Road test of Mash400 Family Side 2018 Mechanical springs

how fast are we going? 60? 80? 100? It's impossible to know without looking at the speedometer. And the truth is, we couldn't care less. Since we've been on the road, notions of speed, speed cameras, road safety, planning, the daily grind, have all been shattered and scattered beneath the purr of the single-cylinder. An hour ago, we were two bikers with helmets and backpacks. This time, we're so much more and so much different. We're in an imaginary Tintin album (The Secret History of Archibald Haddock?!?); we're Wallace & Gromit; we're Cubitus and Semaphore; we're Indiana Jones' nephews; we're spectators and actors in a new epic, with Mash's sidecar, the 400 Family Side.

it's the beginning of a new era of adventure. A story with its roots in an old Moto-Journal from 2001. Where I read of a simply admirable journey. Michaël Levivier and Albin Carrière were on their way to the Elephants with an old MZ sidecar. With fierce memories, moments of bravery, moments of doubt and moments of resourcefulness. The seed had just been planted.
For MP, the cycle of expeditions will not be carried out with a machine from Eastern Europe or from the past, but with the company of a current machine, available in the Burgundy-based brand's catalog, and as retro as it is contemporary. The 400 Family-Side needs no introduction - it's already very detailed on its motorcycle data sheet. But before we run off with it to the corner of the street or the corner of a country, let's spend a little time admiring it.
Because you like it? More than that, you'll see. With its chubby, nostalgic shape, its British accent, its green haloed by a touch of cream and its windscreen in a beautiful section, how can you not fall in love with it? Or a peak of curiosity? With its very Anglo-Saxon appearance, its Mash logo inspired by Norton's, and its small size that gives it a quaint yet endearing look, it's hard to imagine that it was largely designed on the other side of the globe.... There's no doubt about it, it knows how to please. There's virtually no lack of taste: beautiful spoked rims, chrome, a flat, comfortable flared seat, the round sparkling headlight, a double needle speedometer. And we'll come back to the practical aspects later. But why? I've got to park first.

a square, a plaza, a piece of greenery or asphalt to rest on. The right space is calculated with strategic thought. Logically, it's bulkier than a motorcycle. And as soon as you take off your helmet, the environment takes off. People go about their business, their preoccupations, and take a detour... to get a closer look.
The Mash 400 Family Side is exceptionally seductive! Staggering even. Everyone looks at it. Everyone is under its spell. Smiles are everywhere, and friendly or admiring hand gestures abound. He's THE sympathy machine. I've even seen cars give me the right of way when I was stopped at a STOP sign, just to watch the carriage roll along.
At a standstill, it's a star on the Croisette. It's impossible not to be approached by someone. An enthusiast will ask for your opinion, an enthusiast will tell you about his past, his experiences. The dialogue is a natural one, and unfamiliar brands, words and customs enter the conversation.

sometimes we ask about the price, rarely about the ride, often about escape and freedom, always about the provenance and period. Remember that Mash is a French brand. On the other hand, all the curious onlookers are convinced they're in the presence of an English sidecar from the 60s. I tell them: "No, it's from Beaune. It's a 2018 vintage". The looks on their faces are flabbergasted.
In my mountain village, I went from being a discreet neighbor to a distinguished figure overnight. There's the mayor, the baker, the postwoman, and now the gentleman in the sidecar. I've never seen such an outpouring of joy around a vehicle - Porsche or Ferrari would almost be jealous.
On the other hand, it ends up posing a real problem. When it's time to put on the helmet and drive off, there's always a young lady to approach you. You thought you'd make a short stop? Not a chance.

as the miles go by on this departmental road, men and machines get to know each other. Judging each other. Then comes the moment when the engine speed seems right, when everyone is satisfied. One eye wanders to the left-hand dial. 70 km/h. I'm surprised, because I don't want to go any faster. I almost consider slowing down so that my colleague can pick up a few dandelion leaves (very good in salad) or snap a "check" with a rabbit.
The scenery takes on its full meaning, moving to the rhythm of the promising poum-poum moved by the mechanics. On reading the technical data sheet, anyone would doubt the capabilities of this medium-displacement engine. Just over 27 hp and 3 mkg of torque, that's about right. But in the field, it feels very different. There's no need to twist the throttle like a pig to get going. The right hand commands, the mechanics show their will. Although for a moment I thought they'd be in agony to get up to my place (and it's a tough climb, cyclists sweat), miss bielle and mr vilo got the job done.
measured power but not laziness are not the only characteristics of the Honda-inspired mechanics. Its song expresses a certain depth, like a muscle at the back of the throat. With piston strokes that make themselves felt. The engine lives and breathes, pushing gently at mid-range and giving its all with its share of vibrations when pushed to the limit. There's no need to go there, though, as that's not where the engine is best appreciated. Better to save it for an express relaunch or overtaking.
Second, third, fourth - the gears change quickly, with a smooth selection that locks in well. To make the most of the ride, it's in the 4,000-5,000 rpm zone that the mono is at its most interesting and comfortable.
We've been riding for a while, enough to have had a chance to assess the behavior of the Side Mash. More relaxed, I throw another smile at Seb who.... has fallen asleep in the basket. No wonder. At steady revs, the purr of the 397 cm3 causes a certain torpor for the passenger. And since he's wedged himself into an armchair that's much more comfortable than it looks, Morpheus has come to join our cavalcade. The basket's rather restrained size means it can comfortably accommodate medium-sized children and adults. For taller children, it's impossible to fully extend the legs. But by crossing his legs slightly, Seb has managed to find a position that's natural enough to remain comfortable long enough for him to take a nosedive...

a little coffee to perk you up?!? Yes, but quickly. Or maybe...
I've got an idea. "I'll drive, and you can enjoy your coffee in peace", with your nose to the wind and the centrifugal rays around your hubs. So it's a double macchiato for my sidekick, who takes his place in the basket with a smile on his face and his hands warm. First, out of the parking lot. The Family Side will then reveal a great asset that I'll never tire of using: a reverse gear! Very few machines on the market have one. How does it work? A pull tab flanked by a large R catches the eye above the fork crown. At first glance, it looks like a choke. But it's not. Let's take a look at the kinematics: click the first gear, then pull the tab to unlock the passage for the reverse gear, which you reach with another kick of the boot. You can then release the pull rod and gently apply the clutch and gas pedal to reverse. And the action is brilliant. You can sit quietly while getting out of complicated places, while people watch in amazement. Ease of maneuver and spectacle guaranteed. If the whole process seems confusing before the first use, you quickly get the hang of it.
A word of caution. When reversing, handlebar response is amplified. So steer gently to avoid swerving.

now that we've got that bonus out of the way, it's time to unveil another equally addictive feature. The handbrake. The system used to design it is disarmingly simple and effective. A small bracket attached to the base of the brake lever pivots and rests on the edge of the master cylinder. The gap created maintains pressure in the circuit, and therefore brake action. This means you can park your sidecar anywhere, no matter how steep the gradient.

Let's stay with the brakes. With 3 discs, one per wheel, the Mash is well equipped. Offering a very decent feel and efficiency, they stop the machine without difficulty, but require a little insistence. The parts still need to be broken in. More importantly, braking management. On a motorcycle, you brake from the front or the rear; it slows down and stays in line. On a side, it's very different. Grabbing the lever will decelerate the bike, but not the basket. This pulls the machine to the left. The rear wheel stabilizes the whole thing, with a slight influence on the right. With these two operations, the whole art of braking consists in coordinating, proportioning and constantly adjusting your foot and hand to stay straight. Tricky at first, then exhilarating.

but the sidecar is also, and perhaps above all, the embassy of humility. You don't drive it, you don't pilot it; you tame it, with great care and respect. If you're a smart aleck, a prig or a kakoo, the machine won't give you a lesson, it'll slap you in the face. Very quickly, and very likely to hurt.
The Mash is a lightweight sidecar. The slimmest on the market, in fact. Weighing a quintal less than a Ural, it has the advantage of being alert, almost easy to handle, but as a result, its basket lifts easily. Very easy when you're riding solo. With a bit of experience, you'll soon have fun lifting the side wheel and feeling that little bit of weightlessness that tickles your balance and locks in the steering. All the way to that delicious feeling of being in control of a spirited, clever and almost naughty machine. And here's a word of warning for novices. If the action of lifting the basket is part of riding a sidearm, even part of its enchantment, it is above all the main vector of loss and crash. Again, the Family 400 is very light. When a sharp bend approaches, like the 90° down the road from my house and at the end of every street in any town, the basket can lift off the ground at 15 km/h! You think I'm exaggerating?! The wheelmark in the field's edge can testify to that. So, be careful. A right-hand drive approached with too much optimism (even a little will do) will make you dependent on mass transfer. At that moment, everything changes, and the crew has no choice but to go straight ahead. On arrival, it could be pasture, Father Jeannot's haystacks or... maybe even worse.

