Hero Karizma XMR: Road Test Review

Styling & Quality

The Karizma XMR is a head turner, and with the yellow paint scheme, the motorcycle automatically gains a lot of attention from the traffic around. With this new design language, it is clear that the folks at Hero MotoCorp were genuinely interested in designing a fantastic-looking motorcycle. The last generation was a disaster, but the new Karizma XMR has made up for its shortcomings.

The best angle to look at the bike is from the front three-fourth section. From here, the neatly designed sharp headlamp unit and the large side fairing give an excellent road presence. Plus, the large XMR sticker on the fairing adds a nice touch. The blacked-out windscreen adds a bit of contrast to the overall styling. The rest of the bits, like the fuel tank, exposed sub-frame and the sharp tail section, bring out the bike's sportiness. To summarise this section, the new Karizma XMR is the best-looking motorcycle in the current line-up.

From the side, the Karizma does score good points. The quality of plastics, paint finish, and the material used around the cluster look premium. But there are two things I didn't like – the instrument cluster and the way the chassis has been welded. The test bike I received had scratches around the cluster screen. Further, the frame welding looks amateurish but it would have been okay on the Passion or the Splendor.

Ergonomics & Comfort

The overall seating triangle of the bike allowed me to commute to work comfortably, and if I wanted to pump up the adrenaline, I could go behind the windscreen and tuck myself in. So, with this, it is clear that the motorcycle was developed to be practical and sporty. The combination of a not-so-low-set clip-on handlebar, rear-set footpegs, and a comfy seat gave me a complain-free riding experience. The wrist hurts a bit in stop-and-go city traffic, but this was avoided by grabbing the fuel tank with the legs. By doing so, the entire weight from the wrist is transferred to the legs. The pillion seat is doable only for rides that last a few hours, as they complained of sitting too high with barely any space to move around.

Performance & Handling

The engine on the Karizma XMR is brand new. It is a 210cc single-cylinder engine and Hero's first liquid-cooled unit. It makes close to 25bhp at 9,250rpm and a maximum torque of 20.4Nm at 7,250rpm. This transmission is a six-speed one, which is, again, a first for Hero MotoCorp. Even with so many firsts, there are quite a lot of things I liked about this engine such as its power delivery. A decent grunt in the low revs lets you keep the bike in comfortable motion in city traffic. When the road gets emptier, the linear acceleration of the bike enables it to get to a reasonable speed within a few seconds. But the most likeable part of this engine sits at the higher revs. The Karizma ZMR likes to be at triple-digit speeds, and there have been times when the bike touched 135kmph even with my weight. The torque spread is good, and I didn't have to shift the gear down to overtake. However, this engine has a lot of buzz as the tachometer touches 4,000rpm, and the vibes on the handlebar, seat, and pegs increase. The intensity isn't a lot, but the constant vibes at the mid-range tend to irritate after a certain point.

The overall riding habits of the Karizma XMR are pretty lovely. Even with a large fairing upfront, the motorcycle feels well-balanced, which shows while riding in the city at low speeds. The perfect weight distribution made me slightly overconfident with my traffic manoeuvres. A lot of credit also goes to that seating triangle. The combination of a reachable clip-on handlebar, somewhat rear-set footpegs, and a wide seat aided the overall comfort. The only thing that bothered me were the rear-view mirrors – the stems are pretty long, which causes panic when riding close to other vehicles.

The folks at Hero MotoCorp decided to use stiffer springs for the bike. As a result of this, the Karizma XMR feels unsettled while riding through bad roads at decent speeds. At low speeds, the behaviour is manageable. Clearly, the brand wanted to showcase the bike's sportiness, but sadly, Karizma will be ridden mostly on city roads, which could eventually become a problem. The rest of the bike operations, like the clutch, brakes, and full-lock turns, work quite well.

Features & Technology

In this modern world, most people in India need a motorcycle with some unique features, and the new Karizma XMR has a few. It gets a few first-in-the-class features like the windscreen adjuster. Here, a button on the right side of the fairing needs to be pushed to adjust the screen. Sadly, this button is quite difficult to operate and to be honest, for a motorcycle this size, I don't think adjusting the screen will make a lot of difference in buffeting. The other first-in-class feature is the auto light feature – the LED leadlight automatically switches on and off depending on the time of the day. Once set in auto, the headlamp will turn on when it gets dark, and turn off when it senses daylight.

The LCD instrument cluster looks quite good. The fonts and the ride information are displayed smartly, and to be honest, this cluster illuminates well under sunlight, too. You should know that the Karizma gets Bluetooth integration, and as a result of this, it also receives turn-by-turn navigation, which is again a segment first. A few more features include a slip-and-assist clutch, full LED lights, and dual-channel ABS.

Fuel Efficiency

The major USP of Hero MotoCorp products are the fuel efficiencies their bikes churn out. And now, with its presence in the premium sporty segment, the Karizma XMR hasn't disappointed. The city test of the bike gave us 39.2kmpl, which is quite good. The highway numbers will be tested when we take the bike for a nice 2,000km ride, which will happen next month. Sadly, it has a small fuel tank of just 11 litres.

Should you buy it?

The new Karizma XMR is the most aspirational motorcycle from Hero MotoCorp in recent times. It looks perfect, especially in yellow, and turns heads wherever it goes. This aspect of the bike alone is going to increase footfall at their showrooms. Then, factors like its riding abilities, good weight distribution, and comfortable seating ergos make it city-friendly. The 210cc motor is likeable, and with close to 40kmpl of fuel efficiency, it will likely be accessible on the pocket. The bike is loaded with some cool features that are useful. The only things I didn't like about the bike are the vibes that the engine gives and the small fuel tank. However, these aren't deal-breakers. If you want to make a style statement while commuting comfortably to work without spending much on fuel every week, you should definitely consider buying the new Karizma XMR.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi