Search This Blog

Mar 23, 2007

77 Bajaj Pulsar 220 Vs. Hero Honda Karizma (Drag Race..!!)

The flagship models of Bajaj and Hero Honda fight it out for the top spot..!! Find out which is the fastest "Desi" bike..!!

+ This drag race was held by members of Xbhp.Com Forum at Chandni Chowk Pune.

+ The original review was published in XBhp.Com Forum on 21'st March 2007 by "Technocrat", a Moderator of the XBhp.com Forum.

+ The pics and the report has been published "verbatim" here in the "The Bike Chronicles of India" with due permission from Technocrat.

Three guys from from Pune who are also the members of XBhp.Com, hold a mini drag race between a "Stock" Pulsar 220 DTSFi with a "Stock" Karizma and a slightly "Modified" Karizma.. Want to know the race results..?? Read on..

The Guys:

  • Technocrat (The name used by the Moderator of XBhp.Com also the owner of the Stock Karizma)
  • Pawan (Owner of the Stock Pulsar 220 DTSFi) &
  • Vivek (Owner of the Modified Karizma with Bigger Jets and Performance Air Filters)

Acronyms used in the article:

  • P220: Pulsar 220 DTSFi
  • ZMA: Karizma
  • BAL: Bajaj Auto Limited
  • HH: Hero Honda



Technocrat's (Owner of the Stock Karizma) review:




Although the title says P220 vs. ZMA, this is more of a review of the P220. I have compared it with ZMA wherever felt necessary.

Here's my unbiased view.


Overview

The Bike looks good & it’s stunning. It feels big when you sit on it, infact it gives you a big Bike feel the moment you sit on it, mainly due to the clip-ons & slightly backwards footrests. BAL as again has got a winner here, the fit & finish levels are very good infact much better than HH or for that matter ZMA. The digital Speedometer console looks great & the self test looks charming The first things that you notice are missing choke lever, fuel knob & a new pass beam switch along with the backlit switch panel & of course the LCD Digital console.

Front View: Stock Pulsar 220 and Stock Karimza



The Riding experience

My biggest worry was since this Bike doesn’t have kick starter how good would the self be & am glad to say that the self starter lived up to its expectation. The Bike starts very smoothly & almost effortlessly.

The gear shift is smooth & precise but still doesn’t not slot like CBZ\ZMA, some like it some don’t. I was fine with it as I had used this type of shift on my pulsar 180, but yes this one was better than the one on mine. Not a leap change in the gear shift but nevertheless a good one. Those who like slotting gears may still crib but I was happy with it as I had no false neutrals & no wrong gears.

The engine is smooth really smooth & the Bike picks up really sweetly, the exhaust note is nice but whether one likes it or not may differ from person to person. Once revved up the Bike gets the typical pulsar vibes near tank & fairing though they are minimal but can still be felt on the knee touching the fairing near tank. These vibrations come around 70kph & above.

Just like its smaller siblings (other Pulsars) the Rear View Mirrors on P220 become useless at these speeds as they vibrate so much that you cant make out what you see in the mirrors but since you cant see much anyways its not much of a problem. Oh, that reminds me that did I tell you guys that the Rear View Mirrors are absolutely useless especially if you are wearing a minimalist riding gear, reminds me of classic Pulsars which had stylish mirrors but very poor visibility with respect to the ones sported by DTSI versions, Yeah BAL did it again.


The Bike picks up really well on roll-ons, the most amazing thing was that even at 5th gear the Bike picked up at 25kph, though it pinked a bit but still picked up without any jerks.

Side View: Stock Pulsar 220 and Stock Karimza



Riding Comfort

I found the suspension to be a little stiffer than the ZMA while Pawan felt otherwise. The roads had no bad patches so cant say about how they would feel under bad road conditions.

The Bike has very sporty feel to it. The seats have good support & it holds you well. The Bike is really good if you want to ride it fast (which of course you would). I rode the P220 for around 10-15 kms & my right shoulder started to pain, does it make it really bad for long riding ?? To answer this, it reminds of the first two days when I had bought my 180 DTSi (which was my first Bike ever) & when my arms pained like hell for two complete days. So it’s just a matter of getting used to. So does this make the P220 a good tourer..?? Or to say will it be more comfortable than a ZMA for long rides ?? In my humble opinion with a guy of my height (am 5’10”) NO. Although the engine is really refined with enough power to take long stretches effortlessly the riding posture is not what you would want for such long rides. Having said that it’s still a matter of personal choice.


