Yamaha R15 V2.0 Review by Boon

I am really grateful to Mr.Viknesh Subramanium, the greatest photographer I have ever met for spending some quality time and Mr.Balamurali Mohan for lending me his brand new and scratch less R15 V2.0, knowing the fact that it will undergo a series of abuses and torture at my hands.

About Me

My name is Boon and this my second review in Bike Advice. Regular viewers might remember my review on Yamaha R15 V1.0 that was posted two years ago. Fortunately, that review has got an amazing response from all the viewers.

I hail from Arunachal Pradesh, The Land of Rising Sun in India. After completing matriculation, I came to Chennai six years ago for pursuing my higher studies. Having done my diploma successfully, now I’m in the final year of Engineering with ECE as a specification in Tagore Engineering College. I had to sell my wonderful and amazing R15 V1.0 (Joeled) few days back due to some personal problems. My plan is to buy a Yamaha YZF R1 within the next five years.

Looks, Build and Finish of V2.0 - 9.5/10

The Version 2.0 looks sharp and aggressive from all angles. The Yamaha engineers have taken a number of cues from the R125 and R6 while designing the bike. This bike is a result of the excellent feedback received from customers. There is a wider rear tire, a radial one (from MRF) that measures 130/70-R17, in response to a huge demand from the public.

Along with that, even the front tire has been upsized to 90/80- R17. If you look into the fairing, you will notice the new mid-cowl which is wider and suits the wide front of the R15 even more better. The Version 2.0 comes with an all-new aluminum swing-arm, which not only makes the bike looks sportier, but also increases the stability of the bike.

As a whole I can say that the version 2.0 is what the public has always wanted, it is sportier, muscular and comes with a fatter tire. The build quality and finish of the Version 2.0 is top notch. No Indian made bike can come closer to Version 2.0 in terms of quality and finish. Each component whether it’s the fairing plastics, switches, seats or the tire hugger, has been precisely and neatly fitted.

Finally, I had to admit that for the first time I have seen a “Made-in-India” product that can challenge my MacBook Pro, iPod classic and iPhone 4 in terms of quality, finish and smooth performance. Yeah, I said it!

Chassis, Engine and Handling of the E15 V2.0 - 9.5/10

As I sit on the Version 2.0, I realize the changes made by Yamaha engineers to make the riding position sportier. Without wasting anymore time I press the start switch and rev the throttle to 5000 rpm. The bike immediately gains speed unlike my Version 1.0 (which underperforms at lower rpm), which shows that Yamaha has worked hard on the ECU to make the bike a lot more traffic friendly.

Well, Yamaha has been working silently on ECU since R15 was launched (initial batches of Version 1.0 came with Moric ECU and then Yamaha went for Denso ECU which was mere fuel efficient and is comparatively torquier) to make the riding experience a more comfortable and enjoyable. The road was empty and straight which allowed me to go for the top speed without any worries.

The bike has managed to hit 140 km/h, which has immediately made me suspicious. I was thinking how a bike that is 5 kg more bulky could be faster by 2 km/h than my Version 1.0. I slowed down the bike and again went to test the top speed once again. To my surprise, I was proved wrong once again as the bike has done 140 km/h once again. I had to convince myself by saying that I might have lost some weight due to pressures from studies, love affairs, careers etc.

Meanwhile Viknesh was readying his Cannon EOS 5D Mark II to take some snaps and once he was done, I started to ride the bike at different speeds, gears, throttle position. After an hour of ride and torturing the bike here is my take on the Chassis, engine handling and overall performance.

Chassis and Handling - 9/10

Just like its predecessor and other R-series bikes, the Version 2.0 comes with a Deltabox frame. Having ridden all the Indian made bikes, I have to admit that Deltabox frame is much more superior and gives the rider an amazing confidence for attacking sharp corners at high speeds with full confidence.

Deltabox frame was designed and developed by a Spanish engineer Mr. Antonio Cobas and was first seen in 1982 on Yamaha’s classic YZR 500. The concept is based on the fact that a triangular frame is more rigid than a conventional square frame. The engine of Version 2.0 is mounted on the frame in such a way (one on the head side, while two on the case side) that it becomes a singular structural member, hereby providing amazing stability, handling and a vibration free ride.

