Hero Honda New Karizma R Review

I feel really proud to write a review this great bike. Hero Honda Karizma is the best that has been launched in India. Now it gets even better with the all new racer edition : The New Karizma R. The price of Karizma is Rs.84000 and the engine packs an awesome 17 horse power in a 223cc Engine..

How does it look?

Indian bikers always wished for a bike like this, a real sporty looking bike, and their dreams have come true with the Karizma. On the first look, people would comment that the bike looks like a fighter jet! The air pockets in the front of the tank has been very precisely carved to blend aerodynamics with beauty.

Hero Honda’s Engineers have put in several months of work in developing their flagship model Karizma. It is not easy to bring a foreign style to India without compromising the engine capacity and mileage (which are the most important factors for Indian bikes). The is technically the first bike in India in which the doom blends with the main body of the bike. One big advantage of this is that the handle bars are free to turn because there is no extra weight attached to it (like the head light and dashboard). Karizma is the first bike in India which came with pre-installed alloy wheels.

I like the tail part of Karizma very much. This is perhaps the only bike in India which features dual tail lamps. When you look at the tail part, it does look like a jet. The slogan ‘Jet Set Go’ is perfect. The seat is little raised for the pillion rider which gives it a really sporty look. The bike has been so perfectly designed that I could not imagine a suggestion for improvement. Considering the overall size of the bike, the tail part does seem to have the right size. In Pulsar, you can notice that the tail is too small compared to the size of its tank, but in Karizma the proportion of the sizes of various parts is perfect.

How does it perform?

I can talk about performance all day long, because I have been personally using Karizma for the past four years! But I will try to keep this short and only highlight the main points.

Karizma is undoubtedly the bike with the highest horse power in India. (Considering bikes within the 1 Lakh Range). For a bike of 223 cc, 17 hp is really great! While driving, you can feel the surge of acceleration (and the surge of adrenalin!). You feel like like Hrithik Roshan if you give a full twist to the throttle. My Karizma is the first to dash of when the signal turns green, while others try to catch up with me, I look back to see that they are left far behind!

This bike is suitable both for city riding and riding in highways. As you put the fifth gear and slowly accelerate, the bike maintains its stability upto 110 Kmph, but later it gets a little shaky. I have personally tried going upto 125 Kmph, eventhough the claimed maximum speed is higher, I wouldn’t recommend anyone to go faster than 110.

Looking into the dash board of the Karizma, we can see 2 dials, a RPM meter and a Speedometer and next to it is the digital panel which displays Fuel, a Trip meter, total distance and a digital clock! I really love the clock, I do not need to leave the handle bars to check the time in my wrist while driving! Visit the Karizma Photo Gallery to see pictures of the dash board.

The high beam and neutral indicators are situated in the speedometer dial. The indicators are bright enough so that you can easily see its status in bright sunlight.

Some people may think that such fast sport bikes are risky, but in my opinion, Karizma is the safest bike in India. Provided with adequate wheel base and body weight, the bike comes to halt easily from very high speeds without losing any stability.

How does it stand out?

For people who love this bike, it is really hard to admire the competition. Right now Pulsar 220cc seems to be the only competition for Karizma, but I would say that it does not even stand a chance with this legend.

Hero Honda Karizma’s high cost and size is not just for the looks and power. Along with it you also get something priceless… the Self Confidence and the King of the Road feeling. If in your college or institution, you are the only one with a Karizma, imagine the kind of feeling of uniqueness you will get. People will admire you for your bike and you will be known as The man who rides the Karizma.

Too many people have already bought Pulsars, CBZs and Apaches.. If you are planning to buy a 150cc bike, wait for a few months, raise some more money and go for the best. Because great people drive great bikes.

This is perhaps the only bike which has got full rating in BikeAdvice’s Reviews.

BikeAdvice Overall Rating: 5/5

Performance Rating: 5/5

Beauty Rating: 5/5

Pros: Sporty Looks, Fuel Efficiency, The first of its Kind in India

Cons: No leg guard

Karizma Specifications:

Engine: Aircooled single cylinder 4 stroke OHC
Displacement: 223 cc
Maximum Power: 12.68 KW (17 PS) @ 7000 RPM
Maximal Torque: 18.35 N-m @ 6000 RPM
Acceleration: 0 – 60 Kmph in 3.8 Seconds
Gear Box: 5 Speed
Brakes: 276mm Front Disc and 130 mm Rear Drum
Tires: Front: 2.75 x 18 – 42P, Rear: 100/90 x 18 – 56P
Fuel Capacity: 15 Litres (+ 2 Ltrs Reserve)