All those who got disappointed here’s another way to look at it. Those who are shorter in height may find the Bike to be better than the ZMA for riding comfort since they wont face the issue which taller guys like me faced i.e. crouched position & knees touching the fairing. So I think it can be safely put that it would be more comfy for shorter people that taller people for long rides.

Back View: Stock Pulsar 220 and Stock Karimza



Handling

I took the P220 on ghats & on straights; the Bike has really good handling when compared to the smaller pulsars especially because of the better swing arm & the riding posture & not to forget wider tubeless tires. The Bike is very eager to lean when compared to previous Pulsars. So is this the new Handling champion ?? Sadly No, here where I hated BAL the most, they have actually ruined a great handling Bike into a non handling one, the reason ?? The stupid main stand. I am very sure (infact the mains stand scrapes at slightest of the lean) confidant that if the main stand is removed the Bike will be an awesome handler.

Ok just before somone shouts that he has taken curves without scraping the stand, I will like to make it clear that the stand scraping happens when you are taking tight twisties uphill or downhill i.e. it won’t affect much on straights but then you only need the leaning aspect on such twisties


Braking

Full marks here no comments it simply rules here Excellent braking supported by a wide profile rear as well as front tire(Yes the front tire is broader too )


Headlights

10 out of 10 or may be 11 out of 10. The lights everywhere including the headlights are superb. Let it be tail lamps or the LCD or the backlit switches

The Modified (for performance) Karizma



Drag Results

Frankly speaking the drags which we had were very amateurish & should be taken only as indicative & not as a proof because:

- The bikes had different mileage on the odometers

- The drag was done on a strip which was barely 100-200 mtrs

- We had no timing device. And a few launches were not synchronized properly

- My Karizma is stock but has heavier & broader rear tire.




Result 1: P220 VS My ZMA

  • P220 won on 2 runs

Result 2: P220 vs. Modded ZMA (Vivek’s)

  • ZMA won 3 times

[P220 won once when Vivek rode the P220 & Pawan rode the ZMA]



Conclusion

Well am no journalist & this isn’t any magazine so I am really not sure what to post as a conclusion or verdict, rather I would put it as answers to commonly asked Questions.

  • Q1: Is the P220 worth buying its price?
    A1: Yes the P220 is a very good piece of machinery.

  • Q2: Is it better than ZMA?
    A2: This is still debatable, while the engine is more powerful & has more torque than the ZMA, it still has niggling issues like poor Rear View Mirrors & vibrations at higher revs which the ZMA lacks, Also the handling though very good is marred by the stupid stand which I believe can be fixed. [In the end one has to decide his priorities & go for it]

  • Q3: Should I trade my ZMA for the P220
    A3: Unless you want to go for all the gadgetry & that extra power NO. Remember the slightly modified ZMA beats it in the unofficial drag





To interact/discuss more, visit XBhp.com forum. Get the link to the thread of this review







Disclaimer:

This is to remind that the Views or Opinions in the blog are entirely mine unless explicitly stated. The Views and Opinions published in this blog should in no way be related to any other person or organization associated -- directly or indirectly -- with me.




77 Comments:

Chda Hauzel said...

Hello Pal, I would like to know if the DTS-fi has the problem on gear shifting. When pressing the button of the self-starter it makes a horrible noise on the Pulsar, it seems to me that the engine will soon blow off, I would like to know if this problem is still there in the DTS-fi. I found that this topic is very interesting

Payeng said...

dakul..

According to the testers of the drag race between the Karizma and the Pulsar 220, the gears of the P220 has improved greatly.. It is not yet as good as the Karizma's gears.. But they say that it is much better compared to the earlier pulsars.

Varad More said...

Hi Payeng,

regarding the main-stand issue that you have mentioned in the Handling para, most of us Indians want a soft smooth ride. hence the OEMs provide the bikes with softest settings to cover this up and that is why the stands scrapes on minimal lean angles also. But with juz two step stiffer settings on the rear suspension, this problem is eliminated, only if u r riding solo. With a pillion many of the foreign street-bikes also scrape easily.

I had the same problem on my 200 earlier, now am running on stiffer settings and i havent srapped my stand even once though i keep scrapping my knee-sliders and pegs very often. :D

Payeng said...

Hi Speedy,

thanks for your inputs.. The side stand issue according to me is a minor issue can be easily solved with a new and better design..

We should congratulate Bajaj for getting the Engine and the Crucial parts of the bike spot on.

Unknown said...

hello...

yaar m very much confused in deciding which bike i should go 4... Though i know this bajaj bikes r competing hh bikes....
can anybody suggest me which bike i should go 4 Pulsar 220cc or a New Karizma

Payeng said...

Ankit, the only way to remove your confusion is to take the test rides of these bike for yourself..

Best of Luck.

Unknown said...

hi payeng......
i have already teken test drive of both bikes as i want 2 tell u dat m a not good abserver of bikes i only know this how 2 drive bikes..
so plzz help me. i don't wat 2 waste my money

Payeng said...

Ankit,

according to me..

Performance/Acceleration: The Pulsar 220 is definitely more powerful than the Karizma.. From my test ride I noticed that the Pulsar 220 has instantaneous acceleration while the Karizma takes a bit time to take off..

Top Speed of the P220 is also around 130 Km/Hr according to its owners and the Top speed of the Karizma is arond 125 Km.Hr according to Magazines

Fuel efficiency of both bikes will be around 35 Km/l

Riding Comfort: The riding position for the Karizma is more unright and hence should be more comfortable for long distance riding.. the P220 has sporty riding position and should please the enthusiast. Shock absorbers of the P220 are like a dream.

Handling: The P220 with its large 120 section rear tyre is more confidence inspiring than the 100 section rear tyre of the Karizma.


Reliability The Karizma has proved over the years to be a reliable bike.. the P220 is still very new to comment about reliability issues.


Known Issues with the P220: Many owners of the P220 has reported problems rear disc brake. But being a Premium offereing Bajaj has given P220 owners VIP treatment.




Personally I am waiting with the booking amount to book the P220 from Bangalore.. I am waiting in queue for the Probiking Guys in Bangalore to call my turn.


Ultimately the decision is left on you...



Best of Luck

Unknown said...

Chandan
Is karizma is better than pulsar200?
Also compare Karizma with 220 pulsar>

Unknown said...

hey Payeng....

buddy i finally purchase KARIZMA....i think itz a gud one 2 bye as i can't wait 2n1/2 month waiting 4 220cc...
so thnx 4 all ur suggesions dat u had given 2 me

Payeng said...

Congrats Ankit for being a proud owner of (Karizma) one of the finest bikes of India.

Ride safe bro.. and don't ever get on youyr bike without a helmet.


2.5 months for the P220..??

You know what..?? In Bangalore after they take down my order, I willhave to wait for 5 months (according to the probiking guys) beforeI can get hold of my P220.

Nevermind I am willing to wait (unless of course a better and bigger bike comes around during that time).

ketaktmko said...

Very Neatly said !!
Good Job !!

Becks said...

hey u guys , thnk u so much , ur discussion abt both the bikes has helped a lot as im very new to this thing ! thnk u so much !!

Unknown said...

hi bro's,
im guru ive ownd a 220 and tz simply superb wid gr8 handlin,gr8 power and awesum performance.......ive waited for 1month and 12days for ma bike and m proud 2 b tz owner and tz worth 2 wait no matter how long it may take :)......
happy and safe ridin :)

Unknown said...

lol....guys..5 months..mumbai...ur right payeng..i paid 1.20 for my 220 and i m getting it on 18th sept.. only 30 bikes were appoved for 20 thoisand extra for early delivery...i m fortunately one of those..im happy..desperately waiting for my bike dude....

Unknown said...

Well i m also vry confused ...tht i shd go 4 pulsar 220 or karizma...i booked it on 6th aug and i m goin to get it on 15th oct..... well my requirments r awesome looks n performance ...1 more thng i got to knw tht rear disk is not so gud seems its a bit dangerous ... well i want d best of bth of them...so plz help me...as 15 th oct is nt vry far...

Anonymous said...

Hi buddy..

I finnaly bought my karima after ur review.. Thanks a lot i would like to know abt the modification done in the karizma which over too 220 bajaj.. And any other styling tips for making the bike even more sexy..
Please mail me the pic
Regards
Deepan

Payeng said...

Hi Deepan,

Congrats on your new Karizma.. it is a good bike with a proven track record..

I don't encourage modification to my bikes.. either cosmetic or to the engine.. they only manage to bring the life of the bike down.


Whatever the manufacturer has put in the bike has been done for a reason.. I would advice you to stick to it.. unless of course you are hell bent on modifying it.

Anonymous said...

hello guys
i bought da p220
its amazing
but i m very disappointed bout the column here .
as i own p220 n my frnd ownz ZMA.
ZMA was not able to beat p220 in any condition even after interchanging the riders.
one more thing and the most important when i drive p220 in a very standard condition ie. donot exceed itabove 60 i got da average of 45+ on highway n in case of ZMA
it never exeeds 35 on highways
ZMA ives me an average of 25 in city
i only like the gear shift in ZMA
n nothing else

Payeng said...

According to all auto magazines that have reviewed the Pulsar 220, all have concluded that the Pulsar 220 "Just manages to have a little bit of more performance" compared to the Karizma.. So the results are very much possible..


But there is more to Biking than just drag racing.. The Karizma is still a very good bike to own with a reliable engine.. wheareas the Pulsar also has a lot going for it..

>> Fuel Injection
>> Rear Discs
>> Powerful Headlights
>> Tubeless Tyres
>> Digital Speedometers and LED tail lights



I will soon conduct Fuel Efficiency tests on my Pulsar 220.

Anonymous said...

HI MYSELF ZAHID AND LIVING IN EUROPE, TWISE A YEAR I TRAVEL TO INDIA AND ALWAYS WANT TO BUY SOME NICE HEAVY BIKE BUT CAN´T FIND ANY NEW BIKE,JUST IN THE MARKET HAVE MAX CC BIKE KARIZMA OR PULSER. I DON´T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS COMPANIES CAN NOT MAKE SOME HEAVY BIKE IN REASONABLE PRICES.HERE WE CAN BUY SOME 500 TO 600 CC IN 10 TO 12 THOUSAND EUROS. BUT IN INDIA I THINK ITS QUITE EXPENCIVE.I DON´T KNOW WHEN I CAN BUY SOME GOOD BIKE THERE.

Anonymous said...

hey u people out there

i own a p220 as well as zma n i d say
p220 is definitely a better choice over zma as it has a greater torque, better fuel eff., better braking etc.......

avi said...

HI THERE,ITS AVI HERE, A REAL PROUD OWNER OF PULSAR 22O.I DO LOVE ITS LOOKS BUT THINK THT A COVERED LOOK INSTEAD OF THE STOCK RIBBED ONE WILL MAKE IT LOOK BETTER.CAN ANYONE PLZ TELL ME WHERE CAN I ACQUIRE AN ENGINE FAIRING FOR MY BEAUTY IN COIMBATORE

Unknown said...

well am not impressed by p220.not because i own a karizma........well pulsar looks unique from a distance not much diff except power .. jus increasin 30cc by everymodel is totall rediculous....... hope they don release 250,280,320 in future

Anonymous said...

doing something is much better than merely putting stickers

Bajaj please bring out the 250, 280, 320 while the others prefer to sleep.

adi619 said...

hello guys...this is adi..i am a proud owner of a p220 in delhi and would like 2 say that p220 compared to the zma rocks...the fuel efficiency is like 45+....top speed ....well i rode it to 145 on an highway...so conclusions p220 rocks


njoy!!!!safe riddin

Payeng said...

adi619,

130 kmph sounds too good to be true.. the best I have heard about the P220 is around 130 kmph..

By the way I am also owner of a P220 now.

Anonymous said...

Hi payeng
This is Dexter, 24.
Though I have purchased my bike already A brand new HH Hunk but since i have my nephew next in line to take on biking (He is 20 yrs old and he is not willing to drive a 150 cc). i want to be sure that the bike i get him would be a good one as i am very dumb in all these matters i cannot decide. I want to go with HH ZMA while he wants to go for BAL P220. i have read all the previous blogs and had test rided the bikes too but still i am less confident with P220 inspite of the array of enhancements provided by BAL. kindly help me out.

Payeng said...

The Karizma is a proven bike. The only thing against the Karizma is the high cost of spare parts and lack of upgradation since it was first launched (stickers dont qualify as upgrade).


The Pulsar 220 is a new entrant and clearly has the Bling and Performance that just manages to overshadow the Karizma.

