Hero Karizma XMR vs Bajaj Pulsar RS 200

The last two months of the year are always a great time for us. With a few motorcycle festivals being held in Goa, we get to spend a few days chilling with the fraternity. It was the same this time around and my plan was to take the Hero Karizma XMR – BikeWale’s long-termer – on a long ride and test its touring abilities.

I was delighted when Hero decided to revive their most famous motorcycle brand - the Karizma. My motorcycle journalism journey started with this brand, and I fondly remember it. Now, after testing the Karizma XMR thoroughly a few weeks ago, I was informed that the bike would be with me for six months more as BikeWale's long-termer.

The motorcycling community in India doesn't need to be taught about the Karizma brand. Most of us have drooled over it, and even more so when Hrithik went on an action spree with it. I was still in school then and aspired to ride it one day, which eventually happened when the ZMR came in.

I was excited when I got an email from Bajaj Motorcycles to test their new motorcycle, the Pulsar RS200, at their Chakan test track. And there were two reasons - the Pulsar RS200 and the Chakan track. Over the last couple of months, we have written quite a few articles on the Pulsar RS200 ranging from it being spied around Pune to its name changing from SS200 to RS200. Honestly, I don’t think we have written so many spy pictures story for any another bike like we have done for the Pulsar RS200. It was the most anticipated motorcycle from Bajaj because it was going to open the doors of the budget fully-faired entry-level performance motorcycles. With India’s ever growing young population, the Pulsar RS200 seems to have attracted lot of interest. We take the Pulsar RS200 for a spin at Bajaj’s test track to find out how far it will take the legacy of the Pulsar brand.