^ in one word: YES.

You won't be disappointed. I wonder why you aren't even considering the R15 though (since it falls in the same price category)

Even i'm not pretty sure about that. It may be due to multiple factors: 1) R15 was a much hyped up bike and it was a big letdown due to lesser than expected power. 2) The bike looks pretty small, and after the bullet, i dont feel confident on small, light bikes. 3) I've always liked the Karizma and am of the general opinion that HH provides better quality. 4) Since i'll be riding more in the city more than on the highways, i felt the Karizma will be more comfortable. But I am starting to tilt a little towards the r15. I'm stuck between the R15 and the ZMR now. Life is becoming too complicated these days.

hey ,, even i m planning to get a bike for myself. i had searched out many forums. what i have concluded is that,,
though r15 is 150cc only yet it is much more stable then any other bike in india. gives you good mileage and an appreciable power.
i do looks a pretty small if you compare it with RE but it also gives you a sportier look while you are on it.
comparing HH with yamaha is very simple. yamaha is way too far as compared to HH. they have got engineers that can bring 33bhps out of 125cc (r125, released in european market; had read it somewhere). HH is new in FI systems. but r15 is somewhat not that appropriate for city riding. karizma gives you an upright sitting position whereas r15 makes you to lean towards the tank. some r15 owners say that it is difficult to get controls on the bike if you are stuck in some heavy traffic and requires shifting gears and braking frequently...

you can not find a bike with all pros and no cons..
choose the one where you can adjust yourself and suits you the best

Answers In bold

Shanz

no , r125 has always had around 15PS only . the only 125 cc to have 33ps when derestricted is a 2 stroke bike by aprillia .

Thats Aprillia RS125 which is capable of doing 175kmph!!!


Shanz

You cannot really compare the R15 with the ZMR. They are in two different categories. R15 is undoubtedly India's BEST small sports bike. Whereas the ZMR is a ZMA upgrade with with clip-ons, fi and an improved dash and a lot more plastic. On track, the R15 will run circles around the ZMR! But the ZMR would be more comfortable on long runs.

Among your 4 choices, the bike, based on ur requirements would be the Unicorn. It has the best ride comfort and stability among the 4. The seating position is like the Bullet, you can sit erect and drive the bike continously for 1 hour without any strain.
1. The bike has monoshock which is best for our roads
2. power delivery is steady and controlled.
3. The most refined and silent engine in its category. But above 80 speed, the vibrations, start to kick in.
4. A mileage of 55 plus is assured. In highways, it is around 65kmpl.
5. The ideal cruiser bike.

But this bike lacks the racing power of the other 3 and as you said, it is very common like the pulsar. So if you want a change and also more power and torque at your disposal, don't consider anything other than the r15. Don't worry about the size. It increases stability. YOu can also have the option to change the rear tyre of r15 to the 140/70 tyre of the fz . It is the best racing bike at the moment.

The zma is coming out to be a real cropper. It doesn't have anything to justify its 1lakh price tag. The older karizma r at 73000 is a much better choice for money. It performs more in the highways, other than busy cities.

from a previous Bullet rider:

Rant Alert!!!:
[ranting]
Could'nt go a test ride due to heavy rains in chennai. And my RE's condition is getting worse. Clutch is acting wierd, it becomes loose as soon as i press it. So the bike is refusing to stop unless i shift to neutral and changing gears is becoming tough as the lever refuses to budge without pressing the clutch fully. The engine switches off every few hundred metres and the kicker does not work unless i shift the gears to neutral, which is troublesome due to the faulty clutch (again). Then there are the problems of the dead horn, nearly dead headlights, nearly useless rear brake and a front disk brake that functions worse than a drum brake. I guess the bike on the verge of collapsing and so am I.
[/ranting]
Whew!!! thats a load off my chest.

Anyway, an incident happened today that shook up my confidence pretty much. The car in front of me hit the brakes suddenly. I did too, but the bike refused to stop. I tried swerving, but i guess it wasn't enough. The handlebar and the knee guard hit the car, and a bit of the car's indicator broke off. Luckily, the guy got scared and took off, so it didnt become a major issue. My bike leaned to the left and the gear pedal bent a little.
Not much damage, and none to me, but i was wondering if i had swerved a bit more, or perhaps if i'd reacted a bit faster, i may have avoided even that. And that made me question my riding skills. I've been riding only for 6 months, that too i've been riding on a daily basis for only the last 2-3 months. My experience with the normal bikes is nearly zero.
But i do have a few things to be proud of. I have been riding with the loose clutch for nearly 3 weeks, the horn hasn't been working for almost 3 months and brakes have been bad for 2 months by now. And i have been riding incident free till now. I think i'm doing pretty well or i'm VERY lucky.