My personal experience with my Pulsar 220 has been very good.. no problems whatsoever.

But there has been a few owners who have had a few issues with parts of the Pulsar 220. But all of them are quite satisfied due to the V.I.P treatment they are getting in the ProBiking Service showrooms that have been especially set up to service the Pulsar 200/220 bikes.

Check this link for proof: http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/showthread.php?t=14663&page=270



Bajaj is even ready to send you their engineers from Pune to your place if required. You can go for the Pulsar 220, Don't worry.. Bajaj very serious and want's to satisfy you.

Anonymous said...

Hi Payeng

today in the afternoon we were at the probiking and my nephew had a test ride of P220 and i say he was quiet happy with the adrenalin jerk he experienced while riding ( i must say he was on 7th heaven when he ride) moreover i have decided that this jan at his birthday he will get his dream machine.thanks for the link and suggestions, my doubt has cleared. but tell me one thing is my decision to go for a Hunk is OK ( it doesn't matter for me anyways but still for a knowledge purpose, as many people are asking about the performance and as i said earlier i am very dumb at these things.though i am satisfied but i can't say what are the expectations of people and i am happy with the perfomance and styling, even with the badly styled rear).I am waiting for your reply.

Dexter/Danish

Payeng said...

Hi Danish,

The most important thing is that You (the owner) should be satisfied..

The Hunk is a promising package.. wish you a happy ownership experience.

Nandu Chitnis said...

Now the 220 has been with customers for a long time. Many hv clocked 15 thou kms...I hv done some 6 thou kms.

Is it a fact that most customers are majorly disappointed with the 220?

Capt Nandu Chitnis

Anonymous said...

i am strongly recommend ever one to go for pulsar 220.its really super bike. there is no vibration at the speed of 100 also where karizma vibrate right from the first gear.pul 220 has quick ground clearence , smooth riding etc... where karizma has proven engine.

Payeng said...

@Capt. Nandu, I have come across a few owners who had complained of a few issues.. but virtually all of them are very happy with the service they are getting from the Probiking showroom.


@Kumar..

I am not very convinced that the Pulsar 220 remains smooth at 100 Kmph.. virtually all 220 owners, including me have experienced vibes at around 100 Kmph mark

Jeet said...

I do have a ZMA & P220. I rate ZMA very high on all the parameters except torque. U cant just beat ZMA. Its a trustable machine. From look, handling, balance, long distance driving everywhere it tops comfortably on P220

Anonymous said...

hey payeng!

right about now i just cant seen decide over pulsar 200 and 220 cc...(yes i know its stupid queston )...but my frnds told me that the 200 cc has all the perks the 220 has (except the speed ofcourse!)...seems to me in comfort the 200 cc is better than the 220..hoping to get a reply from ya!

johny kolimi said...

which one is the best pulsar 220 200 or karizma?

Payeng said...

The Karizma is a proven bike with a comfortable riding position (ideal for long distance touring) and a refined and reliable engine.


The Pulsar 200 is the Best Looking Pulsar according to me and "almost" feels like the Pulsar 220. It also comes at a very attractive price of around 15-16 K less than the Pulsar 220.

Gear Box on the Pulsar 200 is also much better than the Pulsar 150/180.


The Pulsar 220 comes at a premium of about 15-16 K over the Pulsar 200 and about 5-6 K over the Karizma. But the "Fuel Injection" on the 220 does make a lot of difference. The response of the engine of the 220 is very good. Pickup from speeds as low as 30 Kmph is very good on the 220. The 220 is also more refined than the 200.


I find the handling of the Pulsar 220 more balanced than the 200.



Initial Owners have reported a few issues with the Pulsar 220. Even I had a few parts replaced on my 220.

But its good to know that the 220 comes with an Engine warranty of 5 years and overall warranty of 2 years.

If Reliability and smoothness is your main concern then go for the Karizma.

Anonymous said...

hi guys
i am working for satyam and saving money to buy a new bike. i got a mail about a new pulsar 300cc..i am now driving a pulsar 150cc it is one of the first models..should i but the p220 or should i wait for a while till bajaj gets out a higher form of bikes?

Payeng said...

Hi Abhiram,

I too had received e-mails about a Pulsar 300 with Pics..

Let me tell you that it is all B#!! S#!

