Hero Karizma XMR
Hero Karizma XMR is a 210cc sports bike with price starting from Rs. 1.80 lakh. It is available in 3 colours and is offered in a single variant. Karizma XMR is a fuel efficient bike with mileage of 41.55 kmpl. The bike gets disc brakes in the front and rear, apart from this it weighs 163.5 kg and has a fuel tank capacity of 11 liters. Karizma XMR is a tough competitor to Bajaj Pulsar RS200, KTM RC 200 and Yamaha R15 V4 .
Pros and Cons of Karizma XMR
Likes
- Rev-happy engine
- Powerful enough to cruise at 110-120kmph all day ; Spacious seat
- Sporty
- Yet comfortable ergonomics ; Excellent value for money
Dislikes
- Underwhelming instrument cluster ; Initial bite from the brakes could be better ; Could’ve had grippier tyres
Expert's Conclusion
The Hero Karizma XMR offers the perfect balance between comfort, sportiness and practicality, making it an ideal choice for newbies who are starting off on their first sportbike journey.
Hero Karizma XMR Specifications
- 210 CCEngine
- 41.55 KmplMileage
- 25.5 PS @ 9250 rpmMax Power
- 11 LitersFuel Capacity
- TubelessTyre Type
- 163.5 KgKerb Weight
Hero Karizma XMR Overview
The Hero Centennial, based on the Karizma XMR, has raised Rs 8.58 crore in a private auction. Check out the details here.
The first-ever Karizma XMR was launched back in 2003 and has become a legendary motorcycle since then. It was the first Indian sports bike with a 200cc-plus engine. After two decades, Hero decided to bring back the Karizma nameplate with the new Karizma XMR. The original Karizma featured a half fairing, whereas the new Karizma XMR gets a full fairing, making it look sportier.
Hero Karizma XMR Key Highlights
Price: Hero has priced the Karizma at Rs 1,79,900 (ex-showroom, Delhi). In fact, that means it's even more affordable than the Yamaha R15 V4! The bike's currently on sale in three colourways: Iconic Yellow, Turbo Red and Matte Phantom Black.
Design: While the OG Karizma had a bikini fairing, the new one is a fully-faired one and we think it looks very attractive. The full fairing and dual projector LED headlamp nail the faired bike look but with the raised handlebar, it remains true to its sport-tourer personality. That way, it's more like the Bajaj Pulsar RS200 than an out and out supersport like the KTM RC 200.
Features: The Karizma gets a fully digital LCD console that packs segment-first bits like turn-by-turn navigation. It even gets backlit switchgear and all-LED lighting.
Engine: Hero has given the Karizma a 210cc liquid-cooled 4-valve engine that makes 25.5PS at 9250RPM and 20.4Nm at 7250RPM. It's paired to a six-speed transmission and gets a slip and assist clutch.
Suspension, Brakes & Other Details: Suspension duties are taken care of by a telescopic fork and a gas charged monoshock with 6-step preload adjustability. There's a 300mm petal disc at the front and a 230mm petal one at the rear along with dual channel ABS. Other bits that make it a bit more practical include 160mm of ground clearance, an 810mm seat height and a 163.5kg kerb weight, making it a fairly light bike. It also gets an 11-litre fuel tank.
Rivals: Its rivals include the Bajaj Pulsar RS200 and the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250. Those looking for a sportier alternative in this segment, meanwhile, could have a look at the KTM RC 200.
From the city to the track, the Hero Karizma XMR adapts to every need
Hero Karizma XMR Price and Variants
Variants | Ex-Showroom Price | ||
---|---|---|---|
Karizma XMR STD210 cc . 41.55 kmpl |
Rs. 1.80 Lakh
Get On-Road Price
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View October Offers |
Hero Karizma XMR Videos
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Hero Karizma XMR vs Yamaha R15M | Which one’s the better entry-level sportsbike? | ZigWheels24 Oct, 2023 4394 views
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Hero Karizma XMR First Ride Review - Is The Legend Back? Features, Specifications, Exhaust Note3 Sep, 2023 6465 views
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Top Upcoming Bike Launches in August 2023 | Hero Karizma XMR 210, Royal Enfield Bullet 350 & More |1 Aug, 2023 10520 views
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Top Upcoming Bike Launches In June 2023 | Hero Karizma XMR 210, Triumph Street Triple 765, Orxa Mantis & More1 Jun, 2023 8443 views
Hero Karizma XMR Expert Review
The original Karizma, when it was launched back in 2003, went on to be quite a legend in Indian motorcycling circles. It was the first Indian 200-plus cc sport bike and in the early aughts, almost every biker wanted one. Heck, I should know, since I bought one myself in 2006. But in the years since, the Karizma’s journey has mostly seen some downs, So for 2023, two decades after the original, Hero decided to adopt a clean slate approach. The new Karizma XMR shares nothing with the original, or even any of the Karizmas in between. So then is the XMR a Karizma in name only, or can it rekindle our fond memories of the original?
