If you are looking for a bike and you are confused with the different available models and vendors, this review must help you a bit (at least ). When I started looking out for a bike in August 2007, I had Pulsar 220(newly launched), Bajaj Avenger 180 and Karizma. I read some of the reviews of Hero Honda Karizma R (for Racer) at MS and decided the bike was good enough for me and I bought it. Below is my experience in short:
Till today, I have driven it around 14K kms. Though this is a very small reading for this racer bike, I do not mind, since I use it weekly twice for commuting. The main reason I like the bike is because of its superb power. On a busy traffic day, If I see a gap in traffic, say between two cars and I wish to go there, all I do is raise the accelerator a bit and bang! am right at the spot, perfectly placed even before anyone realizes. I get the feel of the power and control of the vehicle right in my hands. I had a friend who had a 500cc Bullet Enfield and I can easily say that the pick up of Karizma is more than the Bullet (I had a sprint race, which I won in no time).
I also have a friend who recently brought the Yamaha R15. After driving my bike to his place, I took his for a ride. The feeling that I got is the bike has all the killer looks (and that too only from the front view), but no power to handle that look. When he drove my bike and then his R15, the disappointed look on his face had me laughing all my way home. I just felt the R15 had no engine :)
On a highway, its another story. When the traffic clears out, the initial speed is around 40kmph. But, as soon as I open the accelerator a bit on 3rd gear, I feel as if am controlling a monster who is pulling himself out of the leash and wants to gallop away. Being in power at that moment "feels like god".
The mileage that I get under normal Bangalore traffic is 33-35kmpl. I do take measures like switching off the engine if the traffic signal is more than 10 secs. But I do not restrict myself on speed (reached 90kmph on Mysore road flyover on a Monday morning with my wife in back seat!!!) or racing off at signals :).
The only issue that I face is the seat seems a bit narrow and so I do not get all the support I need for my thighs. But this does not fade Karizma’s beauty even an inch.
So, anyone who has a good 80K to spare and is not too concerned about mileage can opt this bike. Maybe this is not a good bike if you are concerned with fuel bills. Maybe this does not have the killer looks of R15. But what is use of looks when you have no power to zoom off? If are traveling a lot, this bike will surely keep you strain free. And if you are a college goer and plan frequent trips out, this bike will keep you ahead of others in a breeze.