Those pics in the mail are actually a Photoshop job done by some Pulsar enthusiasts from Indonesia..

It is very much possible that Bajaj might be working on some bigger (250-300) cc engines. But there has been no concrete news about any such launch.. leave alone Pics of a Pulsar 300.

Better go for the Pulsar 220 now or you could be waiting for ever.

Unknown said...

hi guys...i am in serious trouble i own a suzuki gs400e and many other bikes too.. my problem is in mumbai i face a high problem of engine over heating in traffics plus no fuel average on mumbai roads so i am planning to buy a good lower cc bike either karizma or pulsar 220 now actually i dont like both the bikes.. but i have no other choice. plzz tell me which one should i buy .. average is imp and also performance but pulsar is missing a kick start!!!! man tht really sounds like trouble (suppose ur battery runs out of power thn) sooo plzzz guys help me out.......also pulsar cannot climb the ghats is tht true?

Unknown said...

hi payeng,

isnt the YAMAHA YZR-15 better option than karizma honda or pulsar bajaj,

u have mentioned in ur latest blogs on auto expo and i am very eager fan of yamaha plz compare these three

Payeng said...

the official specs of the YZF-R15 is yet to be announced..

its better to be sure of the tech specs before we can start comparing it with the Karizma and the Pulsar 220..

The R15 is supposed to be out by June- July 2008.. lets wait and see

Anonymous said...

HEY DUDE,

AM PLANNING TO BUY A NEW BIKE, THOUGH I ALREADY OWN A PULSAR 150CC, AM BORED WITH THE ENGINE NOISE LOW ENGINE LIFE OF MY PULSAR, KARIZMA IS MY CHOICE, CAN U HELP ME TO DECIDE, DOES THE PULSAR 220 TOO HAS VIBRATIONS & ROUGH ENGINE NOISE LIKE THE 180. AM A BIKE LOVER & I NEED A LONG LIFE BIKE.

Payeng said...

Every Bike (Including Karizma) would become ROUGH and NOISY with the number of Kms covered.. a lot depends on the timely service done and the condition of the bike.

My Pulsar 220 is the smoothest Pulsar that I have ridden.. Till 90 Kmph it remains very smooth. After that a little bit of vibes do appear.

Anonymous said...

hey dude...its me biker dude (raj kolimi)...i posted a comment on which one is the better p220 or p200 ...i finally pulled enuf money to buy a p220 (it seems its the best one around)....yar can u help me and just give me some tips on buying...cozz u already have one...and u said u replace some parts right??..will it a prob for me?

Anonymous said...

Hello, My name is Raju.
I want to know which bike has more top speeds? Is that Pulsar 220 or a Karizma? I have seen a video on youtube.com that a karizma doing a top speed of 147 kmph.
If a karizma can do that, then according to me Pulsar 220 which has more power and torque compared to Karizma can do more in top speeds ( compared to Karizma which do 147 kmph)
Please tell me What is the Top speed of Pulsar 220?
and also tell me the top speed of Pulsar 150.( If we rev up the accelerators for more time).
Please respond immediately.

Payeng said...

@ Raju,

KINDLY NOTE:

# Queries will be answered via e-mail ONLY..

# Please e-mail your Bike related queries at "satadal.payeng@gmail.com"..

Anonymous said...

HI i am vikrant i own a pulsar 150 cc i am using it for last 3.5yrs i rarely exeed a speed of 60kmh. i have a query post refilling rank many people suggest to put additive what is it and does it really improve the peformance of the engine and vibration. i am satisfied with my bike. but ther is always a question with bajaj with their quality control?????????

Dragster said...

"STATS" says it all.. 220 coz of the Fi engine can smoke off a karizma any day.. karizma is beter in terms of engine n handling.. but 220 is beter in features, performance , n sporty riding position..
according to HH karizma manages 125..true.. now this true speed may b indicated as 140-150 or anythn in speedometers.. the older the bike the more the error..
same with 220.. company states 135..true.. speedometer may show anythin on highways..the older ur bike the more speed u see.. don think that top speed is increasing with time.. its fix after 5000kms.. max
but definitely.. dont mess wit a 220 in drag..
wel.. 1st 2 gears of both bikes r prety much the same.. but its the 3rd gear that makes d differnce.. 94kmph in quick time.. then comes 4th.. can take up to 119.. n 5th is ol d way to top.
conclusion is till the speeds 130-140 true..[not the meter] no indian bike can beat pulsar 220..
if u manages to find evn 1 false video on youtube zma beating 220.. thre are thousands showing the opposite of it..

