my passions and slowly they accepted it.

My team mate introduced me to her uncle who is a top-notch Forrest officer who had invited me for tiger watch. People now and then come to me to suggest a bike for them and all I do is provide them with Bikeadvice URL Sometimes people bug me with questions like “What if tyre goes flat”, “What if you fall” and there are some who ridicule me as psycho to ride alone evil. I never really cared much about them. Isn’t this my life! And all it takes is little preparedness and planning.

About the Bike

I bought this bike for 68,000 Rs in November 2009 and unlike its latest version it did not come with rear disc and LED Tail lamp. It looked a bit different from other bikes with that side skirts and Hunk was not so popular at that time. Apart from Sports Red and Black it came in variant colors like Navy blue, elephant grey, cherry red, Silver and i’ve seen white with red as well, not sure if it was a paint job.

The things I like about this bike is the wide and comfortable saddle (didn’t I mention i’m a heavy man) and the ‘gas reservoir suspension’ adds up to it, Relaxed riding position so that you don’t have to lean forward much like in Apache but you can adjust your riding position. Pillion is not that comfortable and overall design of it is not for family use.

For a 150cc engine my bike gives a humble 40 to 45 KMs mileage even after all that rides. I take a good care of the engine but I do push it to its limits, my top speed on this bike is 115kms/Hr. Like other 150CC bikes it has a 5 speed gear box with the usual 1 down, 4 up gear shift pattern, initially the gear shift was hard but now every things smooth. The front wheel has a 240 mm disc break and rear wheel has a 130 mm drum breaks.

As they say ‘A bike without crash and car without scratch is only a myth’ I too have crashed a couple of times, both the times full face helmet had saved me. Ironically both incidents happened because of an animal crossing the road. Dogs in highways are common enemies for riders. So if you are passionate rider go for Full face helmets, it helps to keep your passion alive mrgreen.

I like the reliability of these Hero Honda machines and I trust my ‘Basavi’ a lot. It is this trust that had made me to discover my passions and redefine myself. My next big trip would be in November roll. Thanks for Reading.

Regards,
Subash Chandhar G

Original Source: Hero Honda Karizma ZMR Review by Manish Sharma from BikeAdvice.in

Before I start writing the review, I would like to share some things with everyone on BikeAdvice. Whoever is buying high powered bikes with a sole objective to run races from 1 traffic signal to the other, always keep one thing in mind. These machines are not just bicycles or your slaves that you can do whatever you want.

The bike is an extension of your own self and if I can remember the dialogue from the movie the Transporter, Jason Statham says, “A man is as good as the car he drives. Take care of the car, and the car will take care of you”. Same holds good in bikes as well. Take care of the bike and the bike will take care of you.

There are some pseudo-bikers who show themselves as avid bikers and when it comes to their own bikes, they are in pathetic states. There are some people who buy bikes just for moving from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’. And there is a special class of bikers, who wake up early morning, just to polish off their Sweetheart ( Read Bike ) and then zoom off to an unknown destination. I love biking and I am proud to say. I belong to the 2nd group.

Now coming to the real story. The Hero Honda Karizma is from the beginning the best available tourer in its class in India. I love the Karizma right from the day it was launched almost 10 odd years back. At that time also, It was way ahead of its time. The todays “Hunto” bike was not even born yet.

From that time, Karizma is setting hearts on fire. That time I was way to small to buy or drive a bike so it always used to be the star of my dreams. Ten came the upgraded version with yellow meters and red shock absorbers. I don’t think it was to everybody’s taste. And finally in 2009 came the Stunner. The Hero Honda Karizma ZMR Boy.

The day I first saw it, I was a dead man that very day. And when it finally arrives at the only Hero Honda showroom in my town, I was the first one to reach showroom to inquire about it. And then came another shocker. Its price which was way beyond my reach. As by then I had stood on my own feet but it was just 3rd month of my job and I did not had enough reserves yet to own the beauty.

It took a lot of requests and almost begging from mom dad who finally agreed to assist me financially. So it was fixed. Out of 1.1 laks, I was to put 45000, Dad another 45000 and remaining was to come from mom. But here too a rider. I have to return Money to them. Who was bothered at that time? The only thing in my mind was the Pearl white ZMR rotating on the pedestal in the showroom.

