The updated Hero Karizma R and ZMR received EBR inspired styling that wasn’t appreciated by the masses while the bike did not bring anything dramatically new in terms of performance.
As evident as it gets, Hero MotoCorp has completely stopped the production of its range-topping Karizma R and ZMR motorcycles in the country due to poor sales. The automaker updated the models with new styling and tweaked engine in 2014 which went horribly wrong courtesy of the EBR intervention and was enough to do severe damage to the once popular brand. As a result, dealers have stock of the motorcycle from 2014 and are offering extensive discounts on the same.
Several Hero dealerships have completely stopped accepting bookings (not that many customers are booking) for the Karizma R and ZMR and the few with some stock are looking to clear the same. Being 2014 models, the depreciation is high and the facelifted models also have lower resale value after purchase due to the sloppy demand. For the next two months, the Xtreme Sports will be the flagship offering from the Indian auto giant, to say the least.
The Karizma brand was Hero MotoCorp’s flag bearer for the longest period we know and ensured to keep the automaker’s head high in the affordable performance space amidst the growing lineup of Bajaj Pulsars. However, the EBR styling went haywire for the motorcycle leaving potential customers in shock rather than surprise. Meanwhile, Bajaj Auto upped the competition with the new lineup of Pulsars that did their part to make sure the Karizma is a forgotten name in the segment.
Nevertheless, if recent reports are to be believed, Hero MotoCorp is working on a reworked version of the Karizma that could be unveiled at the 2016 Auto Expo. Speculations also suggest that possibilities are of the company introducing a completely new model that could replace the Karizma entirely in the Rs. 1 lakh performance motorcycle space. That said, a larger picture will only be available at the biennial event. We do hope the once cult brand gets a more courteous exit from the market than the current silent one.
