Hi agian,
Well heres an update on my review that I had penned almost 2 years back! Now that I have had the fantastic opportunity to ride and test it for quite some time (2 years is pretty good time), I can extend and refine my initial thoughts over here:
lets start agian with my experiences with HH (servicing and all) so far. The bike has gone thru its mandatory 6 services (it has so far done about 10000 KM only in 2 years). I had the first and second services done with tacho reading 500, 1000 KM respectively and after that its been a service every 2000 KMs. The experience has been quite good (Uppal Motors Noida shud get good credit for that), the technician listens to all the complaints (there are not many of them though) and bike is returned in impeccable condition. Its a testamount to HH quality that so far I have not had to shell out a single penny on even changing an indicator lamp!
I acquired a car last summer and since then had castigated my Karizma in the garage for almost 6 months (I was away from India for sometime as well in this duration) and then I again got it out, dusted it and well the engine came into life after a few kicks (the battery was understandably dead). the digital instrument cluster was also dead (as expected). However, a few kms on the road and once the battery was fully charged, the digital console also came into life (the clock would reset after every engine off initially but it is functioning alright after battery was recharged!) I am really impressed with Honda quality here. How many people had slated the digital odo-cum-watch here saying it wud stop working sooner-than-later but in my case its been 2 years and 4 months and it is working impeccably (that too after enduring all the sunshine and rains and dust and whatnots offered by Delhi weather!) Cant really ask for more. Lets see how long bajaj thing works ;-)
Other thing is I have had teflon coating done once per year on my bike. The advantage is color still looks very bright and fresh (I also try to polish it once a month at least). I have to say though that I can feel some underperformance from the engine after two years (I dont feel it is as sprinty as it was when new) and also some vibrations at higher speeds (110 and above). The mileage I get is around 33-35 (measured religiously) and I normally drive fast (in 80-90 range with occasional bursts of 110+ on the freeway).
A lot of people ask about kick-starting vs button starting the bike. well, I feel if the button has been provided than why bother your legs! I never ever had to kick it! just pull the choke and slight push on the button and there you go! It has worked for me even in the harshest winter! I dont know why people say you shud better kick start your bike! I would never do that (too aalsi maybe!)
Just a small checklist of what I would want in the next revision of Karizma (the recent one was only cosmetic sticker job! quite pathetic attempt by HH to fool poor customers):
Full fairing (or at least no holes in the fairing)
Fuel Injection technology
Distane-to-Empty kind of warning in the instrument cluster
Better muffler. (here new Pulsar 200/220 beats Karizma)
If possible, mono-shock suspension
rear discs, split seats
for god sake, something has to be done about the front number plate. It looks quite oddly placed.
Much more powerful headlamps
tubeless tyres!
Thanks for spending some time reading this review. To all HH owners, Enjoy your beauty & for all others, just Envy it ;)
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Hello Everyone Well, this is my first review on MS and I am pretty happy that it is a Karizma that I am writing about. I bought mine 2 weeks back and although 2 weeks are not good enough to fully understand the exploits of this ’mean machine’, yet I would like to share my thoughts about it. maybe I’ll come up with a new review after 6 months or so...
First things first, starting with my interaction with HH! It can at best be called, well, pathetic! They allowed me a test-ride after 3 visits to their show-room (in Noida) and I was not really happy about it. But anyway got my blazing red colored Karizma in 2 days but yet to get the registration done and its been 2 weeks!!! Coming to the bike now, well lets go for it peice by peice...
Looks: Quite Good. Could have been better though. The gap between the fairing and the handle looks odd. Its quite a head-turner from certain angles but the front could have been done a bit better.
Engine & Build: 223cc Engine has been a subject of lot of study on MS already, and its 17 ps of power a subject of much derision. Personally for me the less power doesnt really mean much, as I still find that at traffic lights nothing is able to touch me once I shoot off! (Although at times I have allowed scooterwallahs to overtake me as well!!!) Pick-up is wonderful and the bike really is very stable at all speeds. I havent gone for full throttle as of now so more on that later.
Instrumentation: Quite okish with a big speedometer in the middle flanked by rev counter on left and a digital multi-purpose meter on the right. Everythings ok but I personally feel the one important thing it misses is an indicator for side-stand! Personally speaking nothing really wonderful about the cluster!
Ride Quality: Is great. Havent really found a pillion to ride with so this experience is limited to single seater (rider). Although I have a feeling that the pillion seat is designed so that it can only be a girl there ;-)
Braking: is wonderful! got a hands-on experience of panic-braking the first day itself (you can bet on that in India!) and the brakes responded brilliantly! Quite happy with that.
Mileage: havent really tested that. But I am told it varies between 25 and 40! Although for me even 30 would be good enough. (My office is just 2KM from home :)
Overall I am satisfied with the bike. I have to say its not the most prudent decision for anyone to go for it in India as there is an excellent choice in the form of Pulsar (the new one with Megs looks quite stunning!) but than if only mind meant so much then why would there be a heart there in us!!!!