So finance arranged, I finally went To Hero Honda showroom to get my sweetheart booked as i knew it well that the white ZMR is having waiting of 25 days. When I reached showroom, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the showroom was having an extra ZMR available and they could deliver it to me the next day. WOW… I was here listening to the best person of the world telling me that I am gonna be ZMR owner the next day. Great.

So, Then came the special day. 9th October 2010. The day when my sweety was finally going to be my own only. I still remember that day. When I was getting ready to go to showroom, I was feeling as if today is my marriage and I am getting ready to go in my baraat. On reaching the showroom, I or rather any Karizma fan would have died of pleasure.

There were not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4 White ZMRs being readied for the delivery. My eyes were searching for the salesman who was going to tell which was mine. Then finally when I found that guy, he said, Sir you will have to wait as the staff was busy readying the other bikes. It may take an hour or so for them to start to ready your bike.

I swear, if I had a Gun that moment, I would have shot that person. He could have never imagined my condition. If he could, he would have never said me to wait. There I was. Staring at all the Staff and owners and cursing myself for being late. Otherwise my bike would have been ready by then.

Finally they finished readying one bike and then immediately a mechanic came dragging a big bike wrapped in heavy covers and all plastic sheets. When he was coming into the workshop, the salesman just stared at my face and said, sir, yours is here. While dragging it in, the mechanic just brushed the handlebar with another bike.

I felt a sharp pain in my heart. That very moment an instant shout came from my mouth. “Are sambhal ke” The hidden beauty was now being unwrapped of its plastic coverings. And boy, finally when all coverings were gone, there stood an ugly duckling in front of me rather that a beautiful swan.

I was shocked to see it. The bike was looking damn stupid without mirrors, seat, handle bar ends and silencer shield. The salesman could sense that from my expressions and Patted on my back and said, Sir I can understand. Wait for some time while we ready it for you. After that you won’t regret your choice.

Second by second, minute by minute, my anxiousness as well impatience was going beyond my controllable limits. Finally almost 1 hour later, a dirty looking ZMR with all accessories in place was whisked out of the showroom for a pre delivery test ride. I was still wondering whether it is the same bike which had steeled my heart couple of months back.

Finally every test, the bike was transferred into the vehicle washing bay and door was tightly shut. The wait was getting agonizing. I was waiting impatiently for the door to open up and let me see the bike in a neat and clean avatar. The door finally got opened and the mechanic whisked out a shiny, brand new pearl white ZMR.

My goodness. The bike was looking as gorgeous as it was when I saw it for the first time. All my doubts put to rest. This is the best looker in country. You may agree or dis-agree. Because every one is having his or choice. So it’s stupid to curse or say rubbish any bike.

So all formalities said and done, I was finally handed over the bike keys and the papers, which was the best moment of my life till now. On my way back home, me or rather the bike got so much glances and stares that it had started giving me scares. Now to the review part.

Design And Style

Need not to say, ZMR is one among the best looking bike in India if not the best. The big bulbous fairing lends it the unique stance and the full body fairing gives people the wrong notion that ZMR is a sports bike. For heaven sake, Do not call a ZMR as a sports bike. It’s a tourer which is designed for a comfortable stylish and fast ride. So better do not compare ZMR and R15.

If you leave few things aside, the ZMR has got everything new. The integrated headlamp and pilot lamp cluster does look like a scooty to some but the looks gel well with the overall bike. The twin collapsible rear view mirrors look good but I feel that the arm holding mirrors is a bit too long. Had it been about an inch smaller, It would have turned the entire look of the bike.

The bike looks best in only and only pearl white. Reason? It might be the reason that in other colors the ZMR wording is not highlighted as distinctly as in white. Actually if you see it in red color, the ZMR does not look printed at all. Also the white gives it unique and an eye grabbing shade.

The split grab rails too look striking as the single rail is slowly out of trend now. The exhaust is now in black color and is swept upwards in exactly the same angle as is desired. The all new digital console in bright orange display is bright enough that you can read it in all times whether it’s broad day light or night.

The big whole body fairing gives the bike a look of a heavy bike which ZMR definitely is at 160kgs. But it does not feel that much heavy and can be easily steered in all directions. But yes, the people who have driven a normal bike with rotating headlamps do have some problem in beginning as they are used to movement of the whole front part on moving the handle which is not possible in ZMR due to a fixed headlamp.

