The Hero Karizma XMR was recently launched in India, claiming to be the most powerful motorcycle in its segment but is it really the case? We put its specifications up against a bunch of potential rivals to see how the Karizma XMR stacks up in the company of the Bajaj RS200, Yamaha YZF R15 V4, KTC RC 200 and the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250.
Also Read: Hero Karizma XMR First Ride Review
Also Read: Hero Karizma XMR Launched In India
| Specifications | Hero Karizma XMR | KTM RC 200 | Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 | Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 | Yamaha R15 V4 |
| Displacement | 210 cc | 199.5 cc | 199.5 cc | 249 cc | 155 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 4-valve DOHC | Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 4-valve DOHC | Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 4-valve DOHC | Single-cylinder, air/oil-cooled 2-valve SOHC | Single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 4-valve SOHC |
| Max Power | 25.15 bhp at 9,250 rpm | 25.47 bhp at 10,000 rpm | 24.13 bhp at 9,750 rpm | 26.13 bhp at 9,300 rpm | 18.10 bhp at 10,000 rpm |
| Peak Torque | 20.4 Nm at 7,250 rpm | 19.5 Nm at 8,000 rpm | 18.7 Nm at 8,000 rpm | 22.2 Nm at 7,300 rpm | 14.2 Nm at 7,500 rpm |
| Gearbox | 6-speed gearbox with slip & assist clutch | 6-speed gearbox | 6-speed gearbox | 6-speed gearbox | 6-speed gearbox |
The Hero Karizma XMR sure packs in a solid punch, generating more power and torque than the likes of the R15 V4 and the Pulsar RS 200. In fact, its torque output is the second highest after the Gixxer SF 250 and it comes at comparatively lower revs too. All engines in this comparison are high-revving engines and the Hero puts out marginally lesser power than the RC 200 and the Gixxer SF 250. Plus, the motorcycle also sees a bunch of ‘firsts’ from Hero MotoCorp such as liquid-cooled engine, 6-speed gearbox and a dual overhead camshaft configuration. Yes, Hero is sort of late to the performance party.
Also Read: Hero Karizma XMR First Ride Review
| Specifications | Hero Karizma XMR | KTM RC 200 | Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 | Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 | Yamaha R15 V4 |
| Chassis Type | Steel trellis frame | Steel trellis frame | Perimeter frame | Diamond frame | Deltabox frame |
| Front Suspension | 37 mm telescopic fork | WP Apex 43 mm USD | Telescopic front fork | Telescopic front fork | KYB upside down fork |
| Rear Suspension | Monoshock, 6-step pre-load adjustment | WP Apex monoshock | Monoshock | Monoshock | Link-type monocross |
| Seat Height | 810 mm | 824 mm | NA | 800 mm | 815 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 160 mm | 158 mm | 157 mm | 165 mm | 170 mm |
| Fuel Capacity | 11 litres | 13.7 litres | 13 litres | 12 litres | 11 litres |
| Kerb Weight | 163.5 kg | 151 kg (dry) | 166 kg | 161 kg | 141 kg |
Now, the Yamaha R15 V4 is the lightest motorcycle here and also quite performance-oriented, getting a Deltabox frame and KYB USDs. Similarly, the KTM RC 200 gets 43 mm WP Apex USDs and is oriented towards offering good performance.
The Karizma XMR is the second heaviest motorcycle here, which lowers its power-to-weight ratio and in terms of sheer practicality, it gets the smallest fuel tank.
| Specifications | Hero Karizma XMR | KTM RC 200 | Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 | Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 | Yamaha R15 V4 |
| Front Tyre | 100/80-17 tubeless | 110/70-17 tubeless | 100/80-17 tubeless | 110/70-17 tubeless | 100/80-17 tubeless |
| Rear Tyre | 140/70-17 tubeless | 150/60-17 tubeless | 130/70-17 tubeless | 150/60-17 tubeless | 140/70-17 tubeless |
| Front Brake | 300 mm petal disc | 320 mm disc | 300 mm disc | 300 mm disc | 282 mm disc |
| Rear Brake | 230 mm petal disc | 230 mm disc | 230 mm disc | 220 mm disc | 220 mm disc |
All five motorcycles in this comparison get front and rear disc brakes along with dual-channel ABS as standard. The KTM RC 200 goes a step above and offers supermoto ABS. All motorcycles are also shod with 17-inch tubeless tyres. The RC 200 has the biggest disc brakes while the R15 V4 has the smallest disc brakes.
The Karizma XMR comes loaded with features like a digital LCD screen, turn-by-turn navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, full LED lighting, USB port and an adjustable windscreen, which is a first for the segment. The RC 200 gets a colour LCD screen while the Gixxer SF 250 and the Pulsar RS200 fall behind a bit with features.
| Prices | Hero Karizma XMR | KTM RC 200 | Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 | Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 | Yamaha R15 V4 |
| Ex-showroom, Delhi | Rs. 1.73 lakh | Rs. 2.18 lakh | Rs. 1.72 lakh | Rs. 1.81 lakh to Rs. 2.05 lakh | Rs. 1.82 lakh to Rs. 1.87 lakh |
Introductory pricing for the Karizma XMR is set at Rs. 1.73 lakh, which will be increased to Rs. 1.83 lakh in the near future. Prices for the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 range from Rs. 1.81 lakh to Rs. 2.05 lakh and prices for the Yamaha YZF R15 range from Rs. 1.82 lakh to Rs. 1.87 lakh. The Bajaj Pulsar RS200 is priced at Rs. 1.72 lakh while the KTM RC 200 is priced at Rs. 2.18 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi. The Pulsar is the most affordable, but by just a small margin, while the KTM is the most expensive.
So yes, the Hero Karizma XMR does seem to have good potential to do well in the 200 cc segment. And don’t forget, it also has to contend with rivals in the 200 cc naked sport segment.
