Expectations have been high and the imminent launch of the new Karizma was awaited for over a couple of months now, even the folks at Yamaha like most of us thought that this bike would set the benchmark for 225cc bikes like how its predecessor did, the leaked picture of the bike undergoing testing and at the showroom surely killed the anticipation but now Hero Honda have finally officially launched the bike. This is an upgrade to the current Karizma being sold.
A lot of people have expected a lot both in terms of performance and looks from the new bike and so far it seems to be a a huge letdown. Rumors floated around that this bike would feature an all new 250cc engine, it was all just a rumor.For starters, it features the same 223cc engine from the older vehicle with the only difference being fuel injection. Power has increased by just 0.6 bhp along with a minute increase of torque by .15NM. It now produces 17.6 bhp at 7000RPM and 18.50 NM of torque.
Hero Honda also claims a top speed of 135km/h which is 10km/h faster than the previous iteration. The fuel injection system also features the angle sensor found on the Glamour Fi that shuts off fuel if the bike falls over. The performance part of the bike seems to be the biggest disappointment with the bike being just a tad faster than the older one even after going through all the phases of trials and testing.
On the looks department, there seems to have been a little effort put in, with a completely new front fairing which fully embraces the bike just like the R15. It also features a headlamp which for some reason resembles the one from the Suzuki GS150. The most significant change however can be found at the instrument cluster with the bike featuring a full digital system which we have to say looks great. The new clip-on handle bars also add to the good looks of the cockpit. The rear also looks quite similar to the CBZ extreme with the new split grabs and rear lights. The new look is sure to generate mixed reactions.
BikeAdvice Verdict: The bike has certain improvements over the older machine and it doesn’t quite seem to justify the 91,000 Rs. (Showroom price, Delhi) price tag. The older sibling set the bar in its time for what a performance bike should be like. Now it seems like all hopes have been let down by Hero Honda. The bike could have been a lot better in terms of performance and styling, with its new price tag, it costs as much as the R15 which was much faster than the old Karizma and also sports more technology and equipment than the new one, for now though not much can be said about its real world performance and handling which only a detailed test drive can reveal.
With bigger and better bikes in line for launch like the Ninja 250, the Fazer 250 and a possible Apache 200-250, you might want to wait for a while before you plan to pull out the cheque book.
- Arun
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{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
Dissapointing performace figures, the hype was 20+ ps to compete with other bike, not good fairing…..
The bike looks quite decent, not as bad that we though initially.
Not enough efforts have been put by Hero Honda, looking at the competition giving by Yamaha and Bajaj it was expected little more from Hero Honda.
the bike top speed is 126 and not 135.
and thr r version will also sell alongside the fi version
Need power not the ignition systems. Though the bike is good looking but still in this GenX period power is the first criteria.
HH left the performance of this bike mostly like how it was, and rightly so. I don’t think true Karizma enthusiasts craved for more power. I thought they were always after better looks and features.
don’t say about wait and watch new launches, always the same story always much hype and final product
It is still a great bike although not upto expectations. If Fazer costs 80k, Karizma is well worth the price considering the looks and size. And also definitely better than R15. 223cc counts for something!
I have enjoyed Karizma for 5 years now. I may buy this one… but not really sure.
jst 1 wrd ” D.I.S.A.P.O.I.N.T.E.D ”
itne gande changes ye hero honda hi kyo karta hai . . .
3 mnths se wait karna bekaar gaya. . .
COMPANY CLAIMED TOP SPEED IS 126 KMPH NOT 135.
Disappointment for current Karizma owners who would like to upgrade. Just 0.6 bhp more with 9 kg increase in weight, 2kmph more ‘claimed’ top speed, that too with Rs. 20K increase in price. the new bike looks yuck too
Hero Honda definitely seems to be lagging behind times now.
just 0.6 bhp of increased power is not enough…with that added fairing the wait too increased…so that didnt make any difference…but i like the instrument cluster a lot…this bike wont stand a chance against the 220 dtsi and the mighty upcoming ninja….i expected more…but now i am really disappointed…
Seems like they have borrowed cues from apache and r15 for their fairing. Initially i thought great but after reading many articles – huh, its the same old story. Styling hypes are not meant for street performance. Apache RTR 180 can eat out this bike in drag races, why have such a good frame and leave it with a puny little 17ps engine? Looks like we have to shell out money only for looks and not for performance…… may be someday……
the new karizma looks stunning in white but i am not at all happy with the new karizma, i wont think it will get famous as the old karizma is..
Competition expects 25-30bhp from 225 cc. Stands no-where to the fastest machine p220, racing DNA apache 180, R series R15, Tourer Spirit Fazer.