Hero Karizma XMR Performance
The differences between the original Karizma and this new XMR are clear with the engine itself. Instead of the Honda-derived 223cc air-cooled single, this bike is running a brand new 210cc liquid-cooled 4-valve DOHC single-cylinder engine, which makes a lot more power (25.5PS @ 9,250rpm) and torque (20.2Nm @ 7,250rpm) than the original, and in fact is the most powerful engine in its class. Even its bore and stroke configuration paints a very different picture than the original. While the original had a near square configuration, this one is distinctly short stroke, and gets a fairly high compression ratio of 12:1 too.
So this new motor loves to rev quickly and is rather peaky too, with its max torque of 20.4 Nm coming in at 7250rpm. While it's tractable enough at lower revs and feels fairly composed, pottering around town at low rpm, it’s past the 6,000pm mark where the XMR really comes alive. It manically screeches to its 10,000rpm redline much like the KTM RC200, and surprisingly, sounds a bit like one as well. And vibes are kept under control as well, with just a mild buzz at the foot pegs and tank when you’re at 130kmph in 6th gear. Practically, you can cruise comfortably at an indicated 110-120kmph all day. So long stints on the highway should be quite fun too.
That said, if you are cruising under 6,000rpm, you will have to downshift to make a quick overtake, whether on the highway or in the city. But that shouldn’t be too much of an issue as the 6-speed gearbox is a fairly slick shifter, with the slip and assist clutch making the lever action very light.
Hero Karizma XMR Ergonomics
The riding position on the XMR is on the sportier side, and you do have to lean forward to reach the clip-on handlebars. Even the foot pegs are decently rearset. But the overall riding position is nowhere as aggressive as the Yamaha R15 V4 or even the new KTM RC200. Because the XMR is a larger bike than these two, it’s quite spacious and accommodating. There’s plenty of room for the rider and even the seat padding has the right amount of firmness.
Its seat height of 810mm also feels fairly accessible to riders of most heights as the bike is actually quite slim, allowing you to get your feet on the ground easily. So you’ll be able to commute comfortably through city traffic everyday, and also have a fairly relaxed experience if you decide to go on a long highway trip. As for the pillion seat, it is a bit tall to climb on. But once you’re on, it’s comfortable enough so that if you were to go on a long ride, your pillion won’t have too many complaints.
Hero Karizma XMR Handling
This new XMR is built on a trellis frame with a beefy right-side up fork at the front and a gas charged monoshock at the rear. Now the suspension setup right off the bat feels a bit on the softer side, and handles potholes and bumps with aplomb. But its not soft to the point of feeling squishy. So even handling feels quite neutral and tossing the bike from side to side feels quite easy.
Now we didn’t manage to check out its handling prowess on our first ride, but around a couple of fast highway corners, the front end did feel a bit vague, which is likely down to its softer suspension setup and bias-ply MRF Zapper tyres. And while, at 163.5kg, it might be the heaviest bike in class, it’s just a couple of kilos heavier than the RC200 and masks its weight quite well on the move. So while it would blaze around a race track like the Yamaha R15 v4 or the KTM RC200, it should provide an approachable handling experience around most real world roads.
It is running with disc brakes at both ends, and braking performance feels decent. Initial bite from the front brake is a bit lacking, but once you really squeeze the lever, there’s decent progression and feel. And you can haul all 160+ kg of XMR to a halt in a hurry if you need to.
Hero Karizma XMR Features
There’s not a lot the XMR is packing in the features department that will blow your mind. Yes, it’s got LED lighting all around with ambient light controlled automatic LED projector headlights. And it’s also got a fully digital LCD console with Bluetooth connectivity for turn-by-turn navigation. But honestly this console feels a bit underwhelming for what is supposed to be Hero’s flagship sport bike. While it has all the information you need, well presented, it’s quite small and looks rather basic. Plus, it gets a bit hard to read under harsh sunlight.
The one thing it gets that no other bike in this segment has is a height-adjustable windshield. And it’s really easy to operate as well. Just hold down a button on the side of the console and move the windshield up or down to suit your preference.
Hero Karizma XMR Design
Hero could’ve gone a little crazy with the Karizma XMR’s design, like they did with the ZMR, and I’m really glad they didn’t. The bike looks very well proportioned and attention grabbing, without screaming “Look at me!” And especially in both the yellow and red paint schemes, it looks quite special. Some design bits that really stand out are the headlights (which seem to be borrowed from the Xoom 110 scooter) and the taillight, which looks really slick.