Another notable change is the new Aluminum swing-arm unlike the basic steel one. The swing-arm is longer than the older version and has thus resulted in a longer wheelbase too. Since the swing-arm is lighter, it has reduced the uneven weight on the rear mono-shock suspension. Yamaha has made some changes in the weight distribution too to suit the increased wheelbase.

Apart from this, the Version 2.0 comes with a larger 47 teeth rear sprockets (compared to the 42 teeth of Version 1.0) to compensate for the bigger tyres. The Version 2.0 has given me an excellent feedback about the road in which I was riding. Even though I was riding at a highway, I was able to feel even a small unevenness of the road, something I could not feel even on my Version 1.0. It shows how a real update should be done.

Yamaha engineers have done an excellent job by incorporating some cutting edge technologies on the bike. Moreover, I was able to bend my body forwards and backwards properly, unlike on my version 1.0 on which I had to go to the pillion to do so. Shifting my body from one side to another side in some sharp bends was an easy job. The Version 2.0 is an amazing handler and just like its predecessor, it has not disappointed me at all.

Engine - 9/10

The Version 2.0 comes with a 149.8cc liquid cooled, fuel-injected engine that produces maximum power of 17ps at 8,500 rpm and maximum torque of 15 Nm at 7,500 rpm. Liquid cooling is very important for high revving bikes as it keeps the engine cool at higher rpm, which prevents the loss of power and efficiency.

The radiator does the job of keeping the engine cooled as the coolant is constantly circulated between radiator and the cylinder block when the engine is running. The radiator dissipates all the heat generated to the atmosphere. The 149.8 cc cylinder is made up of DiASil which is an all-aluminum cylinder made possible by an exclusive Yamaha aluminum forging technology.

As it uses a 20% silicon-aluminum alloy, it has excellent heat dissipation qualities and reduces the engine weight at the same time. Therefore the user need not have to go for costly maintenance like sleeve replacements after riding say some 20,000 kilometers. Another advantage of DiASil cylinder is that the rider gets improved fuel economy. As cylinder, piston and surrounding parts are all made of aluminum, cooling is quick and efficient.

I rode the bike for nearly one and half hour at high rpm and the bike behaved exactly the same way. No change in power, performance and neither did any warning light glow. Bala says that whenever he goes to his native, he rides above 100 kmph continuously for three hours and till date he has never felt any kind of problem either from the engine or from the fairings (vibrations).

ECU - 9/10

The Version 2.0 comes with a reworked open loop engine control unit that improves the pickup and fuel economy as claimed by Yamaha. The Version 2.0 starts to pull from lower rpm unlike my Version 2.0, which has always refused to pull from below 5000 rpm. By doing that the Version 2.0 losses some of its Racing characteristics and behaves more like a naked bike.

But the rider will get the advantage in traffic where the bike will spend 90 percent of its lifetime. As mentioned above, the ECU is still an open loop that means it has not got any Oxygen (Lambda) sensor. So it works by reading values from multidimensional maps (Look up tables), using inputs values, engine speed and air/fuel mixture ratio calculated from the signals coming out from the signal.

I have some friends in Arunachal Pradesh who have bought the Version 2.0 few months ago. They tells me that no matter how cold the weather is, unlike other four-stroke bikes, they have never faced starting problem. That clearly shows the quality of engineering that Yamaha has implemented in the Version 2.0 . Thank you Yamaha for giving us a quality product.

Sensors - 9/10

The Version 2.0 is equipped with sensors that continuously monitors the engine and provides continuous feedback to the engine control unit. They are-

• Coolant temperature sensor- it measures the temperature of the coolant in the engine. The engine control unit of the Version 2.0 uses the value provided by the sensors to calculate some of the important parameters like ignition timing, duration of pulse etc.
• Lean angle sensor- it is used to sense the how far the bike has been leaned. It is one of the important security features of Version 2.0 as it immediately kills the engine once the bike falls down accidentally, thereby preventing further injuries.
• Crankshaft position sensor- it is used to monitor the rotational speed of the crankshaft and provides immediate information to the engine control unit. The engine control unit uses the information to control the ignition timing.
• Intake air temperature sensor-it detects the temperature of the incoming air when the engine is on run and detects the temperature of the surrounding during the cold start.
• Throttle position sensor- it is used to monitor the position of the throttle when a rider rides the bike. Based on the signals, the engine control unit alters the timing (ignition and fuel injection) and other important parameters so that the bike operates smoothly at every rpm at any external environments.
• Intake air pressure sensor- it measures the manifold pressure and sends the information to the engine control unit. Based on the inputs received, the engine control unit determines the required fuel metering for optimum combustion.

