Hero Karizma XMR Long Term Review, December 2023 Report

Continuing the tradition of taking over motorcycles from Karan after a month, I found myself grabbing the keys of the Karizma this time. Frankly, all I wanted was to see what all the fuss surrounding it was about. So, like with every motorcycle, I hopped on.

The Karizma truly offers you an old-school riding experience, where the bottom- and mid-range of the tacho offer just enough go to get around. However, if you truly want to dial things to 11, you have to get the needle close to the redline. Now, that’s better said than done. While there are stretches on my daily commute where I can open up the throttle and enjoy a bit of lunacy, but most of the time, I have to be a sensible rider. But still, there is no denying that even when you dial things down a notch, the Karizma is quite comfortable to ride. Plus, its high handlebars ensure that you don’t require excessive forward leaning-in. So, you don’t have to be in the tuck all the time; in fact, just give it a bit of breathing room, and you’ll realise that the Karizma has dual personalities.

Also Read: autoX Awards 2023: Hero Karizma XMR Performance, Quality and Value for Money Ranked

Another interesting aspect of the bike is its fuel efficiency. Even if you ride it like there’s no tomorrow, it maintains a respectable fuel efficiency of about 28km/l. The clutch is light and easy to use, and the gearbox offers crisp shifts. That’s not to say that the Karizma doesn’t have its shortcomings. The visor, for instance, is really difficult to adjust – the switch feels jammed, and adjusting it seems like it might break. The bar-ends also rotate on their own, which is not something you’d expect from a motorcycle that has just over 1,000km on the odometer. To truly understand the Karizma, I believe a road trip is in order.

Also Read: Hero Karizma XMR Long Term Review, November 2023 Report