The Karizma is the latest offering by Hero Honda in the power segment unless you want to count Ambition which is a scaled down version of the CBZ. HH until a few years ago, dished out only mileage bikes and the power segment was ruled by the 2 stroke Yamahas and Suzukis.
HH made a bold statement by launching the CBZ as a power bike, a few years ago. The CBZ looked great and promised as much. Sadly, the CBZ did not perform as expected. At high speeds the engine would whine and screech which was positively jarring to the ears. It also, wobbled slightly at high speeds. The torque was poor at low speeds, thereby, forcing the rider to ride at much higher speeds. This resulted in more fuel consumption and obviously, less mileage.
This is where the HH people excelled in designing the Karizma. The engine was souped up to 223 cc. It was more refined and delivered power smoothly. The power output is 17 BHP which is good. Wisely, the makers did not overtone the engine which is a good thing because even at top speeds the engine is seldom under strain. As a result, you experience better ride quality throughout the power spectrum.
The Karizma has great low-end torque enabling the rider to ride at speeds as low as 35Kmph with ease and thereby, save on fuel. A sensibly used Karizma can return an average mileage of 40Kmpl. But, if you ever wish to break free and throw caution to the winds then, this is the bike for you.
Karizma has great road hugging capabilities and it is very stable even at high speeds. The handling and breaking characteristics too are very good. Equipped with a large disc (276 mm) at the front, the bike never fails you in the breaking department.
The Karizma has excellent build quality rivaling that of imported bikes. The front fairing is not just for enhancing looks but actually perform in directing the air-flow to the engine. The result is better performance even at high speeds. A sealed water resistant digital display unit is the first among Indian bikes. The LCD unit provides information such as fuel available, a trip meter, cumulative mileage and a real time clock. The bike is fitted with high quality black die-cast alloy wheels which add to the ergonomics. It has good suspension and moves like an agile cheetah, waiting to be unleashed.
There is hardly anything to fault in this bike except, perhaps, its steep price and a lack of a crash guard. But then, a sports bike would look pretty awkward with a crash guard. The Karizma is built like a true sports bike and is classified by the makers as such. Too bad the makers of Karizma did not give it the full fairing treatment.
They might have assumed the Indian public is not yet ready for this. With a price drop of around Rs.9000/- the Karizma is even more desirable as it is now cheaper than the Eliminator and the Thunderbird, and it offers more features. It is the quickest off the blocks amongst all Indian bikes, at present. You can do 0-60 Kmph in 3.8 sec which is really noteworthy.
It can touch speeds of 140K, if you are lucky enough to find a straight deserted road in this country, easily making it the fastest bike on road at present. It is convenient for travel in city as well as long journeys.
The mileage is nothing much to rave about, but then, it gives much better mileage than the Eliminator and is on par with the Thunderbird. Lack of a crash guard can sometimes be a problem on Indian roads but, it must be understood that this is not a problem attributed to the bike itself. The bike has stunning looks and makes heads turn wherever you take it.
Karizma has that aura of exclusiveness about it very much like the Mercedes amongst the four-wheelers. Obviously, owning this bike is a matter of pride, prestige and satisfaction, therefore, the owner shouldn’t crib too much about mileage.
The sheer performance and ’’Karizmatic’’ charm of this bike forced the other bikes out of contention, as far as I was concerned. It is not that the other bikes are that bad, they all serve their purposes. But, I started out with certain objectives while hunting for my dream bike and Karizma was the only bike in the market that fulfilled those requirements to the hilt.
Needless to say, I bought it a month ago and I dare say I am thrilled every time I ride it.
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