And one thing more. Everyone says that a fixed headlamp creates problems at night; Please all such people tell me one thing. Did you ever saw the beam of a car dancing to movements of steering wheel? If a fixed headlamp can work perfectly in all other vehicles, what is problem in a bike with a fixed headlamp?

Now to the weak link in entire design. The rear does not fit the ZMR at all. The front is quite wide and the tails is as narrow as a normal bike. This gives the bike some what disproportionate look. The rear tail lamp is good. Every one says Hero Honda is not sporty or race oriented as it does not gives chains without covers and all its bikes are having covered chains.

Now please tell me, what does an open chain has to do with sportiness? An open chain is having a lesser life span than a closed, it is easily dust prone and also burns your pocket with an extra 250RS. In service for the chain cleaning spray. Then what’s the use? ZMR is very good with a closed chain.

Engine And Gearbox

The ZMR supports the engine of the older Karizma which has proven itself as bulletproof in its entire life till now. Now what Hero Honda has done is that they have used same gearbox and engine and added lot of electronic gadge try to it. It now has the famed Honda’s PGM-FI technology along with a number of sensors which work every time and make your ride as smooth as possible.

It gives you roughly 1 Bhp more than the normal Krizma but the way it delivers the power has been transformed completely. The gearbox too is the older one i.e. the 5speed which should have been upgraded to a 6 speed one which would have given ZMR a clear cut edge over its rivals. It may produce same power as a R15 but keep in, mind one thing.

Its a 150cc engine trying to yield same power to that of a 225cc which in turn means that R15 engine will be at stress in its upper limits which is not a good thing for the engine. Coming back to ZMR, Its produces 17.5bhp power which I must admit is a bit less for a 225cc. It should have given at least 20bhp. But still it is sufficient. There is no engine knocking even at low speeds.

The gearbox too has perfectly matched ratios which make gear shifting a less routine affair. Put bike in 3rd or even 4th and it will run around the town easily without a single hiccup.

Overall rating in engine and gearbox – 4.5 / 5

Fuel Efficiency

Here come the biggest surprise. Picture this. A bike with a 225 cc engine, 5 speed box, kerb wt of 160 kg, a broad stance and what you expect? Nothing but a hopelessly fuel guzzling bike? Right? Wrong. The PGM-FI and all the other sensors working in bike help it to achieve a pleasantly surprising mileage.

The Present mileage is as following. In City 40 to 42 Kmpl. In Highway 44 to 46 Kmpl. Which gives it an average mileage of roughly 44 to 45 Kmpl which is nothing but superb.

Ride And Handling

The ZMR has an inverted gas shock absorbers at rear with the GRS technology which I must admit I am not aware of. One thing I know is that they are gas filled shock absorbers and rest detail I don’t know. They make it a comfortable ride and you don’t feel tired even after a long ride. The almost perfect riding position is fully relaxing to back as well as the butt. Not like R15 where back strikes strain after a while.

Now to handling. Who ever says that ZMR looses in handling due to thinner tires. Please see the accompanying pics. I have ridden my ZMR in slush made of melted snow and mud and I am proud to say that not for a moment it gave me any scary thoughts. The tires offer the optimum grip and the bike never feels under tires.

Rating – 5/5 Because a bike which can hold itself in snow, it can hold itself anywhere.

Gadgetry

ZMR has a number of electronic stuff. Starting with the console. The all new digital console is having all required clocks. Speedometer, odometer, 2 trip meters, tachometer, as well as the fuel gauge along with the clock complete the cockpit. A personalize message on switching on and off is a damn unique touch.

The presence of the PGM-FI eradicates the need for choke and it has gone missing. What ever is the climate? Just switch on ignition, push the starter and the engines roars to life without any hue or cry. The oil cooler too plays its part and helps to maintain perfect temperature of the bike. I took my ZMR to manali and beyond manali and I am proud to say, that not even once the bike showed any signs of over heating. Great.

It has some other sensors as well like tilt sensor which senses on its own that bike is about ot tilt and it automatically switches off the ignition. The twin disc brakes both at front and rear give the ZMR a braking advantage but the rear wheel has the tendency to lock up on hard braking. Problems faced till now. No bike is prefect and ZMR too has its shares of flaws.

