Motorcycle specifications Mash400 R Adventure 2019 A reasonable adventure

Mash's trail bike won't make it past Euro4. It's still available at a bargain price while stocks last... Then, will the manufacturer give it an offspring? The question remains, and is inevitably motivated by the attraction this machine has aroused in the industry. Simple, the original spirit of the category, the anti-proton of the SUVs that the sector's technological behemoths have become.

For adventurers, the first tool they need is a trail bike that's ready for anything. Whether it's a rutting machine or one that can be presented in front of a beautiful farmhouse, there's a plethora to choose from. There are trailers from every manufacturer, with big engines, big capacities and big prices.
And then there's Mash, which has decided to keep things simple. A medium-displacement engine, no assistants, no frills, no fuss, and a price almost a third of that of the segment's stars. The Mash 400 Adventure R means seeing the horizon differently.

this 400 Adventure is not totally new to the motorcycling scene. In fact, it is closely derived from the Shineray 400 Kougar. But don't think it's a copy-paste, as Suzuki and Kawa did with the 1000 V-Strom and KLV. SIMA has imposed more stringent specifications than the Chinese manufacturer, in order to adapt the trail bike as it should be. Higher quality and greater reliability to satisfy the more demanding European consumer. And the result is sure to delight budding adventurers. But they don't necessarily want to spend 1 year's salary on an R 1200 GS, especially if it's to discover trekking without necessarily riding for 5,000 kilometers. The Mash 400 Adventure R is all about initiation, quiet rocks and lightness.

the word is not weak. At 151 kg dry weight, this Chinese-French trail bike is a featherweight. Which has a number of advantages: it's easier to take along than a trail-GT, less of a hassle to lift in the event of a wallow, and less effort for the single-cylinder engine.
The Mash Adventure takes the 397 cm3 engine from the Five Hundred. A very simple mechanism, derived from an old Honda engine. Air-cooled, single-acting, measured performance, with fuel injection as a modern bonus. Here, it's been tweaked slightly to produce 2 extra horsepower, or 29 horsepower to get the job done between the streets and the rocks. With this, there's no need to look for the galloping prowess of a Ducati Multistrada Enduro. The Multistrada makes short work of the 200 km/h mark; the Mash is content to flirt with motorway limits. Touring is not for her. Discovering the region's forgotten corners is more her thing.

The watchword is simplicity. For the steel Diamond-type frame, for the sober but successful design, for the pretensions and for the ride with a no-nonsense chassis. It's completed with a classic 43 mm fork (not bad for a 400) and a Fast Ace shock absorber, spoke rims and a disc brake per wheel.
Ride-by-Wire, fuel injection mapping, anti-wheeling, traction control, anti-machine, trick control, gizmo monitoring, forget it. But the absence of all these goodies on premium motorcycles doesn't mean the Mash 400 Adventure is poor as Job. As standard, it lets you hit the trails as soon as you leave the dealership. Right from the start, you get a large windscreen, handguards, a (plastoc) engine cover, enduro footrests, gussets to protect the fork tubes and a set of 35-liter Touratech-type aluminum panniers. They look ready for anything. But they're not hinged, which can be a pain in the long run. The 21 and 18 rims are just the right size for off-roading, while the mixed tires will allow you to get away from it all.

let's not forget to mention a few points. The fork is adjustable for rebound and compression; the shock absorber has the same settings, with the addition of preload. As with any off-road/terrain machine, the seat height is appreciated: 880 mm for the Mash. Regrettably, ABS is absent.
Where the Mash Adventure strikes hard is that it will remind many of the simple, fun machines that once could go anywhere, for the price of a finger. When all you needed was a crust of bread and an endless thirst for adventure and memories. Faced with a puddle of mud between the trees, who will be the bravest? The 150-horsepower, 20,000-buck maxi-trailer or a little shrew who doesn't mind having a crooked rear-view mirror and shoulders full of slime?!

M.B - Manufacturer's photos