Karizma ZMR first ride – with the HAYABUSA and NINJA 250R

We wanted to do it with a twist. The most obvious thing any auto mag would want to do with the ZMR as soon as it lays its hands on the bike is to pit it against the Pulsar 220. At Motoroids, we don’t quite get thrilled by such straight logic, so the idea was discarded at its very conceptual stage. We have, however, kept the thought for later when everyone else would have tried their hand at it. We shall do it, but with the Motoroids touch at a later point.

The Karizma, as even my dog knows, is a great touring bike of India. With 33bhp on tap, good ground clearance and a comfortable seating position, the Ninja, looks like a formidable sports tourer too in a newly emerging segment in the country. And the Hayabusa, as even the bedbugs in my cot know, is the ultimate sports touring machine the world has ever seen. The price tags are Rs 1, 3 and 13 lakh for the three machines respectively. So how much is the real world difference in their times if you were to do a 500km trip? We thought we’d give it a try. But unfortunately, that’s not what this report is about. This is a standalone review, and for the lip smacking comparo we just talked about, you’ll have to wait till the November issue of Motoroids2 e-mag hits your inbox. So register now.
So is the new ZMR any good? Well, yes and no. Let me explain.

Introduce Papa’s Pappus to the new ZMR and they would have their mouth open in awe. They would study hard, cut their furtive porn time, think less about the Sizzling Sally who they stalk and make sure that Papa buys them one when they eventually manage to pass. Being honest, to an average Joe, the bike’s got presence – tonnes of it. But for a seasoned set of eyes, the mass bias is a little too much towards the front. Look at the ZMR in profile, and it somehow looks skinny from the rear, and a tad too heavy from the front. But then again, craning necks and turning heads is a phenomenon wherever the new flagship HH goes, at least for now. So the self-proclaimed design critics like me may just shut up.

Related posts:

1. Kawasaki Ninja 250R – First Ride review
2. Ninja 250R Launch
3. Ninja 250R Launched!
4. Faired enough? – Yamaha Fazer first ride review
5. Hero Honda Karizma vs Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi

Related posts:

1. Kawasaki Ninja 250R – First Ride review
2. Ninja 250R Launch
3. Ninja 250R Launched!
4. Faired enough? – Yamaha Fazer first ride review
5. Hero Honda Karizma vs Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi