Motorcycle specifications Mash400 Family Side 2018 La petite traversée

Having successfully introduced itself to the market with its small retro cylinders, Mash continues its conquest of the market. And where we least expected it. A total surprise, which will put a smile on some faces. And it's with a sidecar that the French brand shakes things up. Its name is reminiscent of patriarchal gatherings and family outings: the 400 Family Side.

we'll get straight to the heart of Mash's favorite selling point: the price. It's impossible to find a new side under 9,000 euros. At Ural, the designated competitor, the starting price is already 50% higher. That alone is enough to attract the curiosity of enthusiasts, and perhaps even neophytes. What's more, it's not ugly. Its "Irish Green" color is the only one available, and it suits it perfectly. If he'd escaped from a 60s documentary about crossing Connemara, you wouldn't think less of him.
Good looks, unbelievable fare, and a few extras to tip the scales. Like a certain Russian carriage, the Family Side has a reverse gear. As for the basket, it benefits from its own amorto, a seatbelt and a lockable watertight trunk - on this point, Mash corrects its capacity, judged too low, to allow it to accommodate two helmets now.
Everything ready to go.

suspended from the basket, the bike is a... No, it's the other way round. Anyway, the bike doing the job is the 400 Five Hundred. It's a very nice model, not very powerful, but its looks and vintage technology will win you over. The single-cylinder engine - 397 cm3, Euro4, Delphi injection, air-cooled and equipped with a 5-speed gearbox - will have the consequent task of providing for a crew weighing 230 kilos dry. Mash claims a top speed of 100 km/h.
But add to the original weight the 13 liters of gasoline, a 70-80 kilo rider, a passenger of the same stature, a road-trip load and a bowl of diots to break the fast, and the scale climbs towards 400 kilos. I'm not sure that the 27 horsepower engine will be up to the task. As for torque, it becomes transparent. But you can still take people with you, because like all good sidecars, you can take three people with you. The mono does the job, and is more at home on weekends than on road-trips. Out of proportion? A 1968 Citroën 2CV had almost as much horsepower and had to move 1/2 ton without a crew.

Voluntary, inexpensive, uncomplicated and not very technological, the Five Hundred which drives this sidecar has undergone a few modifications for the occasion. In addition to reverse gear, it features different shock settings and a 30-position adjustable "Fast Ace" steering damper. Both the front brake and the basket have a 280 mm brake disc; the rear gets a 240 mm disc.

mash has convinced quite a few people with its small retro machines, but this new challenge is much more daring. The clientele for sidecars is more restricted, and riding one requires a certain amount of experience. Certain finishing details betray the low price. And yet, you immediately want to believe in it and get on it. You know, that little thrill that's a mixture of "Oh, this must be fun, I want to try it" and "Quick, my tent, my stove and my map of France". There's no question of thinking in terms of performance or making the most of the stages. Forget the watch, the GPS and the freeway. Don't be in a hurry, that's all he asks.

Family-Side test ride	Trip to Spain - 1600 km in the we

M.B - Manufacturer's photos