So, now i'm a bit skeptical about buying these delicate and powerful bikes. (But those devils keep tempting me. )

PS: Sorry about the long, pointless post.

So which one do YOU favor, the ZMR or the R15?

And yea, the tech in r15 makes me drool.

Well, the bikes power was expected to be around 22 bhp, before the specs were released. I've been following that bike for a long time. I even read about yamaha reducing the bhp to 17 because 22 bhp was considered impractical for indian conditions. I'm not sure about the source, because it was long back.

Originally posted by Shanz View Post

2) The bike looks pretty small, and after the bullet, i dont feel confident on small, light bikes.
This is a superbike replica with R in its name and fame! Its sticks to road like a marvel,with 132 kgs of curb weight its rock stable at 120+ kmph speeds, its braking is on par much better than any other competitor, gallops and gallops of confidence aspiring every time you brake,lean,acclerate! In one word it bring a confidence level unmatched, best handling ever seen! Though looks are of personal openion and it totally depends on your mindset. If you love HH by heart then not even the best looks can make you love its rival!!

I've heard a lot about R15's +ives.
And about looks, well, i got a rude shock with i first saw it in the flesh. It certainly looks very small. [Just my opinion.]

Originally posted by Shanz View Post

3) I've always liked the Karizma and am of the general opinion that HH provides better quality.
this looks more like an excuse than a reason! Try watching through a diffrent glass (not HH fanboy's glass).. And you will see technology wise Yamaha is light years ahead of HH Atleast for now,dunno bout the future. Quality wise, HH rocks but Yamaha is no way behind with its always serious approch through decades for Indian customers. Dont forget that yamaha had introduced some of the most wonderful machines in past with unmatched performance and quality, Rx100, RD350 etc are few to name!
So please if you look with a view of equality then Yamaha and HH are great rivals here!

Yes, it is an excuse. And yes, I am a HH fanboy, though i hate admitting it. The original CBZ has been my dream bike for 10 years and thats making me lean heavily in favor of the Karizmas.

Originally posted by Shanz View Post

4) Since i'll be riding more in the city more than on the highways, i felt the Karizma will be more comfortable.

Lets have a comparison..
R15-132kgs of Kerb weight and 17 odd BHP's on 150cc and FI,.

Karizma ZMR- 165 Kgs of Kerb weight (unsure) with 17.5 BHP in 225cc and FI!

I think you got you answer with this simple comparo.
Still I would explain..
the R15 and ZMR both are faired but the light weight of R15 and 15nm, both makes it much more flickable, torquey and handlable in any given city condition!
When it comes to Highway then the aerodynamic R comes alive and stability is on par at any given speeds. The suspension is another boon, its soft at low speeds and goes stiffer at higher speeds giving you a perfect confident feel of Superbike stability!!

Okay, but the riding posture?
If any r15 owners can tell me their experience riding it in heavy traffic, i'd be grateful. Almost 95% of the people i've asked said that it is difficult riding it in the traffic.

Hi, i've seen your posts on the R1 ownership thread. It was that thread that actually got me interested in riding bikes.

Well, the reason that they cannot be compared is why i'm finding it difficult to choose. I'm not a racer, nor a tourer. My only races are against time and red lights. But my work timings are in such a way that i'll be riding once in heavy traffic and once in totally empty roads.

So, does "fi" warrant enough advantage to choose the ZMR over the ZMA-R? I can forego the fancy dash and the extra plastic. My friend who bought a ZMA-R recently said it delivers 40 kmpl even before the first service and thats more than enough for me.

Yea, Unicorn fits the bill nearly perfectly. But i hate to be Just Another Guy riding Just Another Bike. I guess my ego is too big for my own good.

Doesn't changing the tyres affect the r15 grip? And i'm starting to reconsider my opinion about size. I look small too, so i guess the r15 wont look odd with me on it.

And thank you for the opinion about the zmr. I'm wondering whether the FI actually warrants the 20K difference.

Thanks a lot for that quote. It made me feel a lot more confident about the R15 and about lighter bikes in general as well.