• The service being offered presently is not upto the mark. The spares take long time to arrive. My bikes rear view mirror holding nut went loose in 2nd week i.e. in last work of October and it took a complaint at national helpline and 4 long months for the spare nut to arrive. That is ridiculous.
• The front fairing which gives bike its distinct look has tendency to work itself loose if not maintained properly.
• The leg guard is missing and hence can not try to squeeze into narrow spaces.
• The white color gets dirty too soon and hence needs constant care and attention and cleaning.
• The ZMR cannot be serviced at all Hero Honda dealers coz of its PGM-FI which needs special mechanics.

Positives

• Best looking bike. Steals glances from almost every corner.
• Best in class fuel efficiency.
• Rock steady in all road conditions.
• Bullet proof engine and gearbox.
• Hero Honda service network.
• Proven product.
• High electronics make ride comfortable and pleasurable.
• Sharp brakes.
• Superb handling.
• Perfect gears making shifting work less often.
• Just like its said for Mercedes benz, it lends you that :’have Arrive” feeling.
• Bright speedo makes details readable in all times.
• Perfect balancing.

Summing it up

Before I sum up the entire review, again back to the beginning part where I mentioned about caring and driving responsibly. I thought it would be right to mention because the day I took ZMR delivery, 4other ZMR’s too were delivered same day. And out of them 3 are back at service stations. Not for their routine service jobs.

But as accident repair. Where due to rash and negligent driving the poor bike has got ripped apart. And 1 bike came right in front of me when I was for my 2nd service. And the idiot had no sense of remorse or regret on his face. Frankly speaking such people don’t deserve to be owning that bike. Its is my sincere request to all and every one.

Drive safe always or rather don’t drive at all. Doest matters what you drive. Be it scoter or a bajaj or a Hero Honda or Yamaha or what ever. ZMR has been my companion for 8 months now and sometimes it surprising me like anything. Next moment makes me feel like tearing my hair away because of its tendency to get dirty too soon and then it seems as if it is saying sheepishly.

What are you staring. Come on get me washed. The high price does makes it out of reach for every one but that does not reduces the superbness of the bike. It makes you cry. It makes you smile. It does everything you expect and does not asks for anything except the occasional trip to petrol pumps and its routine service schedule.

I have already reached rohtang pass on it and hope to traverse the manali leh road on it which I know ZMR will take me without any hiccup. Last but not the least. For every one. Drive safe. Always wear your quality helmets because heads don’t come cheap and you wont get a spare part for your head once its gone. And always remember one thing.

A man is as good as the bike he drives. You take care of your bike, and the bike will take care of you. Drive safe. Take care.

Thanks & Regards,
Manish Sharma

Original Source: Hero Honda’s High Dividend Payments to Continue from BikeAdvice.in

Hi Everyone! Today there is some exciting piece of news coming from Hero Honda regarding the dividend payment. As many of you might be aware that Hero Honda has very good reputation especially with its shareholders because the company pays handsome amount of money as dividends. The company further made it clear that their high dividends will continue in future too as they have excess cash reserves to fund dividend payments.

On the contrary, if one looks from another view point then one may probably understand that promoters are indeed pocketing handsome amount by declaring these high dividends. The company rolled out 5250% dividend last fiscal and it will continue to do so despite its massive expansion plans. Mr. Ravi Sud (CFO, Hero Honda) said that the company generates Rs.2000 crores of cash reserves every year which is enough to maintain their liberal dividend policy. He was further of the opinion that the company has decided to continue with its policy of high dividends as the two wheeler industry is not very capital intensive. This statement will significantly increase the market value of the company. Last month or so the company rolled out 3500% of dividends followed by 1750% of additional dividend which made their market share price increase.

The Munjal family, promoters and the shareholders got a treat last fiscal as well as this fiscal by the company’s dividend payout policy. Only in this financial year the Munjal family holding more than 50% stake pocketed Rs. 700 crore through the first dividend and Rs.350 Crore through the final dividend. All in all, the company is not in a mood to stop these dividends flowing which is indeed good for the shareholders and the rest of the group. If these dividends continue at the same pace then Hero Honda might be the first choice for any investor to invest in automobile sector.