It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Karizma was the first sports bike to be made in India. Although Bajaj had already made a space in the sporty motorcycle segment with the Pulsar range by the time Karizma (under the joint venture of Hero Honda) made its debut in 2003, the former was still a commuter bike at its heart.
While the Karizma couldn’t scale the same heights as its nemesis from Chakan, it did create its own fan base for a multiple reasons– design with an unmistakable identity, good performance and a brand value courtesy of the nation’s new heartthrob back then– Hrithik Roshan.
Twenty years later, Hero MotoCorp has brought back most of the aspects mentioned above to resurrect the Karizma in a brand new avatar. So does the latest iteration– called Karizma XMR– possess the DNA of the OG Karizma, or is it only a marketing genius to encash on a ‘legendary’ brand name? Let’s find out.
Hero Karizma XMR review: It’s got the looks!
Yes, the XMR looks undoubtedly like a Karizma from every angle and yet when you take a closer look, it feels so different from the earlier iterations of the sports bike. The muscular fuel tank accompanied by those semi-faired front panels gives the XMR a beefy appearance. However, it is the projector LED headlamp setup with an integrated H-shaped LED DRL encased within the front apron that lends the XMR a distinctive look.
At the rear, highlights such as split-style seats, a floating tail section and an X-shaped LED tail lamp are a common affair in contemporary sports bikes. Overall, the design looks proportionate at the same time sporty and stylish without coming out as flashy.
Hero is offering the Karizma XMR in three colour schemes but nothing beats the Iconic Yellow shade that the Karizma has been known for over the years. Our test unit wore the same paint and it was reminiscent of the OG Karizma we witnessed first on our television sets back in the day.
Hero Karizma XMR review: It’s well built and well equipped!
Over the years, the built quality of a Hero two-wheeler has seen steady improvement. And given that the XMR is its flagship product, Hero hasn’t compromised in this area. From the switchgear to the handlebar grips every touchpoint gives a sturdy feel. There are no inconsistent panel gaps and everything appears to be well put together. The only area of improvement could be the flimsy windscreen.
Hero has equipped the Karizma XMR with a decent kit including all-LED illumination, a 5-inch LCD instrument panel, smartphone connectivity with Bluetooth, a USB charger, and an adjustable windscreen. That said, the biggest talking point is the addition of turn-by-turn navigation which unfortunately we couldn’t test in our test model.
Hero Karizma XMR review: It’s powerful
Getting into the heart of the matter is its new heart– a brand new 210cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor (a first for a Hero model). On paper, this might be at par with the KTM RC 200 but in today’s day and age of fast machines 25.5 bhp and 20.5 Nm of torque doesn’t seem quite a lot. But that surely doesn’t translate into dullness.
This new power mill is one of the strongest points of the Karizma XMR. The best thing about this motor is its sheer tractability. One can easily chug along in city traffic at speeds of around 30 kmph in the fifth gear, without having the fear to stall. This also has to do with the tall gearing on offer.
Speaking of the gearing, the 6-speed transmission is one of the smoothest and slickest units I have experienced in the recent past. This is complemented by a slip and assist clutch that makes the shifting action a breeze. The gearbox has been tuned with the motor to offer a good bottom end and a very strong mid-range. The engine feels torquey from the onset.
Performance remains linear through the range with brisk acceleration up to the 100 kmph mark. Post that, acceleration dials down significantly and there isn’t much left to offer in the higher end of the rev band. One of the underwhelming aspects of this engine is its refinement levels. It feels gruff and the inherent vibeyness kicks in as low as 2,000 rpm. Ring it past the 5,500 rpm mark and vibrations become more evident in the footpegs and handlebars.
Hero Karizma XMR review: It’s comfortable
As expected from a Karizma, the XMR offers a sporty riding stance courtesy of rear-set footpegs and low-set clip-on handlebars. However, the posture didn’t feel too aggressive and felt comfortable enough during our short stint with the bike. Hat tip to Hero MotoCorp for the clip-on handlebars that offer great leverage since making small U-turns is super easy.
The seat height is pegged at 810mm and with my frame of just over 5 ft 8 inches, I was able to plant both my feet on the ground. If I would have to nit pick, the seat could have offered a bit more cushioning to support the rider’s bum on long saddle hours. A longer stint with the bike would give us clearer insights on its ergonomics.
Hero Karizma XMR review: It’s a good handler
The biggest surprise was the XMR’s ride and handling department. The all-new trellis frame sits on conventional telescopic forks and a 6-step preload adjustable mono-shock at the rear that has been damped really well. Hero has found the sweet balance of the suspension not being too stiff at the same time very absorbent on every undulation like speed breakers and minor potholes we encountered.
Although it should be noted that we got to ride the bike for a short duration on a smooth tarmac that didn’t pose any challenge or discomfort to the rider. Only a thorough road test will give us the complete picture of the ride.
The lighter trellis frame meant the bike felt extremely nimble despite its heft of 163.5 kilos and the Karizma happily leaned over the corners whenever it was asked to. What also helped are the MRF Nylogrip tyres wrapped around the 17-inch alloys that offered more than a decent grip.
Braking was another positive aspect for the Karizma XMR. The 300mm front and 230mm rear discs aided by a dual-channel felt progressive although a bit more bite at the lever would have been icing on the cake.
Watch Video: Karizma XMR first ride review
Hero Karizma XMR review: It’s a winner!
Readers might get a feeling of biasness after reading this report but the truth is the all-new Hero Karizma XMR is one of the better motorcycles I have ridden in the recent past. Hero has done an amazing job of repackaging the Karizma in a reincarnated avatar without messing with its core identity.
At an introductory price of Rs 1.73 lakh (ex-showroom), the XMR might feel a tad pricey although honestly speaking it completely justifies the price tag, considering the amount of motorcycling the new Karizma offers. It packs good tech as well as performance to go along with the reliability of Hero.
In fact, in our interaction during the media ride, Hero confirmed that it is looking at a wider customer base with the new Karizma XMR. It offers the looks and performance of a sports tourer as well as the comfort and practicality of a commuter. Therefore, the new Karizma is more good enough for your daily commutes to the workplace or markets, and at the same time provide some wonderful experiences from the saddle during the occasional weekend trips.
