Mahindra Stallio Road Test Review


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mahindra-sportsbike.JPG

Mahindra & Mahindra is a name known to all. Initially, this automobile manufacturer was popular for assembling under the license of iconic Willy jeeps in India. Their growth continued with hard and successful efforts in manufacturing of LCVs and farming tractors. The company soon proved its mettle in the race of SUVs, and is now all set to try the luck in the two-wheeler segment too. Mahindra launched their scooterttes sometime back, which has received a fine reaction from customers. The company also highlighted an all-new concept sports bike (Pictured Above) at the Delhi Auto Expo earlier this year, which raised the thrill among the bikers across the nation. To put an end to this excitement, M&M came out with its entry-level bike called Stallio. And now to put an end to your enthusiasm, The Automotive India comprehensively tested the bike to find out whether the wait was really worth it or not.
 
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Mahindra Stallio Looks and Design

Mahindra_Stallio.JPG

The lesser we say about the looks, the better it would be. When most of the companies are giving their economy products a hint of sporty design, Mahindra has tried secure styling with Stallio that appears rather ordinary. A first glance gives us a notion that this bike has acute resemblance with the TVS Jive!

The very first look at the face will leave you perplexed. No, it is not drop dead gorgeous, but quite unique. So unique, that you will be baffled whether to love it or loathe it. The distinctive inverted arrow design has been employed which is responsible for that face. The headlamp compliments with the presence of LED pilot lamps on the sides. The black visor, which covers the face, is small and raises little above the Speedo cluster leaving no room for bits to be stored between instrument panel and visor, which usually a common practice with most of the bikers.
The side warning lamps are too small and just do their job adding no appeal to the looks. The fuel tank carries arrow shaped muscles, which is not something to write home about, and the absence of graphics makes it look even more boring. Nevertheless, M&M has embedded the upper face of the tank with an exquisite panel, which gels well with the fuel cap.

In a car, most of us give high priority to fine looking interiors. Likewise, on a bike an elegantly finished instrument cluster is a treat to vision whilst riding. Thankfully, Stallio did not disappoint us here. Even though the console is a straight pick from its sibling Rodeo, it undoubtedly looks excellent. The console is digital, which indicates all the necessary information like speed, RPM, time, odometer, and fuel quantity. All the meters are placed wisely making each data easily readable even when riding in tedious conditions. Same way, the switches have been placed as they are traditionally located in every commuter bike. The quality of plastics looks excessively cheap that is least expected from a manufacturer like Mahindra. Observe the side profile and you will realize that Stallio is just another 110cc bike with no styling bits at all. The shorter wheelbase too makes the appearance undersized. The 5-spoke alloy wheels have been given a black finish which is a now a somewhat common among all bikes. However, the engine does not get the black finish, which is odd.

Move to the rear and there lies the surprise. The tail lamp is not just another clear lens/multi reflector type, but instead comes equipped with LEDs that claim to last long. Although, they try hard to make a drastic visual appeal but again the small size of the lamp kills the game. We assume, the only reason for boys to envy the girl’s rides is the absence of storage compartment. However, Stallio comes with a lockable multi utility box, which has enough capacity to accommodate documents, keys, and other small bits. So, no need of those ugly briefcases or bags hanging out from the bike. Overall, visually, Stallio is no different from regular boring 110cc bike.

Mahindra_Stallio_Side.JPG
 
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Mahindra Stallio Engine and Gearbox

mahindra-stallio-engine.JPG

The 110cc engine of Stallio is a 4-stroke air-cooled which churns out maximum power of 7.3PS at 7500rpm. The specifications that appear great on paper actually are quite impressive practically too. Turn on the ignition and press the starter. It will take some time for you to realize that the engine has actually started, but the slight twist of throttle is enough to get you going. The low-end torque is optimum leading to reduced downshifts in heavy traffic conditions. The 0-40kmph mark is easily achievable which is fair enough for stop and go traffic. However, in such conditions, you will surely miss the engine kill switch. Therefore, if you are stuck in traffic jams, you will have to twist the key back to off position to turn off the engine.

Mahindra Stallio is a 4-speed bike with unique one up, three down shift pattern. The responsive engine certainly adds to the ride pleasure; however, the coarse gearbox is a spoilsport. The gear lever position is oddly placed and shifting them requires some effort. The gear shifts lack refinement, which must be looked at soon.
 
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Mahindra Stallio Performance, Handling and Safety

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Stallio belongs to the economy segment, which is why expecting small figures for 0-80kmph is too impractical. However, the response to throttle movement is quick enough to suffice the biker in you. Performance wise, this new bike from Mahindra is pretty decent. The 0-60kmph speed can be attained quite easily, thanks to the apt gear ratios that help in attaining speeds without much effort. After certain amount of hesitation, this bike manages to get to a speed of 90kmph which is decent for an economy segment bike.

The absence of front disc brake, however, is highly felt thereby lowering the confidence of the rider to maintain such speeds. Add to that the high engine noise too is disturbing. It seems the bike is alerting the rider to slow down. The tires are quite slim but they surely do their job pretty well and never seem to lose the line. They perform pretty well on hard braking without skidding. Thanks to the 130mm drums at the front and rear, slowing down is not a big issue, but the Disc brake for front will be wholeheartedly welcome as future a upgrade.