The ECU reads all the input values from the sensors and decides the correct value required at the given condition for running the bike smoothly without losing any power.

Pros

• It has got an amazing build and finish. The quality of the materials used in this bike is of international standards.
• The engine is bullet proof. No matter how hard you torture it, it never gives up. A true racing bike that is made especially for Indian customers.
• The bike manages a top whack of 140 kmph without any kind of vibrations.
• If you are into serious racing, you can fit Daytona racing kits and take the bike on an excess of 150 kmph.
• The bike has got dual horn, which proves quite helpful in busy traffic.
• The bike gives you all the feedback about the road in which you are riding.
• In case of any problem, you can get help from experienced Version 1.0 riders in various forum and social networking sites.

Cons

• The pillion rider will face nightmares because of the stepped seat and absence of grab- rails.
• The bike is less agile and sharp than the version 1.0 because of the longer wheelbase.
• The engine produces same output as the version 1.0. Many potential buyers, who have a ” higher cc is everything” mindset, will simply go for higher displacement bikes by paying twenty more grand.
• The ECU is an open loop type.
• No DOHC engine.

Fuel Efficiency - 9.5/10

Balamurali has told me that he gets a decent mileage of 40 km per liter within the city while riding on highways he gets a decent average of 45-47 km per liter. Furthermore, he has also told me that he always go for Shell Super unleaded fuel and constantly checks the tyre pressures of both front and the rear.

Conclusion

The Version 2.0 is an amazing and powerful 150cc bike designed by Yamaha for the Indian rider (If you don’t believe my words then read what Jorge Lorenzo has said after riding the same in Buddh international circuit ). They have taken all the feedback from the customers and designed a tremendous updated (no sticker tagging and silly abbreviation jobs) bike that very few companies will do.

At Rupees 1.19 lakh, Version 2.0 is the best VFM bike that you can afford without any worries. Being a proud rider of R15 for the past two years, I know what Yamaha stands for. Its not about displacement and top speed, its about the quality and how you attain that top speed. Right now there are many higher displacement bikes that are available in the market but when it comes to quality, no products can come close to it.

Another good thing about Yamaha is that they keeps an eye on what customers are saying, and try to fulfill their wish by launching a good update. This bike is for those who want quality and performance. This bike is for those who want to start and arrive alone. In the end I can say that R15 Version 2.0 is an amazing piece of machine that is designed for only one thing, to race. Mr. Balamurali you are really a lucky guy to owe this masterpiece.

Overall rating - 9/10

Specification

Engine

Engine type: Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4-valve
Cylinder arrangement: Single cylinder
Displacement: 149.8cc
Maximum power: 17PS/ 8,500rpm
Maximum torque: 15N.m / 7,500rpmm
Starting system: Electric start
Gear ratios: 1st=2.833, 2nd=1.875, 3rd=1.364, 4th=1.143, 5th=0.957, 6th=0.84

Chassis

• Frame type: Delta box
• Caster / Trail: 26° / 98mm
• Tire size (Front / Rear): 90/80-17 / 130/70-R17
• Brake type (Front / Rear): Hydraulic, single disc (Front / Rear)
• Suspension type (Front / Rear): Telescopic / Linked type Monocross
• Headlight: Lo beam12V/35W X1, Hi beam12V/35W X2
• Battery: 12V, 3.5Ah (10H)

Dimensions

• Overall length x width x height: 1,970mm x 670mm × 1,070mm
• Seat height: 800mm
• Wheelbase: 1,345mm
• Minimum ground clearance: 160mm
• Kerb weight: 136Kg

Overall rating - 4.5/5

Final Words

Finally I would like to request all the riders to wear Helmet and ride responsively. Never engage yourself in a race on the public road just to prove that your bike is better than other riders. Remember that no bike is perfect in this world and every bike has certain pros and cons. Even the mighty Yamaha YZF R1 will lose to a Splendor in terms of mileage.

Always remember that there is someone waiting for you in home dying to see you. It may be your parents, sister, friends or a lover. Arrive alone, Arrive alive.

