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Old 12th August 2008, 21:28   #16
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I get bet 35-38 constantly on my 2yr old ZMA with normal riding. Have stretched to 42kmpl on the the highway. its not that bad on mileage like people talk about.
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Old 12th August 2008, 22:19   #17
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My ZMA just ticked over 1200 km today. I have not got anything below 31kpl thus far.

But I am bracing for that shocker of a day when it turns out to be 25-26 kpl

I use it as a daily commuter...occasionaly ripping and planning to restart my long weekend rides..
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Old 12th August 2008, 22:23   #18
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Well i wouldnt say thats the smartest decision you have taken. The zma though still a very good bike is not something one would buy at a time when the EXPLOSION is finally taking place. I've ridden the rtr Fi and found it a very good bike.But in the end its your choice.i own a 2002 zma btw.
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Old 12th August 2008, 22:58   #19
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Thanks for all the info and input guys i really appreciate it!
Even though i like the RTR Fi very much there is no going back to it solely due to the attitude of the dealers and the delay in the availability. If the RTR was available off the shelf at a different dealer i would've gone for it. But Karizma is not all that bad either and friends who has owned the bike only have good things to say about it. I might have to get used to the length of the bike but then Bullet is not too short in length either and i daily ride it in the traffic.

Another important thing is the long term usability quotient as i plan to keep the bike for three years minimum and Honda reliability should see me through (but Techno 8 grands for the plastic pieces!! glad they brought it down!) it plus it's a bit more upmarket and seems to be more comfortable for the pillion on a long run than on an Apache. Can i call the Karizma a bit more mature than the Apache?

Once the Kari comes the Bullet would be converted back into stock running setup. And i'll try to fix the soullessness of the Kari First on the cards is a free flow filter and a 28mm Dellorto carb and that should tart it up a little bit!

The bike costs 80500 here at Trivandrum and it is 7k more expensive than the Apache. Why not R15, well SB it's way too much outside of my motorcycling budget!

Balenopower, the Kari may not be the brightest of my decisions, but the fact is there is no other bike in my current budget which is a good alternative, Pulsar 220 is out of question as i'm not very comfortable with Bajaj's build quality and reliability over a long period of time. The probiking showroom guy himself told nobody buys 200 or 220 to keep for more than two years. He may be wrong or right, but what struck me is that the Bajaj salesman himself has in his head that no one buys the big Pulsies to keep for long.

All of you who have owned/own the Karizma could you please tell me what you like the most about the bike and what you hate the most? And have you experienced any serious issues related to engine or electrics? How would you raate the bike on reliability on a scale of ten?
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Old 12th August 2008, 23:36   #20
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Smarter move,Shankar. Karizma has its own charm even after so many years.Its rider's bike in my opinion,feels more complete.

But i got the news HH is launching a 250 and 280cc really soon?

Last edited by noidaboy : 12th August 2008 at 23:38.
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Old 12th August 2008, 23:41   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Technocrat View Post
Sankar: I would not advice ZMA to any one for city commuting for following reasons:

Mileage: best I ever got was 35 normal was 30-31 worst was 27.

Its long bike & at times difficult to manouever in tight spots

The rear panels are pathetic you wont need to bang your bike for them to break, one pothole is enough & they are expensive(1st gen's costed 8xx per piece, 2nd gen later costs 650 per piece) I changed them thrice

Since you already have bullet go something which will have a good mixture of mileage & performance which the FI has. In the longer run Mileage does matter specially with these weird fuel pricing policies


Having said that its a beautiful bike with an amazing engine(took my 5k not serviced only oil changed bike to Hyderabad & came back next day The ride (When Lonavla Became Hyderabad :D) ) & the most comfy ride posture for long rides & awesome handler.

Just like any Honda nothing breaks but when it does you pay heavily for spares.

I hope this helps, if you need more info let me know
there is something seriously wrong with you bike or riding style(no offence meant) on my bike i normally get 38-40 and with little careful riding i can even get 45 but can't control the throttle that much, my office is 14kms one way and it takes around 45mins to me, there are no free roads and i travel through almost middle of chennai so you can understand .....

About maintainance i haven't spend much on the bike. usual oil change(i change it every 1k kms) apart from that i have changed accelerator cable(one cable was broken, there are two accelerator wires in ZMA not redundant but bcoz of carb) and brake pads once .....

about the panel quality you are partially right, yeah quality is quit ****ty but it doesn't break on pothole.

for normal commuting i feel very much comfortable in ZMA, one of my fren has apache and i find ZMA better. never found any problem with bikes length it handles wonderfully.

till date bike runs like new, i have done 18k kms and still there are no vibration throughout the rev range, almost daily i rev it to red line in second gear till i can feel the limiter cut(on a certain flyover which always is empty) in but still engine is as smooth as the day i got it. and lots of low end torque means very less gear changes. again gearbox is one of the best ......

yeah parts are little expensive but again you know that you are paying for something that worth the price

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sankar View Post
Thanks for all the info and input guys i really appreciate it!
Even though i like the RTR Fi very much there is no going back to it solely due to the attitude of the dealers and the delay in the availability. If the RTR was available off the shelf at a different dealer i would've gone for it. But Karizma is not all that bad either and friends who has owned the bike only have good things to say about it. I might have to get used to the length of the bike but then Bullet is not too short in length either and i daily ride it in the traffic.

