In this review I will try my best to dispel the common myths surrounding sports bikes using the example of the only Indian sports bike, Karizma(or ZMA) as there r many guys who simply refuse to grow up. Well, ZMA may not be actually called a sports bike strictly coz sports bike come with 250cc mills and above. But its close enough to qualify.
In the west, bikes r seen as a luxury and cars as a necessity. Here, it’s the other way round where bikes rule the roads. Not that they offer any riding pleasure, speed, stability or aero-dynamism. But what they offer is a good fuel economy more than anything else. I am glad the mindset is changing slowly and surely.
Of late, I have become really fascinated with bikes. No, its not the Dhoom effect. (It sucks when ppl feel that everyone is influenced by watching John Abraham. Hell, I didn't even watch the movie) It is a new found passion for travel and adventure and what better to do that on a nice touring bike like ZMA. I hate being caged in a box which makes the journey bland and boring as a doctor's waiting room. I like to soak in the sights and smells of the surroundings.
Ppl have a lot of misconceptions about ZMA and sports bikes in general and typical questions thrown by skeptics at u r:
- Why should one go for a high end bike when petrol prices r on the climb?
Well, how many times have I heard this question mostly coming from guys who splurge on mobile phones and parties and what not. In the end, they would be shelling out more than the slight differential of the mileages between a good bike and a mediocre one.
It’s a law of nature power goes up, the fuel economy dips. Power is not magic which is generated out the blue. ZMA's economy is still good given the calibre of the bike. One has to decide his priorities. Ppl in India want 100 kmpl. They should go for CD100. For me the mileage is secondary given the great riding experience it offers. One has to be prudent to balance the finances instead of blaming the govt. in the process for hiking the petrol prices by a few Rs/ltr. Ppl get all freaked out at a 2 Rs hike. Let’s do the math here. Let’s assume that at worst ZMA gives an avg. of 25kms. So 4ltrs per 100kms. So its 8Rs/100kms! So instead of say 200 Rs, they now pay 208 Rs per 100kms. Now a commuter giving 50-60 as the average will mean that he has to pay 104 Rs instead of 208. Big deal? Do u travel 100kms in a day? I do travel 100kms in a day on highways. The average is anyways higher on highways, right?
Even if somebody would have, with all his good intention, said that burning fuel puts a drain on the natural resources, I would have bought that.
I invariably get questions on the signal, ‘Average kya deti hai’. I tell them it gives anything between 30-50 kms depending on the terrain and density of vehicles and they go, ‘Sirf itna hi?’ The poor guy didn’t know that his Activa gives lesser avg than ZMA. I don't understand this ‘know-it-all’ attitude that ppl put on. I owned a Passion before and it gave me just 55 if I was lucky.
- What is the use of so much speed if one can’t reach it?
Agreed, in India traffic moves at a snail’s pace. Let me tell u, nobody in their right minds drives at insane speeds in any city in the world. One has to ride them on highways. Just that in India the cutoff safe max speed on most highways would be around 120 whereas abroad, it would be 200+ So its up to u if u want a bike which strains to takeover even a rickshaw.
Its about choice too.
- What is the practicality of a high end bike on Indian roads??
A sports bike offers a greater kerb weight, broad tyres and aerodynamic design which aids in stability on bad roads. The handling and tarmac-hugging capabilities of ZMA r exceptional. Its rock stable even at 100+ speeds and many times I had to look into the speedo just to see what speed I was cruising on after noticing the tiny four wheelers in my rear view mirror disappear in a blink The reclining posture absorbs more shocks and unless u r predisposed towards backaches, its absolutely spine-friendly. The disc brakes require just a finger or two to be responsive. Best in its class I would say.
- Why is the front faring so exaggerated and why doesn’t it stay fixed?
The front fairing is there for a purpose and not just show. It is fixed so that
1.The headlight beam doesn’t dance much over bumpy roads, so that the target stays visible. 2.It eases the handling as one doesn’t need to move the whole fairing together while taking turns. 3.I had no problems while taking turns in the night. The focus is always in the direction u r intend to turn. Remember the bike has to turn too and not just the headlight to see what’s ahead. 4.The fairing design cuts through air providing least resistance to ur body. I think it works wonderfully well. And no, I don’t feel its exaggerated. Instead, its ‘half-naked’ for good reason: to cool off the engine at high speeds.
- Why r the tyres so skinny?
Agreed, they r not the same ones u see on Valentino Rossi’s Yamaha. For those u will require a 1000cc monster engine. The wider the tyres, the more the friction and hence lesser the performance. Simple.
The front tyres have a good balance of straight line stability as well as handling and the rear ones r grippy. Btw, they r wider than CBZ’s or pulsar’s stock tyres. Anyways, one can always trade 2-3% performance for slightly wider tyres.
6.There is no crashgaurd. Why?
No sports bike has a crash guard. If u think u need one, then u better take a hard look at ur riding skills.
Ppl won’t wear helmets, but complain of not having a crashguard! So they might as well take a blow on their skull than their knees. Maybe, their brains r in their knees.
7.Why does the 225cc mill churn out 17 bhps instead of 23 bhps with similar displacement on most bikes?
Yes, 23 bhps or maybe more power is desired of 225cc bikes. But they r usually powered by twin cylinders. A single cylinder can deliver only so much power. Maybe it coul be pushed to 19-20 at the most. Anyways, the engine power can be enhanced by performance mods like using K&N filter, jetting, exhaust, engine timing etc. But as it stands, ZMA is the best powered bike having the least taxed engine in India currently. The torque and power curves speak for themselves. 0-60kms dash in just 3.8 secs! It hardly breaks a sweat even at the sustained max speeds for cruising on highways making it a perfect touring bike for Indian conditions. Bullets lose out on the pick-up, but comes close to the max speeds which is meant to be a cruiser anyways.
8.Why didn’t I go for Bullet? It offers such style and machismo?
Bullet bikes r horribly antiquated with a World War 2 engine rattling and calling for attention like a baby. It’s a white elephant to say the least. Style should go with substance as well. Its horrendous sounds reminds me of a diesel generator. So much for shelling out a lakh on this piece of junk. Can’t understand bulleteers. Sorry.
Anyway, u should not call the Bullet ‘fart-machines’ same as u don’t call the Japs bikes ‘Plastic boys’.
9.Why didn’t I go for a car instead? Don’t u think its overpriced?
No thanks, I prefer owning a Mercedes of bikes on Indian roads than a Maruti 800 like puny car. Anyway, I do share a car between me and my dad. I hate to be inside the box when I could glide past vehicles in traffic. I have noticed a significant improvement in my average commuting times to the office at peak hours after getting ZMA. Its reduced by half as what it used to take me by car!
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