TVS Victor GL 2001 Review by Balasubramanian

I was born on 1983 and eagerly waiting for my 18th birthday to get a LLR and thereby a DL to drive my first bike, the day came and I got my LLR and was practicing with my dad’s TVS Champ almost 2 hrs daily and later on got my DL in a fine Monday morning and to my surprise, my parents gifted me a bike of my choice.

So what’s my choice of bike?

Its end of 2001, where every bike has its own unique feature which is not happening in these days (it’s my humble opinion) so as everyone lookout for bikes, I had sneak preview of all bikes in that time, finally landed up in 5 bikes from 5 brand.

• Suzuki Fiero (not the TVS Fiero) – Color Preferred: Black or Bottle Green
• Bajaj Pulsar (1st generation round headlight with solid sealed silencer) Color Preferred: Purple
• LML Energy (Love the bold petrol tank) Color Preferred: Black or Silver
• Yamaha YBX (had great look and light weight) Color: The default black with blue stickering
• Hero Honda CBZ – Color Preferred: Purple or Bottle Green

Tough Competition right?

Inspiration

Suddenly my dad and uncle was telling to go in for TVS as it is very reliable in south India especially Tamilnadu and I too thought how come I can forget TVS, since we have been using the power house TVS Champ (the blue color one, not XL) for almost 10 yrs now and still it’s in pristine condition.

So went to TVS (Suzuki) showroom again, but this time not looked at the Suzuki Fiero, saw my dream bike just launched with Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador with caption “More smiles per hour” what else they can keep for this sweet heart, it’s the all New TVS Victor, made indigenous by the TVS R&D team in Hosur and I felt almost love at first sight.

We booked in the first batch GL series in Sep 2001 2nd week and got the bike on 22nd Oct 2001 which was on Ayudha pooja, so my New bike joined the millions of other old bikes washed and decorated for the occasion.

Regrets

To be frank, I have not faced any issues with my Victor till date other than regular service and petrol filling, It has never left me in middle of the road other than some rare puncture happening.

But had some times regretted like why this Victor has not got a self start and alloy wheels/ disc brakes but has eventually came later in 2004 or 2005 as Victor Edge which is a failure, so that regret has also wiped off my mind.

Previous Bikes

My dad had a TVS Champ, so that was the only 2 wheeler I know from my family, other than that my uncle have owned RX100, I have drove both, But all the 3 bikes are good in their own way.

• TVS Champ – Good Commuter moped, best Mileage.
• Yamaha RX100 – 2 stroke, so Performance & Performance only.
• TVS Victor – 4 stroke commuter bike with both mileage and performance.

Details

We bought the victor for an on road price of 45,500/- from Chennai Motor (showroom closed later) at Virugambakkam, Victor is always known for its mileage, when it was new used to give around 65-70kmpl in city condition and gives around 80kmpl in highway (now gives average of 55-60kmpl).

The handling of Victor is always cutting the butter with a knife and it has some unique features in that point of time like the CDI centre locking, economy and power mode to choose your way of driving and the shock absorber is better than Apache I would say and it weight to height is very proportionate and suits my 6 feet structure quite ease.

Tours

What else can we do in weekends other than going around the stretches of the city and outskirts since we don’t have a car, Me along with my friends always go out in our bikes, so one is my Victor, and many friends of mine used to ride my bike and give their yucky kinetic Honda to me (just kidding) .

Me and my uncle regularly goto Thiruvannamalai, Pondicherry, Vallakottai, Thirusulam mountain, Thirupathi and many other places which my Victor takes up well and reached me home safely many times with “presatham” to my family and “more smiles per hour” to me.

Hero MotoCorp may buy Ducati

Recently there was news that Investindustrial which is owner of Ducati considering divesting its entire stake in Ducati. There was also news that M&M, BMW or Volkswagen may buy the same. But now a new name Hero Motocorp is added to the list of potential buyer. According to news reported by Bloomberg, Hero Motocorp is in talks with bankers about buying Ducati Motor Holding Spa. Hero Motocorp is interested in Ducati as it wants to set up its own R&D and it wants to expand its global footprint.

Pawan Kant Munjal, the managing director of Hero MotoCorp, said “Lots of people have been coming to us with Ducati: Not one banker but many bankers. We’re talking to a lot of people. Not just Ducati, whoever comes to us, we talk to them. We’ve been seen as a utility-bike maker, fuel-efficient bikes, and somebody who’s at the lower level of the market, who’s more small-town and rural-market focused. So our ambition is to become one of the biggest global two- wheeler players and to do that, you cannot only be in one small segment.”