A very delicate situation following an over-optimistic right-hand drive

the only solution is to be careful. First, ballast the basket. This will increase the speed of passage and delay the angle. Then, approach the turn with technique. Brake well in line at the start, then ease off before entering the curve, move your torso out to shift the bike's center of gravity, release the brake, forget the right-hand lever, then accelerate gently past the bend's centreline to rotate the bike around the basket. And always, ALWAYS approach every right-hand curve with caution. If you feel the need to brake on the curve, don't use the front brake at all; prepare the right pedal just in case.
Left-handers, on the other hand, are caviar. Taking advantage of a third fulcrum, the sidecar can indulge in some particularly pleasurable road indelicacy. This time, you really can be optimistic. Get your biceps ready and keep the gas flowing.
Another azimuth, another technique, another reaction - the side will resist engagement. So you use the strength of the outside shoulder and pull on the inside. You need to be authoritative, precise and convincing, and the machine engages with virility, like a go-kart. More thrills? The right amount of throttle in the corner allows you to drift for a good part of the curve. Terrific! The steering vibrates as the Familly Side gently flattens out. It's a physical exercise, but what a blast!

how to sum up the ride? It's a motorcycle, with a basket. But it doesn't take angles. And when it does, it's not a good sign. Let's put it this way: mix a bike, a car, a quad, a windsurfer, shake well, add a pinch of dance and you'll get a glimpse of the steering required. In addition to the safety and anticipation aspects that we insist on so much, it's important to highlight another particularity of the Family Side. It's alive! As soon as it's launched, adventure clings to the wheels. Debarre illustrated this perfectly in a Joe BAR Team panel, where Guido smashes Joe's front end with a Frankenstein-style start-up.

first gear, light throttle to get the piston up to speed, off we go. But the basket holds back the grinding wheel. It's not an anchor in the road either, but you have to think about holding the handlebars a little tighter to take it all in at once. In 100 meters on a modern road, i.e. one in average condition, dotted with ripped up asphalt, connectors and speed bumps, you've got it all figured out and have everything to learn. As the wheels are not on the same axis, there's a permanent shift in every action, road or driving. On a speed bump, with a conventional vehicle, the front and then the rear follow one another in pulses - with a side, the front goes up and then the basket wheel makes the crew wiggle before the rear puts everything back in place. And then it's all downhill again. Between the asperities of the road and the gear changes, you find yourself almost constantly modulating yawing and swerving movements. In short, the sidecar dances on the road. So you have to adapt. Either hold it firmly and you'll have a flat tire in 10 kilometers. Or accompany it in its ballet with an underlying authority, and you're in for a real dolce vita. There's never a dull moment when you're driving.

what does the passenger think? With a name like Family Side, it's too tempting to take your offspring along. With maximum protection: helmet, jacket, gloves, pants, etc.... and driving experience. It's out of the question to take the kids along if you don't know how the side will react. Any attempt to impress with a little basket-raising is highly inadvisable for novices. Once you've understood that, all you have to do is look at the kid's smile. In ten seconds, the owner's tour reveals a few tricks: a safety belt to increase that feeling, a lever to move the seat forward, another slightly hidden on the side to adjust the backrest angle, and just behind, a space to fit three or four Moto-Journal......

before reaching this level of relaxation, the muscles and grey matter had seriously heated up. Anxious to fully discover the side and judge the level of requirement to make its first turns of wheels, we only accumulated advice and left aside the training courses. As the Mash is powered by an engine that's not overly powerful and is not overly heavy, the first day's riding was marked by humility, surprises, laughter and a few scares. A lot of caution and not much optimism are the main assets. However, after 500 meters as well as 1000 kilometers, our vision is clear: a training course is highly recommended before taking the handlebars.

my arms hurt. Riding a sidecar is not as relaxed as riding a motorcycle. Above all, two things are very tiring. Firstly, you don't have any training, so you don't know the little techniques that can relieve the strain. Secondly, as in Michael and Albin's adventure, the machine pulls a lot to the right. Almost logical: we wanted the Family to be ready to go, as soon as it left the crate. As a result, it's in factory configuration, which isn't really suited to our style. The kind of gag that motivates you to learn the geometry of this type of chassis at top speed.
Phase 1, increase toe-in. How do you go about it? The best idea is to call in someone with experience. Adjusting a sidecar requires more than a minimum of knowledge. And as with all beginners, we strongly advise you to consult a specialist.
Otherwise, for apprentices who aren't afraid of the consequences, have your tools and your notebook. The latter is essential for noting all modifications and reactions to each one. Now we grab the 13, 14, 15 and 21 keys. Then loosen the two bolts that lock the basket frame to the connecting structure. Next, give the nuts on the spacer rod a minimum of play. Turn it a little, note the change, retighten the nuts and then retighten the basket-frame bolts. Last step: ride and analyze reactions. Then start again and fine-tune until you find the right compromise.

it's more than a discovery... It's as exciting as a new challenge. Surveying the streets or horizons aboard the Mash 400 Family Side are moments of elation, thrills, panache and pride - if you know how to be reasonable. The experience goes far beyond driving. Now that the introductions have been made, we can move on to something more expressive. In a little while, he'll be with us to cross a border. It carries bucolic weekends between its wheels - we're going to ask more of it. Some have already gone much further, superbly harder, like Eric86's Winter Trilogy, to be enjoyed here ->

M.B - Photos D.R.