I don’t know how HH will advertise this, possibly drop it from helicopter, jump from mountain, mud skids.
The bike is ok ok, not bad.
i was expecting more of stunning tatoos nd more POWER….
plzz read all sugg. and den proceeed!
will it be possible to change the head of old karizma with this new one..of course after around three months..??
huh……! NOT AGAIN…….nothing looks seductive
hero honda has gone mad , its last success launch was karizma in 2003 . they have lost it , they want to say tht 17.6 bhp is their limit
I am highly disappointed, HH Sucks!
this would surely affect hero honda
>:0..what in the world!!..this is a complete disaster!..I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HH IS DUMB (read Mr. Munajal)..they have ruled the market like forever…so that means that they know what they are doing..Fooling the youngsters! this is just a pure marketing Gimmick..making a quick buck…i agree with every comment above, 20 thousand rupees for WHAT!! I found the below mentioned comment from an article off the net –
“One of the key pillars of our winning strategy has been to consistently keep introducing new, advanced products and maintaining a balanced product portfolio. The ZMR is set to further augment our steadily growing presence in the premium segment,” Hero Honda Motors MD PAWAN MUNJAL said.” –
“keep introducing ADVANCED PRODUCTS!!” This is Hero Honda in Wonderland! they are so oblivious to the real world..can someone tell them that other brands are eating up their behind…and BTW THEY SO Freakin’ need a NEW DESIGNING TEAM and that is only if they have any..after a giddy’ingly disgusting CBZ Xtreme comes ZMR. A small tip for Hero Guys’- Read blogs like these if you really wanna grow in the indian Market…God Save HH>>> Peace out
just copied pulsar 220..totaly sucks….
I must say one thng……the fairing…it doesnt match…the front with rear…it looks so awkward
hero honda makers still think that the india and we the indians are still the same,which used to b some years ago…but no they are wrong…every thing has changed with time..so do we…they might not have noticed well that now we get multiple choices from various manufacturers….they still think that bajaj is their only competitor,which used to b once….now every thing is a competition…if they still go the same way…then its for sure hero honda is going to become history…jago hero honda jago…
LOL! My New Graphics R15 is much better… wanna drag! It’s still the fastest… and it has got lot of technologies still… Just love the R15…. Poor effort HH… but i still sense there are fellow buyers.. who will go for this bike just for a tad name call HH…
Cheerios
what a disaster.monoshocks wud be better. not got that great looks as compared to yamaha’s and pulsars.not so redefined.
old karizma looks cool.
see guys let the bike come in showrooms..u neva know..as far as performance is considered old karizma is as good as pulsars..hondas are so good their 2003 enjine is as as good as 2009 dtsi..as far as performance is considered i dun think that pulsar is too fast or some thing else….infact no pulsar can catch a karizma upto 1st 80 kmph..and as for top speed hom many times do u need to cross 12o kph..plus krizmas milage is anyday better than pulsar 220…let the bike come first guys then we ll see bout it..
After ugly CBZextreme, they launched another ugly useless bike. Let Honda design and develop bikes. Not Hero.
two suggestions to hero-honda,
1) kindly fire all designers from your company. they are worthless!!!
2) Mr MD. , please please for god sake go through some bike magzine. Don’t make mockery of your ugly designs as you did in CBZ Xtreme & in his KARIZMA PGM FI.
this bike is sucks…. 17.6 bhp dats it stupid headlights….. no sporty luk- its an awkard look n d bike cant run more dan 130….. R15 goes to 140 wid 150cc engine n new karizma goes to 130 only with 223cc engine…. HH is so stupid…… no success this time tooo
this byk has a great side nd frnont n a rier view….my typ of byk lovers would love 2 ride these type of bykes…the speed of this byk is optimistic…this byk gonna bang on d road…i wish this motivation will go on and on with karizma….get set goooooooo…..ZZZzzzzzzz…..
HH Karizma ZMR will not be successful as its predicessor……….as we can see that new Karizma ZMR has extended their price list for no meaning comparing to its facilities…………It’s true that HH bikes are well comfort but they have raised the price in ZMR from its predecessor by 20,000 without nothing much change in the ZMR…………
its cool. good handling.. comparison to pulsar220, its not that fast but the technologies are great and the look is killing…
Hero Honda Karizma ZMR is the most comfortable bike in total world.
It is most stylist bike.
i well don 4000 km in three day in karizma zmr hyderabad to rajisthan up and down its very very good bick that bick is did not given me any truble to me in any time every month gown 600 km i dint not get any problem good good nice bick : mobile number 9390923451 my bick eng no is 786 my bick no:7851