Another important thing is the long term usability quotient as i plan to keep the bike for three years minimum and Honda reliability should see me through (but Techno 8 grands for the plastic pieces!! glad they brought it down!) it plus it's a bit more upmarket and seems to be more comfortable for the pillion on a long run than on an Apache. Can i call the Karizma a bit more mature than the Apache?

Once the Kari comes the Bullet would be converted back into stock running setup. And i'll try to fix the soullessness of the Kari First on the cards is a free flow filter and a 28mm Dellorto carb and that should tart it up a little bit!

The bike costs 80500 here at Trivandrum and it is 7k more expensive than the Apache. Why not R15, well SB it's way too much outside of my motorcycling budget!

Balenopower, the Kari may not be the brightest of my decisions, but the fact is there is no other bike in my current budget which is a good alternative, Pulsar 220 is out of question as i'm not very comfortable with Bajaj's build quality and reliability over a long period of time. The probiking showroom guy himself told nobody buys 200 or 220 to keep for more than two years. He may be wrong or right, but what struck me is that the Bajaj salesman himself has in his head that no one buys the big Pulsies to keep for long.

All of you who have owned/own the Karizma could you please tell me what you like the most about the bike and what you hate the most? And have you experienced any serious issues related to engine or electrics? How would you raate the bike on reliability on a scale of ten?
Well i have take TR of RTR, bike is good no doubt about that but engine feels quit strained after 5000rpm, also riding position is not exactly you will need for daily commuting .

pros zma will be
Smooth engine till rev limiter cuts in
gearbox
riding posture .... best for city or highway
very reliable
front brakes (best till date i used after CBZ, being nissin ..... all other disks i have used on indian bikes are like binary brakes works like switch either on or off but nissins are very progressive )
clutch again very progressive unlike many other indian bikes
low end torque

cons
underpowered for 223cc :( you will feel on highways ...... can do 100-110 but after that loses grunt max i have done is 135 something on speedo)
not as fuel efficient as the other bikes in category
poor seats
poor rear brakes


EDIT; one more thing i would to add is take 2-3 test rides and decide. i will not suggest to change the desicion

Last edited by Rahulkool : 13th August 2008 at 00:01.
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Old 12th August 2008, 23:52   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rahulkool View Post
there is something seriously wrong with you bike or riding style(no offence meant) on my bike i normally get 38-40 and with little careful riding i can even get 45 but can't control the throttle that much, my office is 14kms one way and it takes around 45mins to me, there are no free roads and i travel through almost middle of chennai so you can understand .....

About maintainance i haven't spend much on the bike. usual oil change(i change it every 1k kms) apart from that i have changed accelerator cable(one cable was broken, there are two accelerator wires in ZMA not redundant but bcoz of carb) and brake pads once .....

about the panel quality you are partially right, yeah quality is quit ****ty but it doesn't break on pothole.

for normal commuting i feel very much comfortable in ZMA, one of my fren has apache and i find ZMA better. never found any problem with bikes length it handles wonderfully.

till date bike runs like new, i have done 18k kms and still there are no vibration throughout the rev range, almost daily i rev it to red line in second gear till i can feel the limiter cut(on a certain flyover which always is empty) in but still engine is as smooth as the day i got it. and lots of low end torque means very less gear changes. again gearbox is one of the best ......

yeah parts are little expensive but again you know that you are paying for something that worth the price
totally true. you just stole my words. I use my bike mostly in the city and believe me its quite easy to cut through the traffic though its long it doesn't feel so when you are riding it handles like a dream and to top it all the gearbox is just great. Infact I can say its quite a good city bike cause you don't have to keep shifting gears. Don't worry you wont regret on your decision.

Last edited by sidd_city : 12th August 2008 at 23:54.
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Old 13th August 2008, 00:04   #23
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i just posted half line in the above post and clicked on post lol and after that was not able to edit it ....

well wat i wanted to say is

"one more thing i would to add is take 2-3 test rides and decide. i will not suggest to change the decision just because of the dealer. "
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Old 13th August 2008, 00:47   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sankar View Post
I called up TVS dealers at Trivandrum (Anton TVS) and Cochin (Cochin TVS) yesterday. Trivandrum guy tells me that it will take another 2 weeks for the vehicles to come. At the same Cochin chap tells me that a lot has come but i won't be having a vehicle allocated from that lot.

Today went to Anton TVS to cancel my booking and the guy suddenly changes pitch and tells that vehicle will come within 4 days but i said i'm canceling anyways. I told them that i'm buying a karizma and hearing this they start to tell me Kari is bad it's a flop etc etc. i told them that they need not bother with the karizma and i shall bother with it.