Unknown said...

Hello Payeng,
I'm in a great confusion as to wat to buy, each of my friends and the reviews i read have been giving me a completely different idea about which bike to buy...
After a very long thinking, i hav decided on few things which i look for in my bike...Above 200cc, a very good torque and power, stable and durable, fuel 30 - 40 would br fine...
Keeping all this qualities in mind i thought of pulsar 220cc...but lata again i got into confusion thinking whether to buy DTS-Fi or the new DTSi 2009.
Payeng as this is gng to be my 1st big bike i'm expecting your very precious and useful suggestion on this...i wana knw the diffrences between above two and the best among them...
Or if you have any other better bike to suggest, then please let me know....
I'm from bangalore.....

Awaiting you Suggestion
-Deepak

Payeng said...

@Deepak,

if you have made up your mind on getting the Pulsar 220 then you can save around Rs. 10,000 on the DTSi variant (compared to the DTS-Fi variant)

Go for it.

Unknown said...

Payeng,
Just forget about the price variation,
which of them would you choose looking at its overal performance....I wana own the best between those two variants...
pls telme which of them is best and y....pls...ASAP

and also pls refer me a good showroom where i get good response and care from the management and crew members for me and my bike in bangalore....

Payeng said...

The fuel injected variant has better response at low revs and also will run better at high altitudes..

but if you care for pure performace, then go for the 2009 P220 DTSi.. it handles better too.


In Bangalore, Khivraj motors (Karsturba Road) currently sells P220's.. for servicing you can take it to Auto Service (which is a Probiking Service Station) which is in Banashankari 2nd stage.

Best of luck

Anonymous said...

Hey payang,

thnx a lot regarding ur cmparison b/w zma & pul 220.I have already booked new pulsar 220. is it better than old pulsar 220?? pls help me out.

Anonymous said...

pulsar220 is the best bike as i own one it is no match for karizma which is old bike of grandfathers......

Unknown said...

Dear all please guide me which buy i should buy pulsar 220 or karizma r

Unknown said...

I wanted to buy new bye and plz tell me which byke is good pulsar 220 or karizma r

Deepak said...

Hi Shushrut go for "The Fastest Indian" the Pulsar 220 DTSi.

Apart from being the fastest Indian bike, the Pulsar 220 has also got the most powerful headlights among any Indian bike, plus it has got wide tubeless tyres which is not present on the Karizma R.

Anonymous said...

hey realy afriad to bye 220 as i need bnike for long route and i friightened for its battery backup , is its worable , please advice need to bye bike very urgenlty..

Anonymous said...

hey man ... i think ure seriously insane ..this review suck as much as pulsar 220 ... dude ...i think ure a big pulsar fan thats y ure talking in favor of the bike ... so guys don't listen to this nonsense ...he's a big fake ... as u can see he says compair two bikes but hes only talking about the pulsar and not even mention anything about karizma ..so guys if u want a bike that will last long with u then go for hero honda karizma ... besides the costly spare parts ... this bike will never let u down... i own a four year old zma and i did not had a single prob i have crossed 30k now and still there is no single prob in engine or any other parts ...if u buy a pulsar then get ready to replace the muffler(silencer) after 2 years ... and u know what ..i had a yamaha rx 100 and the silencer is stock and still in best condition its make is 1992....so u decide about the quality ...and if u still dont believe me go ahead and find out ure self

Anonymous said...

Frndzzz plzzz plzzz tel me which bike 2 bay P220 & K ZMA.....give me sum suggestions



Aby Pawaskar

harsh said...