And even though the bike is quite slim in the middle and at the rear, the fairing is just big enough so that when you’re astride, the bike overall feels fairly substantial.
Build quality felt pretty ok for the most part, with none of the huge number of plastic panels feeling loose or shaky. Panel gaps too are mostly even everywhere. But at while the two bikes we rode for ZigWheels and BikeDekho were absolutely fine when it came to fit, finish and overall built, a couple of other journos had mild issues, such as a flimsy feeling windscreen, while a couple of others said their bikes felt vibey-er than the others. Most of these were quite minor issues, and we feel Hero will likely address them before the bikes reach customers’ hands.
Should You Buy The Hero Karizma XMR?
I honestly went into this ride expecting that Hero would try and recreate the experience of the original Karizma with this new XMR. But I’m glad they haven’t, because while the OG Karizma was revolutionary 20 years ago when it was launched, the Indian market has moved quite far from there since then. This new Karizma XMR takes the fight to modern beginner sport bikes like the R15 and RC200, but still manages to deliver a comfortable riding experience (almost like the OG Karizma did).
In that sense, Hero seems to have delivered a perfect balance between sportiness, comfort and practicality, which makes the XMR a far easier recommendation for new riders starting off on their first sportbike journey, especially when you consider its price of Rs 1.73 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), which is more affordable than not just the KTM, but the Yamaha too. And just in the same way the original Karizma ignited my passion for motorcycles when I bought one back in 2006, this new Karizma XMR should be able to do the same for the next generation of bikers.
Hero Karizma XMR User Reviews
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Mileage4.7/5
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Performance4.9/5
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Maintenance4.5/5
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Comfort4.9/5
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Features & Styling4.8/5
- All
- Comfort (14)
- Looks (14)
- Power (14)
- Engine (8)
- Price (7)
- Performance (7)
- Speed (5)
- Mileage (4)
- Experience (4)
- Service (4)
- Suspension (2)
Compare Karizma XMR with Similar Bikes
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Rs. 1.82 LakhKarizma XMR vs R15 V4
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Rs. 2.17 LakhKarizma XMR vs RC 200
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Bajaj Pulsar RS200
Rs. 1.74 LakhKarizma XMR vs Pulsar RS200
Hero Karizma XMR Images
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Hero Karizma XMR Colours
- Matte Phantom Black
- Turbo Red
- Iconic Yellow
Hero Karizma XMR Mileage
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Questions & Answers on Karizma XMR
Answered by Zigwheels Expert- Latest
- Most Relevant
- The kerb weight of the Hero Karizma XMR is 163.5 kg.
- The Hero Karizma XMR competes against Yamaha R15 V4 and Bajaj Pulsar RS200. Bajaj Pulsar NS200 and KTM RC 200 are also among popular Karizma XMR rivals and have compariable features and specifications. Gixxer SF 250, Pulsar N250 are similar Bikes like Karizma XMR and can be good alternative choices.
- The Hero Karizma XMR has saddle height of 810mm.
- The Karizma is one of the most feature-rich motorcycles to have ever come from the lineup of Hero MotoCorp. This fully-faired motorcycle is adorned with all-LED lighting for the headlamp, tail lamp and turn indicators, and additional features like clip-on handlebars, adjustable front windshield, split seats, split pillion grab rails and a USB charger. The full-LCD instrument console of the Hero Karizma XMR also has Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation, besides having basics like speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, odometer, trip meters, gear indicator and real-time riding data like instantaneous and average fuel efficiencies.
- Karizma XMR is available in 3 colour options: Iconic Yellow, Turbo Red, Matte Phantom Black.
- Hero Karizma XMR is available in 3 colours: Matte Phantom Black, Turbo Red
- Hero has given the Karizma a 210cc liquid-cooled 4-valve engine that makes 25.5PS at 9250RPM and 20.4Nm at 7250RPM. It's paired to a six-speed transmission and gets a slip and assist clutch. Suspension duties are taken care of by a telescopic fork and a gas charged monoshock with 6-step preload adjustability. There's a 300mm petal disc at the front and a 230mm petal one at the rear along with dual channel ABS. Other bits that make it a bit more practical include 160mm of ground clearance, an 810mm seat height and a 163.5kg kerb weight, making it a fairly light bike. It also gets a 11-litre fuel tank.
- The Hero Karizma XMR is powered by a 210 cc air-cooled engine which produces 25.5 PS @ 9250 rpm of power. It has a fuel tank of 11 L and a claimed mileage of 41.55 kmpl.
- The Hero Karizma XMR is powered by a 210 cc air-cooled engine which produces 25.5 PS @ 9250 rpm of power.
Hero Karizma XMR Bike News Updates
Hero Karizma XMR FAQs
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