“Hero MotoCorp Karizma ZMR is back with a well deserved design and is much faster than before”
The Hero Karizma ZMR is a motorcycle manufactured by Hero MotoCorp in India. It was a launched as a cosmetic upgrade to Karizma R in September 2009. There was no difference between its engine and that of its predecessor Karizma R. The minor differences lied in the design of fairing, headlights, addition of digital speedometer, rear disc brake and rear swing-arm suspension and the Fuel-injection system instead of the carburetor. But now there is a difference in both the engines of the Karizma R and the Karizma ZMR.
The Hero MotoCorp Karizma ZMR is priced at Rs. 1,04,986 lakhs (ex-showroom, Pune).
The Karizma ZMR looks great in real, as its design is inspired from the Erik Buell Racing’s 1190RX superbike. The major updates on this motorcycle are its vertically placed twin-headlamp which manage to give you proper visibility at night, the LED daylight running lamp (DRL) which looks appealing, next to a set of clear lens indicators which attracts eyeballs. The black color tinted visor helps to block the air from hitting the rider. The front also houses body – colored rear view mirrors which give you a better rear visibility. Another major change is the proportions of the bike compared to the older ZMR. The front is bulkier than before and the side fairing panels are much sleeker and sharper than before and definitely look better than the old ZMR. This with the narrow tail section leaves the bike looking disproportionate. The rear of the bike tapers down and the split seats does make it look visually pleasing, but, the horizontal LED taillight which looks aggressive would have looked more pleasant if it had been placed closer to the tail section. The pillion seats provide nice comfort to the pillion and grab handles to hold for a better ride. Overall the Bike looks aggressive and is long in size.
The ZMR’s blue backlit all-digital instrument cluster meter has been carried over from the old bike with the addition of a side stand indicator. The console houses a DRL indicator, turn indicator lights, engine warning light, high beam indicator, neutral shift light, speedometer, tachometer, clock, 2 trip meters, odometer, fuel gauge and real- time fuel efficiency indicator that keeps you updated according to the speed of the bike.
The switchgear remains to be the same with the same arrangements of switches. There is absence of switch kill on the new ZMR too.
When talking about the Performance and Engine of the motorcycle, the new Hero Karizma ZMR is powered by a 223cc, air-cooled, fuel injected mill with an oil cooler, which does an amazing job of keeping the engine cool giving out a raw power of 20 BHP at 8,000 rpm and a peak torque of 19.7Nm at 6,500 rpm. The engine of this motorcycle now produces 2 BHP more power than the old ZMR. The torque is also up; by 1 Nm. Performance of the new Hero Karizma ZMR is good now, no doubt, with the motor revving easily and picking up pace without much strain. The power is transmitted by a 5 – speed gearbox with decent gear shifts. And the bike offers better clutch feel, thanks to improvements within the engine. The fuel-injected Hero engine provides good low – end power, which allows it to zip through city traffic with ease, with revs building smoothly across a wide power band. It has a respectable top speed of almost 137 kmph (which we managed to do on a highway). It manages to do 0 – 100 kmph in just 11 seconds. Fuel efficiency of the bike has also increased and is as follows: City: 46 kmpl (avg. speed of 40 – 50 kmph), City (worst): 38 kmpl while on Highway it returned us a better efficiency of 51 kmpl (avg. speed of 45 – 60 kmph) and if ridden at higher speeds then who cares about the mileage. With a 15.3 – litre fuel tank, the new ZMR should do close to 700 kms (City) and almost around 800 kms (Highway) on a full tank, which the touring enthusiasts will appreciate. The Top speed and Fuel efficiency tests were carried out by Rider – Viraj David (60 kgs).
The Riding Dynamics of the new ZMR have been improved as there is a slight reduction in weight of the motorcycle by 2 kgs than the old ZMR. The seating posture isn’t too aggressive or upright which means one can ride the ZMR on long journeys or commute with equal ease. The new Karizma ZMR employs the same diamond type frame as the older bike and the same suspension layout as well. But the tyres are wider on the new bike. As far as handling goes, the new Hero Karizma ZMR feels completely at home taking fast flowing corners but it wasn’t as happy changing directions quickly. This is down the bike’s 157kg, its long wheelbase and its slightly top heavy weight distribution. Ride however impresses. There’s no monoshock here but the current setup still helps return a supple ride over almost all types of roads. Braking duty is taken care by a 276 mm and 240 mm diameter disc brakes at front and back respectively. The disc brakes work expertly in shedding speeds while providing great feedback and bite.
On a final Verdict, Hero MotoCorp has taken efforts in updating the new Karizma ZMR with revised styling and changes to this machine instead of just sticking stickers. Though the design is better than its predecessor, it still isn’t the most visually pleasing motorcycle in its segment. It’s the same case in terms of performance, because even though the power has gone up, it could have done with better refinement as well.
Despite this fact, Hero scores in terms of pricing. At Rs. 1,04,986 lakhs (ex-showroom, Pune), what the customer gets is the smooth, well built and cheapest full faired motorcycle on sale currently and a decent tourer and what the enthusiasts are looking for. There’s also the huge service network and good resale that comes with being a Hero. Finally then, even though the new Hero Karizma ZMR is a good motorcycle, it just isn’t as big a step over the bike it replaces and with the current crop of competition, it needed to be.
