- New Karizma 210 launch this year
- Gets new 210cc liquid-cooled 25bhp engine
- Will be launched before bigger Xpulse
Hero MotoCorp is set to bring back its most iconic premium motorcycle brand – Karizma, later this year. The company has been working on the next-generation Karizma and will launch it with a brand-new engine and chassis.
The Gurgaon-based company has a new motorcycle platform ready – and this platform will help them compete in the premium space. Now, the older Karizma was powered by a 223cc air-cooled fuel-injected 20bhp motor. But this new Karizma will get its power from a new 210cc liquid-cooled engine. The power figures will be in the range of 25bhp and 30Nm and the engine will be mated to a six-speed gearbox. Other details like overall dimensions, suspension, brakes, and features will be shared as we get closer to the launch date. However, the new Karizma is likely to get some design inspiration from the older generation.
The Karizma brand has been Hero’s most prominent and strongest premium brand ever. It commanded an insane amount of brand value, and many young Indians wanted to connect with that motorcycle brand. But sadly, everything changed after the facelifted bikes, which EBR designed, were launched in 2014. The bike didn’t get the expected response – blame the uninspiring design language, and slowly, the motorcycles, the R and the ZMR, were phased out.
This new motorcycle will be significant for Hero MotoCorp because the company wants to crack the premium segment in a big way. Currently, Xpulse is the only one that sells well and has made a big difference in the segment, thanks to its value-for-money aspect and the lack of competitors. The Xtreme 200S failed to excite the market and didn’t sell as much as the Xpulse. So, a brand-new Karizma will help Hero take on the new Pulsar 250s, the Gixxer 250s, and the Dominar 250.
