Hero Karizma XMR 210 will more likely be launched soon in India and it will be powered by an all-new liquid-cooled 210 cc engine
Back in the day, the original Hero Karizma gained a strong reputation among motorcycle enthusiasts due to its stylish stance and powerful engine. It earned a loyal fan base in the domestic market for its reliable performance and overall value for money. It is no secret that Hero MotoCorp is aiming to revive itself in the higher cc segments and what better way to do it than to bring the old nameplate back?
The largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world has confirmed that it will be launching a record number of models this financial year and yesterday, we brought you a lowdown of all the upcoming offerings in the affordable space. Moving up the ladder, Hero is bracing to launch its first co-developed motorcycle with Harley-Davidson dubbed the HD 4XX.
In addition, a couple of flagship motorcycles are also under development as a dual-purpose adventure tourer and a fully faired supersport boasting an all-new 421 cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine will reportedly arrive next year. Back to the Karizma, the speculations surrounding its return only escalated when the ‘Karizma XMR 210’ name was filed for the trademark.
Only a few weeks ago, the spy images of the new generation Karizma came to light in its near-production state. Courtesy of leaked images, we now know that the faired supersport, which will compete against Bajaj Pulsar RS 200, Yamaha R15 V4, Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 and KTM RC 200, has been showcased to dealers in a private meet and it will be launched soon in India.
Wearing a red body colour, the influence from the OG Karizma is clearly seen as the sharp styling and expressive panels add to the overall drama. It will be one of the sportiest motorcycles launched by Hero ever upon arrival. The rider seat is quite deep and the fuel tank has a muscular finish that should help in easily gripping the knees or ride tucked-in – aided by the tall transparent angular windscreen.
The handlebar does not seem to be lowly positioned as in the KTM RC 200, which has track focussed rider geometry, and thus it should give a relaxed upright stance complementing touring needs as well. The equipment list will likely compose a sleek pair of LED headlamp unit, thin LED turn signals, a fully-digital cluster with Bluetooth connectivity, a dual-tone front fender and a narrow raised tail section with split seats.
Other highlights are a side-mounted exhaust system with a heat shield, split grab rails, an LED tail lamp, and dual-spoke black-finished 17-inch alloy wheels. The braking duties will be handled by front and rear disc brakes assisted by a dual-channel ABS system. It will be suspended on traditional telescopic front forks and monoshock rear suspension.
As for the performance, an all-new 210 cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine will be utilised and it will likely generate a maximum power output of around 25 bhp and 30 Nm of peak torque. It will be mated to a six-speed transmission and a slipper clutch could be offered as standard. We do expect Hero to undercut some of its rivals in pricing.