Hero MotoCorp will launch 15 new products in the next 6 months, majority of them coming this year. The automaker is sure to lure Indians at the 2014 Auto Expo in February. However for motorcycle enthusiasts, there is some good news. The company has confirmed the upcoming new Karizma will feature a more powerful engine. Currently the Karizma is powered by a 223cc powerplant and is offered in two variants – R and ZMR. Hero is likely to refresh both the variants of the Karizma and the launch of the updated bikes will happen in October, around the festive season.
The upcoming new Karizma is the first Hero bike in which Erik Buell Racing (EBR) has done major development. Although the spy shots make the new Karizma look very similar to the old one, the major change is to the heart. While confirmation on the increase in output is awaited, we believe Hero and EBR have boosted cubic capacity of the motorcycle which should produce around 20-22 BHP of power. Sadly the design and other hardware remains quite similar and thus the Karizma still doesn’t get a monoshock suspension.
“We will be launching the new Karizma variants which are redesigned and the engine made more powerful with our partner EBR. This is the first commercial production model in which they have played a big part in development,” Pawan Munjal, MD and CEO, Hero MotoCorp said at the Hero Global Sales and Marketing Conference in Macau, China.
Hero Honda launched the Karizma in India in 2003 and it was an instant success. Sadly the company did not keep the momentum up and failed to give the bike any major updates. In 2007, the Karizma was mildly updated and re-badged as the Karizma R while in 2009, the company launched the first major update to the sports tourer in the form of the Karizma ZMR. The odd styling and increased competition made the ZMR a low selling bike. If Hero can offer the new Karizma at the same price, then it can woo quite a few customers as many bikers want a comfortable and hassle-free motorcycle priced around Rs. 1 lakh.