It is to be noted that Hero Motocorp aims to export million units annually by 2015. After ending its Joint Venture with Honda Motor Corporaiton of Japan last year, Hero Motocorp is now scouting for new technology partner. Recently it has tied up with Eric Buell Racing and also intends to buy minority stake in the company.  It seems that we will see more and more acquisition from Hero Motocorp. in upcoming days.

Rajiv Bajaj recognized as the Best CEO Private Player by Forbes

Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Auto ltd. has been awarded Best CEO Private Player by Forbes. This is an award which is given for an outstanding leadership in the private sector. The CEO has to demonstrate strategic foresight and leadership to deliver superior performance over the past three years, prepared the organization for the next phase of growth and acted as catalyst for transforming organization.

In a related interview Mr. Bajaj said, “The best way to create brands is to create categories. Making a successful product is often a case of being original in a new segment. The successful offerings are the ones with the first mover advantage in newly created categories.”

This is not just a single award; Rajiv Bajaj has been also awarded following awards during the financial year 11-12.

• Forbes Leadership Awards – Best CEO Private Player
• NDTV Profit Business Leadership Award – Young Business Leader
• CNBC TV18 – Outstanding Business Leader of the Year
• Business Standard – CEO of the year

Under the leadership of Rajiv Bajaj, Bajaj Auto has been transformed from the scooter manufacturer to motorcycle manufacturer. It is also to be noted that the company has demonstrated outstanding performance for past three years after the financial year 2008-09 when the company had tough time due to the competition and global recession. Bajaj Auto has almost doubled the volumes from 2.2 million to 4.4 million, doubled the revenue from Rs. 10,000 crores to Rs. 20,000 crores and increased the profit after tax five times from Rs. 650 crores to Rs. 3,000 crores in the past three years. The company is now a global player with more than 35% revenue coming from the export. It also owns 40% stake in KTM.

Bajaj Auto may Launch all new Discover in the month of May

Bajaj Auto has started this year with the launch of KTM Duke 200 and it is all set to launch next generation Pulsar 200NS in the month of April 2012. But this is just the beginning of new launches lined up for this year. Rajiv Bajaj said in an interview with CNBC TV 18 that the company is all set to launch new commuter in the month of May. He said that Pulsar 200NS will be followed by the launch of all new motorcycle.

Here is the excerpt from the interview “ What I expect is this that the new Pulsar will be in market next month and another new one which is in the commuter segment, again an all new motorcycle that we really haven’t spoken about as yet will be in the market from May. Because these are both completely new products, they share nothing with the products we have been selling so far. It takes a little time for suppliers and for us to ramp up production by which I mean a month to two months.”

It is to be noted that Rajiv Bajaj did not mention the brand under which the all new motorcycle will be launched. However, there are good reasons to believe this will be the all new Discover. First this is a commuter segment motorcycle and Rajiv Bajaj already said that there will be only two brands they are focusing are Pulsar and Discover as far as sports and commuter segment concern. Second it cannot be brad Platina or Boxer as Platina is well established brand in entry level motorcycle and it is now doing 50,000 units a month business which is showing growth of 45-50% compared to last year. Bajaj has already launched Boxer 150cc and even if it will launch Boxer 100cc it will not be all new motorcycle as Bajaj is already selling BM100 in the export market.

Third Rajiv Bajaj said that the new technology of triple spark eventually find its way on Discover. It may possible that all new Discover will have this technology if not this, it is highly possible that it will come with four valve technology. Fourth, it cannot be Pulsar as Bajaj Auto has already launched Pulsar 200NS. Fifth, with the launch of Discover 150cc, the industry saw a new sports commuter segment. Currently this segment is expanding at brisk space. There are only two motorcycles Yamaha SZ and Discover 150cc which are clocking good amount of numbers. It may possible that Bajaj Auto launch all new Discover in this segment to further strengthen its position.

We first time stated in our article of upcoming motorcycle launches in 2012that all new Discover will find its way in 2012. However, we will see that under which brand Bajaj Auto will launch its new motorcycle.