The economy segment bikes are widely used by people for their regular commuting in cities. The traffic condition in almost all the cities is tedious which leaves the rider with great amount of fatigue. However, the riding posture is the factor, which adds to the major fatigue to the rider. Mahindra seems to have understood this because of which, the Stallio has a good riding posture. The ride comfort is further enhanced with well cushioned saddle. Add to that, the rear Coil shock absorbers, which comes with 5 step adjustments allowing the rider, choose the best setting for himself. The front telescopic shocks gulp most of the rough segments thereby further enhancing the ride.
 
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Mahindra Stallio Fuel Efficiency and Verdict.

mahindra-stallio-speedo.JPG

The 100/110cc is often referred to as the economy segment, and what is economy without mouth watering fuel efficiency? The fuel efficiency in Stallio is claimed to be in the range of 65-70kmpl which easily matches to the other rivals in the segment. In addition, with the provision of rpm meter, the figures can be further increased by riding at proper RPMs. On a concluding note, if you are looking for no nonsense entry-level bike for daily commuting from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’, and not very particular about the styling, Stallio definitely is the bike for you.
 
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Mahindra Stallio Likes, Dislikes, and Ratings.

mahindra-stallio-wheels.JPG

We Like in Stallio [thumbsup]

  • Fully Digital Meter

  • Excellent Fuel Efficiency

  • Simple yet elegant Design

  • Lockable storage compartment

  • 4 Years / 40,000km Warranty

We Dis-Like in Stallio [thumbsdown]


  • Dull Styling

  • Puny Tyres

  • Harsh Gearshifts

  • No front disc brake

  • Noisy engine at high speeds

The Automotive India Star Ratings:

  • Design and Quality: 5 Stars.gif (5/10)

  • Comfort Levels: 8 Stars.gif (8/10)

  • Performance: 8 Stars.gif (8/10)

  • Ride Quality: 7 Stars.gif (7/10)

  • Handling: 9 Stars.png (9/10)

  • Fuel Efficiency: 7 Stars.gif (7/10)

  • Safety: 6 Stars.gif (6/10)

  • After Sales: 8 Stars.gif (8/10)

  • Value for Money: 9 Stars.png (9/10)
 
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Mahindra Stallio Price and Specifications.

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Price:

  • Rs.41,650 (Ex. Showroom Delhi)
Color options:

  • Colt Black
  • Derby Red
  • Equus Blue
  • Ranch Green
  • Buckskin Yellow
Specifications:

  • Engine: 4-Stroke, air cooled engine
  • Displacement: 106.7 cc
  • Maximum power: 7.3PS @ 7500 rpm
  • Maximum torque: 8.0 Nm @ 5500 rpm
  • Starting system: Electric start & kick start
  • Gear box: 4 gears constant mesh
  • Frame: Steel double tubular cradle
Suspension:

  • Front: Telescopic hydraulic
  • Rear: Coiled 5-step adjustable
Brake:

  • Front: Drum - 130 mm
  • Rear: Drum - 130 mm

Tyre Size

  • Front: 2.75" x 18"
  • Rear: 3.0" x 18"
Dimensions:

  • Overall length: 2000 mm
  • Overall width: 720 mm
  • Overall height: 1050 mm
  • Seat height: 800 mm
  • Wheelbase: 1265 mm
  • Ground clearance: 165 mm
  • Fuel tank capacity: 13.7 litres
Mahindra_Stallio_Front.JPG

Mahindra_Stallio_1.JPG

Mahindra_Stallio_Gears.JPG

mahindra-stallio-fueltank.JPG

mahindra-stallio-headlamps.JPG

Road Test Credits:

  • Road Test & Photography: Akash
  • Edit & Format: 350Z
(C) The Automotive India. All rights reserved. The content can not be reproduced in any form without written permission of our authority.
 
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If I were a dictator like Idi Amin, I would torture and kill the guys who designed the Stallio. I mean a kid could draw a better looking bike.

It looks down right Ugly. I really dont know why the bikes that are being launched in India are begining to look worser and worser as the days go buy, especially the ones from TVS and now Mahindra. Guess they are going to end up like LML and Kinetic. Same goes for some new cars. They are designed without looking at proportions.
 
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Good report Akash and good pictures! Even i don find the bike to be appealing and the plastic quality is looking cheap!


@ Mods Under handling , performance and safety section , in the second paragraph , it should actually be like front disc brakes i guess , Akash must have missed out "disc". Kindly change it.
 
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Good report Akash and good pictures! Even i don find the bike to be appealing and the plastic quality is looking cheap!
Thanks Dhaya. Hopefully M&M will come out with an upgraded model after some months.

@ Mods Under handling , performance and safety section , in the second paragraph , it should actually be like front disc brakes i guess , Akash must have missed out "disc". Kindly change it.
Thanks for pointing it out. The issue has been reported.[cheers]
 
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Nice Review Akash!

For me, Stallio really makes sense & its worth buying.

Hope it changes the fate of Mahindra soon
 

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