Zoomin' Motorcycle Roadie!

Seven years, give or take a few months and Hero Honda has finally given its flagship sports tourer a nip and a tuck. Of course the all-new Karizma (yes this all-new really can work this time) retains every basic building block of the original with a few techno highlights laid on it to further the appeal of what is a fairly decent product.

However, I must state that if one is to look at the Hero Honda Karizma ZMR as a rival to the likes of the Bajaj Pulsar and the Yamaha YZF R15 is not playing fair. The Karizma was always the long legged tourer in the classic mould whereas the others are and have been sport bikes with strong performance to boot. So while the new Karizma ZMR might have the latest iteration of Honda's PGM-FI tech, its overall power and torque outputs remain constant as the original version.

Further the adoption of a full fairing for what is an air-cooled motor powering this large machine seems both on and off at the same time. Thankfully an oil cooler has been factored in to help the engine retain its operational efficiency without the temperatures going through the roof. A new VFR-styled front end appeal and a rear disc brake complete what is new apart from a gizmo-laced instrument console.
So will it cut the mustard against the established power houses in the sports bike class? On outright pace, performance and sheer presence plus also price the answer is no. The reason is simple, both Bajaj Auto and Yamaha have moved the game on rather strongly and with everyone always expecting more from a Honda, what the new bike has come equipped with seems not to have whetted everyone's appetite. However, and this is a big 'however', the Karizma ZMR could be the right sort of bike for the biker who wants to travel long distances comfortably and in style without getting tired. The near upright riding position, well endowed saddle and a long wheelbase help. As do good stability and handling in an easy relaxed manner.
Hero Honda can do well to exploit this capability and position the ZMR as the true blue Zoomin' Motorcycle Roadie!