I sent my friend to Cochin TVS to cancel the booking and suddenly they're ready to give me the Bike then and there in the colour of my choice. I told him to cancel anyways.
rtr to zma. quite a shift. anyway its not like it cant be done as long as you like what the zma can offer. whatever you decide, go for it with full force.

on the rtr booking and delivery delay, i would not blame the dealers so much. obviously they want to close a sale. so when you threaten them that you would cancel, they will find a way to get you a bike that may not have come originally for you. perhaps that bike would have come for someone who would accept delays in delivery. they can bull**** him into telling him that his bike is delayed and then give that bike to you. this way they keep you and him still as their customer.

so do not blame the dealer or staff cos after all they want sales at any cost. am not justifying their behaviour or what they did but rather just putting forth a probable counter point.
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Old 13th August 2008, 01:17   #25
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Sankar! didn't know that. Will call you tomorrow. BTW Karizma is not a bad choice either. It is the bike I found more comfy and relaxed other than my Bull 500, especially for touring. What Techno said is true (Rahulkool , here I second Techno). Though a bull or Kari can be easily ridden in city traffic, they are not the best bikes for it. They have long chassis design, longer wheel base, relaxed riding postures, comparitively less FE which suits for long rides than commuting. Though I use my Bull 500 for daily commuting (which gives only 25 kmpl), I still am with an opinion that these bike are not meant for city commuting, where Pulsars and RTR score better.

But I would still request Sankar to check with some other dealers as well. In my opinion, as you have a bull, the best second bike for you which is now in the market and fits your budget will be RTR FI. I am saying this based on your riding style, your needs for a second bike et all.
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Old 13th August 2008, 06:17   #26
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Please think of RTR Fi again. Because with karizma, all parts cost the earth. Unlike the unicorn say. And given the RTR's reliability, there's no reason to doubt the FE. And with a lower weight, it'll still give the ZMA a decent run for its money.

Or wait for the Menace
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Old 13th August 2008, 06:31   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sankar View Post

Once the Kari comes the Bullet would be converted back into stock running setup. And i'll try to fix the soullessness of the Kari First on the cards is a free flow filter and a 28mm Dellorto carb and that should tart it up a little bit!
That might really push down the mileage.... but anyways, while you're at it, get some good engine oil too.

Rode a bike with similar mods.... it was a good improvement . But, most importantly, it sounded much better, in that it actually made some pleasant noise.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Sankar View Post
Balenopower, the Kari may not be the brightest of my decisions, but the fact is there is no other bike in my current budget which is a good alternative, Pulsar 220 is out of question as i'm not very comfortable with Bajaj's build quality and reliability over a long period of time. The probiking showroom guy himself told nobody buys 200 or 220 to keep for more than two years. He may be wrong or right, but what struck me is that the Bajaj salesman himself has in his head that no one buys the big Pulsies to keep for long.
Yep, Pulsar's are definitely not as long-lasting as the other bikes. Moreover, the quality is not consistent, meaning some bikes are superb, and others keep giving problems and don't perform well.

Last edited by islero : 13th August 2008 at 06:35.
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Old 13th August 2008, 06:40   #28
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My zma with 56K on odo has never seen anything below 26Kmpl which i got recently on a highway ride at constant crusing speeds 100-105,with speedo touching speeds of 120-130 quite often on straights.This is with a K&N and a 140 main jet.

During runining in i got 46kmpl
So 35-40kmpl can be achieved easily.
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Old 13th August 2008, 09:35   #29
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Quote:
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Rode a bike with similar mods.... it was a good improvement . But, most importantly, it sounded much better, in that it actually made some pleasant noise.
Lol... yes the Kari exhaust note is pathetic.

Reading all your inputs, fellows i'm feeling much more comfortable with my decision to go in for the Karizma. In fact it's not a bad decision at all!


Quote:
Originally Posted by redfire View Post
Though a bull or Kari can be easily ridden in city traffic, they are not the best bikes for it. They have long chassis design, longer wheel base, relaxed riding postures, comparitively less FE which suits for long rides than commuting. Though I use my Bull 500 for daily commuting (which gives only 25 kmpl), I still am with an opinion that these bike are not meant for city commuting, where Pulsars and RTR score better
Only reason why i find the Bullet not ideal for short distance intra city commuting is because it needs a lot of time to get to their optimal operating temperature and it's clutch et al is not very god for stop and go traffic. It does the engine bad especially with my style of riding. Kari or any other modern bike by virtue of it's modern engine design doesn't have these limitations. I have never found the length of the bike a limiting factor in traffic.

Karizma's wheelbase is only 5.5cm longer than the RTR Fi's
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Old 13th August 2008, 09:41   #30
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Congrats nice choice.

But somewhere deep down, I keep hearing a voice when I think of this thread.
It tells me this guy is buying this bike only because he feels that 2 years later he will get the chance of trying out a FI system on it.
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