Hero Karizma XMR 210: What We Know So Far

[UPDATE: Hero has launched the Karizma XMR in India. It looks muscular, attractive and packs a punch! Check it out here]

With its Honda VFR800-based looks and CRF230L engine, the ‘Hero Honda’ Karizma was THE bike to have when it launched in 2003. However, its success made Hero complacent, such its iterations over the next decade, despite it gaining fuel injection and 1.5PS, were forgettable at best. 

Hero then tried to remount the supersport bandwagon with the HX250R, showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo. But the bubble of EBR’s Indian innings burst before the HX250 ever materialised. 

And now, two decades after the Karizma’s initial launch, Hero is once again gunning for the supersport/sport tourer crown!

Brand new platform

Last year when we spotted the Xpulse 400 being tested in Ladakh, there was another fully faired bike testing alongside. And because the Xpulse had a 400cc engine, we assumed the supersport bike would have the same one as well.

But then just a month or so ago, we chanced upon a trademark application from Hero under the name ‘Karizma XMR 210’. And since Hero already has a 200cc engine which it employs in the Xpulse 200 4V and Xpulse 200T 4V, this one will be a brand new liquid-cooled mill, with numbers at par with Bajaj/KTM’s 200 range.

Modern equipment

Besides the engine, the upcoming Karizma XMR will have quite a few new bits, which we deduced from the pre-production bikes spotted testing earlier. 

Starting from the front, it’ll have a new, wider LED headlight, an evolution of the one on the Xtreme 200S, somewhat resembling that on the Kawasaki Ninja 400. The indicators and taillight are also LED units. Next, the slightly high-set clip-on handlebars and somewhat rear-set footpegs will impart a comfortable, yet sporty riding stance. Moreover, the wide tyres and petal disc brakes mean both strong braking as well as nimble handling. 

We reckon the Karizma XMR will get a fully digital console – a more advanced version of the one on the Xtreme 160R – possibly with Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation. 

Summing up

Judging by the fact that the test mules we saw looked almost like pre-production units, the Karizma XMR 210 could launch by July or August 2023. And keeping Hero in mind, we expect an ex-showroom price tag of approximately Rs 1.75 lakh enough to undercut its rivals.