"STATS" says it all.. 220 coz of the Fi engine can smoke off a karizma any day.. karizma is beter in terms of engine n handling.. but 220 is beter in features, performance , n sporty riding position..
according to HH karizma manages 125..true.. now this true speed may b indicated as 140-150 or anythn in speedometers.. the older the bike the more the error..
same with 220.. company states 135..true.. speedometer may show anythin on highways..the older ur bike the more speed u see.. don think that top speed is increasing with time.. its fix after 5000kms.. max
but definitely.. dont mess wit a 220 in drag..
wel.. 1st 2 gears of both bikes r prety much the same.. but its the 3rd gear that makes d differnce.. 94kmph in quick time.. then comes 4th.. can take up to 119.. n 5th is ol d way to top.
conclusion is till the speeds 130-140 true..[not the meter] no indian bike can beat pulsar 220..
if u manages to find evn 1 false video on youtube zma beating 220.. thre are thousands showing the opposite of it..

biker dude said...

hey dude...its me biker dude (raj kolimi)...i posted a comment on which one is the better p220 or p200 ...i finally pulled enuf money to buy a p220 (it seems its the best one around)....yar can u help me and just give me some tips on buying...cozz u already have one...and u said u replace some parts right??..will it a prob for me?

ketaktmko said...

Very Neatly said !!
Good Job !!

debjit said...

I do have a ZMA & P220. I rate ZMA very high on all the parameters except torque. U cant just beat ZMA. Its a trustable machine. From look, handling, balance, long distance driving everywhere it tops comfortably on P220

Nandu Chitnis said...

Now the 220 has been with customers for a long time. Many hv clocked 15 thou kms...I hv done some 6 thou kms.

Is it a fact that most customers are majorly disappointed with the 220?

Capt Nandu Chitnis

dakul_sphinx said...

Hello Pal, I would like to know if the DTS-fi has the problem on gear shifting. When pressing the button of the self-starter it makes a horrible noise on the Pulsar, it seems to me that the engine will soon blow off, I would like to know if this problem is still there in the DTS-fi. I found that this topic is very interesting

Balaji said...

well am not impressed by p220.not because i own a karizma........well pulsar looks unique from a distance not much diff except power .. jus increasin 30cc by everymodel is totall rediculous....... hope they don release 250,280,320 in future

Anonymous said...

hey dude can any body help me
im going out to purchase a bike (either;karizma ZMR or p220)
so what are their on road cost and advance booking time in mumbai

my number :- 9867667156

Unknown said...

I was in total confusion when i planned to buy a bike... and finally i decided P220 cause my previous one was P150 which i used more than 5 yrs so i loved pulsars more than any others, one thing you told in the article was exactly right the middle stand it disturbs more... i thought that it was the defect in my P220 only, so i was planning to report in my first service now its not needed...Thank you Bro...

Unknown said...

ZMA IS ALWAYS ROCKS. NO ONE BIKE HAS CAPABILITY LIKE ZMA TO COMPARE WITH ZMA. IT IS THE BEST BIKE EVER.

pawan said...

well guys i have read all comments but universal truth is that pulsar 220 is better than karizma. its a powerful machine
i am crazy about this bike.

feby said...

i hav a small worry abt the new 220..wen shifting d gear its not locking but instead coming in btween gears... exqmple... wen 4 t0 5 transmissom if we are not able to shift al d way to 5th... we here a crackinh sound wen d geqar slips down avd come btwn 4 and 5

Unknown said...

guys stop fighting i own both p180(college days) & karizma (now)
final conclusion
if you are young(20-27) buy(with yours fathers money) p220 as it has better perf & handling & you can try some stunts & finally dump the bike after 2years.
yes 2yrs not more.
if you are mid age(more than 25) buy karizma(with your own money). it clearly wins over pulsar 220 in following places:- rider comfort, high speed stability, engine longitivity(dtsi engine has less life),gear shift, reliability.
mid age people are interested in comfort upright pos, reliable engine over a period of time, no maintenance. it is not important if accler figures 0-100 of pulsar is 2sec less what is important is at 100km/hr the engine should be stress free, no vibs are there & stability is there. all these are present in karizma, hence if you are looking for a quality product,comfort, reliability & intend to preserve the bike for long go for karizma(as it urns better value for money in long run. but in the end i would appreciate bajaj for making bikes at affordable prices as during my college days i could not afford to buy karizma.

Anonymous said...

Hello,

i m just going to buy but so confused between karizma and pulsar220 is there any one can suggest me which is the best one ...

Unknown said...

From above comment I think p220is best b's top speed depends on rider and same as maintenance of bike, but in low price,good average,stylish,&performance p 220 is best&. zma is not.is this is true plz suggest b,'cs I have ride it, but ride & owning is having big diff.........

Post a Comment


Your Comments are valuable as they keep the conversation alive..

But Please Comment Responsibly (for them to be published)