Hero MotoCorp’s Performance for the Month of February 2012

Hero MotoCorp Ltd (HMCL) which is the world’s largest two – wheeler manufacturer, keeps consolidating its market leadership out here with a consistent five lakh plus sales every month.

Having begun the calendar year 2012 with more than 5.2 lakh sales in the month of January, the company today repeated the performance, despatching 5,23,465 units of two-wheelers in February. This is a growth of 11 per cent over February 2011, when the company had sold 4,72,055 units.

The cumulative sales of Hero MotoCorp in the period April’11-February’12, has now risen to 57,06,905 units, thereby already overtaking its total sales of 5.4 million of last fiscal (2010-11), with one full month to go. The cumulative volumes of 5.7 million this year so far is a growth of 16.8 per cent over the corresponding period last fiscal (April’10-February’11), when the company had sold 48,86,592 units.

Hero MotoCorp is also set to further strengthen its steadily growing presence in the gearless scooter segment with the roll out of the 110cc scooter which is the “Maestro” in the month of February. Priced at INR 44,000 (Ex-showroom, New Delhi), “Maestro” – the company’s first scooter under the new ‘Hero’ brand name, will be available at dealerships across the country in six exciting colours – Panther Black, Blazing Red, Pearl White, Electric Blue, Harvest Green & Force Silver.

Mr. Anil Dua, Senior Vice-President (Marketing & Sales), Hero MotoCorp said, “Our multi-pronged initiatives continue to yield results. We have been consistently clocking over five lakh units in sales. And our performance in the first two months – January and February – has maintained that trend in both dispatch and retail sales. Our ‘Billion Voices’ campaign, focusing on customer-generated content, has evoked huge interest, with our fans uploading their videos from all across the country.

“Our two recent launches under the new ‘Hero’ brand name have stuck the right chord with the customers. The 150cc on-road off-road bike ‘Impulse’ is steadily adding to our volumes. Meanwhile, we have also launched ‘Maestro’ – our new scooter targeted at young males. Our current scooter Pleasure – specifically targeted at women customers - has helped expand the scooter market, and is already clocking over 38,000 units on an average every month. Now with the launch of ‘Maestro’, we are confident of further increasing our presence in the gearless scooter market,” Mr. Dua added.

Hero MotoCorp last month announced a strategic partnership with Eric Buell Racing (EBR) of USA. As per the partnership, the company will receive support in terms of cutting-edge technology and design to develop future models. This alliance is in line with Hero MotoCorp’s objective of further developing its own in-house R&D capabilities by leveraging a network of strategic international alliances.

Through this alliance, Hero MotoCorp will also for the first time enter the exciting world of international motorcycle racing. The company will mark its foray into the racing arena by sponsoring two teams: Team Hero and AMSOIL Hero - a first by any Indian two-wheeler company at the AMA Pro Racing National Guard Superbikes Championship. Popular young racer Danny Eslick will represent “Team Hero” while another well-known racer Geoff May will represent team AMSOIL Hero – both riding on EBR 1190RS bikes.

The first race is scheduled at the Daytona Speedway, at Daytona beach, Florida, USA between March 15^th & 17^th, this year.

Meanwhile, Hero MotoCorp has been winning accolades from different quarters. The CRM programme of the company, “Hero Good Life” received the prestigious AIMIA Award at the 5^th Loyalty Awards 2012 in the automotive sector last month.

Karizma ZMR 11000 KMs Ownership Review by Benny

Hi Friends My Name Is Benny Abhilash I Am From Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh My Age Is 17 At the Age OF 16 I Bought My Angel ZMR. It’s been a long time since I bought ZMR and the love for this bike is just increasing everyday.

Today after completing 11,100 kms in about 14 months it’s time for me to pen down how my experience has been on riding my Karizma ZMR. After munching miles after miles on my ZMR I can proudly say that this bike has been an excellent companion for me where ever I travelled so far.

It’s sheer presence, huge size, superb metallic paint job, FI engine, higher displacement were the key facotrs which made me pursue this ‘Grand tourer’ I had options like R15 & P220 but since I m 6’2 feet tall, It was uncomfortable for me for riding R15 and felt it will become difficult for long distant travelling on R15 as I needed more relaxed position bike. P220 was also looking as a good option but not reliable enough in my eyes hence, I decided to go for ZMR.

Headlight Issue

For someone like me who does a lot of rides on bike I always felt the need of switching over to Projector Headlight with HID which I bought from MXSMotosport.com which will give me better vision at night. With the stock bulb your visibility in dark is very low.

