New-gen Karizma will be one of the several new products that Hero MotoCorp will launch to establish a strong foothold in 200cc+ motorcycle segment
With premium motorcycle segment expected to register strong growth in the coming years, Hero MotoCorp is working on a bunch of new products. Some of these will be developed entirely by Hero MotoCorp, whereas others will be part of a joint venture such as the Hero-Harley partnership.
One of the new Hero bikes will be new-gen Karizma, expected to be launched soon. It will take on rivals such as Bajaj Pulsar 250, Gixxer 250 and Dominar 250. Hero will be looking at a competitive price point for new-gen Karizma to ensure its success. Ahead of launch, Hero has now showcased the new Hero Karizma ZMR to dealers.
New-gen Karizma ZMR to get more powerful engine
New-gen Karizma ZMR will be utilizing an entirely new platform and a new 210cc liquid cooled motor. While specs have not been officially revealed, new-gen Karizma could deliver around 25 bhp of max power and 30 Nm of peak torque. It will be mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The original Karizma bike was equipped with a 223cc air-cooled motor that produced 20 hp. It was quite popular for its peppy performance. Enthusiasts can look forward to some more exciting rides with the new-gen version.
Hero will position Karizma as a value-for-money bike. It has to achieve a balance in terms of its pricing and available features. While essentials such as disc brakes and at least single-channel ABS will be there, new-gen Hero Karizma could skip out on features such as USD forks, ride-by-wire tech, slipper clutch, etc.
Features that are likely to be available with new-gen Karizma include Bluetooth-based connectivity features, LED lighting and turn-by-turn navigation. The bike could get a full-digital instrument cluster.
New-gen Karizma styling
While new-gen Karizma will be utilizing contemporary design aesthetics, some of the styling bits are expected to be borrowed from the original Karizma. The latter had sharp panelling and sporty graphics. Another of Karizma’s USP was its comfortable riding stance. Balance and handling were among the best, allowing enthusiasts to experiment to their heart’s content. New-gen Karizma is expected to have a similar set of attributes.
Resurrecting Karizma seems like a good move, as the brand has high recall among enthusiasts. Overall design of new-gen Karizma will be a key factor in determining whether it’s a hit or flop with customers. As of now, Hero’s bestselling product in performance segment is XPulse 200 4V. There’s Xtreme 200S as well, but it hasn’t received the kind of response the company was aiming for.
In its lifecycle, original Karizma had eventually faded away with availability of better equipped bikes. Uninspiring design of later models such as Karizma R and ZMR was also a reason for its decline. Hopefully, new-gen Karizma will have everything sorted out and primed to provide the impetus Hero is looking to achieve in premium motorcycle segment.
Source
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
