Hero Karizma ZMR Vs Bajaj RS 200 Vs Yamaha Fazer 25: Spec Comparison

We find out if the Karizma still holds its own against its competition

After a hiatus of one and a half years, Hero MotoCorp has now relaunched its flagship model, the Karizma ZMR, apparently due to public demand. But since the degree of competition has risen in the affordable sports touring segment in the past couple of years, we evaluate what the Karizma ZMR brings to the table by comparing it to the most prominent players in the market, on paper. We’ve also ridden all three bikes in the past except for the BS-IV version of the Karizma ZMR, which helps us give you a better idea about how they perform.

Design and Features -

Right off the bat, the Karizma’s styling lacks flair and feels quite dated compared to its rivals. Although, what the Karizma has going for it is the vertically stacked headlight and the floating LED tail light inspired from Erik Buell’s EBR 1190RS. Equally important is the fact that the Karizma employs an all-digital instrument cluster which displays a plethora of information.

The Pulsar RS200 is the first ever fully faired motorcycle from Bajaj's stable. The multi-piece fairing is well sculpted, however, the front-heavy design feels rather busy. Thankfully though, the new paint and graphics themes are far better than what the RS200 started off with. Above the bifocal projector headlamps sits the eyebrow-shaped DRL’s and the neatly sculpted windscreen. Instead of an underbelly exhaust (like the NS200), the Pulsar RS200 features a stubby side-mounted exhaust which goes well with the overall design. The floating tail lights look pretty odd but do stand out from the norm. The semi-digital instrument console has been borrowed from the NS 200. So, the Pulsar RS200 isn’t the prettiest of the lot, but it has managed to carve out a fan following, especially amongst youngsters who adore its over the top styling.

Yamaha is known to produce some stunning motorcycles. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case with the Fazer 25. The front fairing which wraps around the existing LED headlight of the FZ25 is neatly sculpted, but it feels like there’s a lot more that Yamaha could’ve done with the design. Then again, fans who love the full-faired look should appreciate the mass-forward stance. The dual-tone paint scheme sits quite well with the bike and feels mature.

Like the FZ25, the Fazer 25 gets an LED headlamp, although now they’re coupled with additional LED DRLs on the fairing, while the LED tail lamp remains the same. Its all-digital instrument console offers the most info here, with basic readouts including immediate and average fuel efficiency.

In terms of features, the Fazer 25 offers a tad more compared to its competition, with its all-digital instrument console, LED headlight and taillight. Looks, on the other hand, are subjective so we’ll leave that for you to decide.

Engine -

Powering the Karizma ZMR is a 223cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected, air- and-oil-cooled engine that produces 20PS at 8000rpm and 19.7Nm of peak torque at 6500rpm. In comparison, the Bajaj RS200's slightly smaller engine puts out 4.5PS more but at a higher rpm. However, the Karizma hits back with a heavier torque output which also kicks in a lot sooner than the RS. The Fazer 25, on the other hand, is quite balanced in terms of power and torque, but does manage to trump the RS200 and Fazer by producing 20Nm of torque at revs as low as 6000rpm.

The performance on the Karizma is good and it gathers momentum quickly; however, it loses out on refinement thanks to its vibey motor. Additionally, the Karizma doesn’t have that much needed sixth gear.

The fuel injection on the Pulsar translates to a crisp and precise throttle response. Moreover, the engine isn’t as harsh as its predecessor, though vibrations do creep in via the footpegs and handlebars at the top of the rev band. Compared to the other two, the RS200 also gets a sixth gear, which helps it pull past its competition and makes for a wonderful touring setup.

Last but not the least, the Fazer is happiest in its midrange and pulls quite hard once you get the motor going. Also, shorter gear ratios mean the bike is most at home in the city, with the motor being fairly manageable. That said, the bike isn’t ideal for touring as the engine feels strained due to its shorter gearing. A sixth gear would have made for a world of a difference here.

If we talk about outright performance, the Bajaj Pulsar RS200 is the clear winner here. Its throttle response is crisp and precise and the addition of a sixth gear makes it the best entry level sport touring bike of the trio.

Underpinnings, ride and handling

The Pulsar is the only bike in this shootout that employs a perimeter frame, while the others use conventional diamond frames. The new Karizma ZMR employs the same suspension layout as well. As we wrote in our review, it feels completely at home taking fast sweeping corners but isn't as quick while changing directions. This is mainly due to the bike weighing 157kg, its long wheelbase and its top-heavy nature. The twin suspension setup at the rear does a decent job at returning a supple ride over almost all types of roads. The brakes are excellent and provide great feedback and bite. The fact that Hero hasn’t mentioned ABS is strange, considering that ABS will be mandatory by April 2019.

The Pulsar RS200 is a surprisingly good handler. Its perimeter frame provides good feedback while the MRF tyres offer plentiful grip. Even though the RS200 is 8kg heavier than the Karizma and 11kg more than the Fazer 25, it still is a better handler in every sense of the word. The brakes offer good bite and feedback while allowing easy modulation. Also, the RS200 is the only bike in the trio which offers single-channel ABS as an option.

The Fazer’s kerb weight of 154kg, which is 6kg more than its naked sibling, can be felt while chucking it into corners. It's a different story in the city though, as the additional weight is not that noticeable, making it easy to handle and manoeuvre through traffic. In terms of suspension setup, the 41mm front forks and rear monoshock are set a bit on the stiffer side. But while you’ll feel the bumps on really bad roads, the jolts aren’t really transferred too much to the rider. The front brake has decent stopping power, but it really lacks feel, requiring you to grab a handful of the right lever in order to get the bike to stop. It's the same story with the rear brakes. Moreover, ABS isn't available, even as an option.

Pricing

Overall, the Karizma ZMR offers decent performance, neutral handling and comfortable riding dynamics. However, its engine is a tad unrefined compared to its rivals. We’ll have to ride the BS-IV version to see if this has changed. That said, its price hike of Rs 3,000 hasn’t brought anything new to the table.

You can’t argue with Yamaha’s build quality and bulletproof engine; however, at a price of 1.29 lakh, it's the most expensive proposition here, at least in the non-ABS variety.

The Bajaj Pulsar RS200 is our favourite bike of this lot and comes out on top in this comparo. It offers fantastic performance, great handling and riding dynamics, making it a wholesome package. What further sweetens the deal is its competitive pricing, which includes single-channel ABS - something the other two miss out on.