If a recent report is to be believed, Hero Karizma 200 can soon turn into a reality. The brand had earlier announced that the 200cc platform used under the Xtreme 200R will result in a total of four motorcycles. The upcoming launch of xPulse 200 and xPulse 200T still leaves one slot empty for the brand, pointing right towards the fully-faired Karizma 200 with a potential to rival both Bajaj Pulsar 220F and RS 200 in its segment. Hero has not yet revealed any official plans for this development but sharing the design lines with now-extinct HX250R can help them save a lot on design and equipment development.
The fully-faired motorcycle with Karizma 200 moniker has more chances of being a hit product than the existing Karizma ZMR V2 model. The first reason is the reduction in cost as Suzuki Gixxer and Gixxer SF also carry a price difference of around INR 9000 between them. Hero MotoCorp can keep the new model safely around INR 1 lakh and retail the same against more modern options. If they plan to add fuel injection to the setup, the cost will further rise by a considerable margin. They even charge INR 4200 for fuel injection in the new Glamour.
This still keeps a lot of potential for the Karizma 200. The old 220cc engine may not even make it to the BS6 league of bikes while the modern 199cc motor has been designed by keeping the upcoming emission norms in mind. The use of fuel injection on Karizma 200 will add the much-needed refinement in a lightweight faired motorcycle. Also, the addition of ABS to the package, that too without taking the price tag into some other dimension, will make the new Karizma 200 more affordable than Pulsar 220F by INR 10,000. The potential for this product is definitely higher than all other sportbikes in the lineup.