Mileage

At a cost of over 1 Lakh rupees, ZMR is slightly overpriced if you compare it with other bikes in this segment. However if you plan to use the bike for a long time then this price will be justified because of the wonderful mileage this bike returns. I have always managed to get an efficiency of 48+ at highway and 45+ in city which makes it the most fuel efficient premium Indian motorcycle mainly because of the PGM-FI. I Have Changed My Spark Plug (NGK Iridium) & A K&N Air FIlter (R-1100).

It is definitely above all in terms of mileage and the RTMI [Real Time Mileage Indicator] another feature in the bike is very useful if you want to keep a check on how you are faring on the mileage at your current speed. Though this feature is more helpful if you are riding at a constant speed. Talking about features, one of features is the digital intrument cluster which has all the information you need starting with welcome message where you can add your name. Nice touch I would say.

Engine Performance

This is the primary part of any review and surely Karizma never fails to impress in this part. Having 17.6 bhp with a 223 cc engine this bike can hit 0-60 with in 3.7 seconds and can hit a top speed of 132 (126 claimed by Hero Honda). With effective gear ratios I am sure your Karizma ZMR can also touch 130 as mine. Overtaking is the easiest job when you are on this bike, shift down the gear, increase the throttle little and you will fly past others, few seconds later other bikes vanish from your rear view mirror too! I would call it as “Karizma Power”.

The “programmed electronic open loop fuel injector” adds more power to this Horse. The addition of six sensors has added refinement to the engine and hats off to Hero Honda for those! The MRF tyres provide good grip while cornering extremely. The quality of the engine can be felt from 3-6 rpm (fantastic smoothness). The ZMR Gives A Power Of 17.6BHP @ 7000RPM And A Peak Torque Of 18.35NM @6000RPM.

Suspension

ZMR’s suspension is wonderful and this bike can be taken anywhere because of the telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers in front and GRS (Gas Reservior) at the rear which provides great comfort to rider and pillion. I Think That Mono Suspension Would Be Better.

Ergonomics

After years of riding on this machine, I can say that it is very easy and comfortable to ride this bike because of its seating arrangement. The up right position is a boon for riders who are into long distance touring.

Digital Console

The digital console in ZMR is unique. It Starts with a personalized message and ends with a ‘BYE’. It’s like the bike is maintaining a relationship with the owner. A light glows if there is any problem in the fuel injected engine, this I think is a step ahead than the other bikes. This console is a treat to eyes after sun.

Technology

• The bike has PGMFI engine, so better mileage & a smoother ride.
• The suspension is very comfortable; GRS is what Hero Honda have termed it.
• The digital speedometer console is undoubtedly the best on any Bike available in India Under 500cc as per my observation. 2 Trip meters, clock, welcome message with your name, adds a nice touch, last 10 secs fuel average in kmpl. Easily viewable in day light as well.
• Disk brakes at both front and rear.
• Tubeless Tyres.
• Sensor: 7 types- crank position, oil, throttle, air intake, etc. Totally awesome!
• Lights are good looking and illumination is decent, rear one’s are LED.

Pros

• The bike is well built, the paint is good, the plastics are of good quality, and it’s a head turner.
• The suspension is on a softer side thus can absorb the potholes quite easily without any concerns.
• The ride position is just awesome; you won’t feel stressed even after long rides.
• The power is Okay, it can take you 0-100 kmph quite comfortably without letting you know.
• The 5 speed gear shift is smooth; the engine is the smoothest I have ever driven (at all RPM’s).
• The balance of bike is excellent.
• Fuel injection engine give smoother ride and better mileage as well. It give 35-40 Kmpl, any way you ride.
• Longer seat length, Split seat isn’t there, I feel, this is better, practically, if tripling is to be done at some point of time, (although not advisable).

Cons

• The top speed isn’t that great, although you can cruise at 110-120 kmph for all day long.
• The bike suspension is on a softer side, so isn’t made for track surface.
• May be bulkier for shorter people, it’s quite huge in size.
• Tyres could have been broader, given the fact that every other manufacturer is giving it now.

Verdict

If you are looking for head turner, if you are looking a comfortable bike, if you looking for refined engine, good handling, decent mileage then ZMR is the one. Just ride it once and feel the difference!