Mash Adventure 400 test

Menus

• Mono 4-T, 400 cm3, 29 hp at 7000 rpm, 3.05 m / kg at 5500 rpm, 151 kilos dry, € 4,990
• A small Chinese trail to discover deep France…
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• In the city
• On motorways and main roads
• On departmental
• Off-road
• Comfort and duo
• Cycle part
• Brakes
• Consumption / autonomy
• Conclusion

Mono 4-T, 400 cm3, 29 hp at 7000 rpm, 3.05 m / kg at 5500 rpm, 151 kilos dry, € 4,990

A small Chinese trail to discover deep France…

It’s a bit old idiot to say that, but there was a time when the majority of bikers came to the motorcycle on small mid-capacity trails, Honda 250 XLS, Suzuki DR 350, Honda XLR 400 or Yamaha XT 500. In short, small grindstones that made between 20 and 30 horsepower, not uncomfortable, not complicated to drive or maintain, easy to repair when you had fallen (it happens, when you start … after also, for that matter), even able to get back on the road after an escapade in the ditch following a failed braking or a trajectory whose purity had been overestimated. Not clumsy in the city, on small roads or in the path of a forest, these little trails were used for everything, all the time, on a daily basis, to cross France as a duo or even to go to Dakar on a whim. These motorcycles were freedom.

So yes, it’s a little old idiot to talk to you about the genre of the time with, you noticed, a little music "Knacki Herta" in the background, but that doesn’t prevent: nowadays, some motorcycles which encourage " the adventure "have become more sophisticated machines than the shuttle that took men to the moon and they require 20 years of credit. Objectively: very good, because they are great rolling machines. But what about the beginner? Broke? From the young? Of the ascetic? Are you a fan of small cubes? Or the one who thinks that happiness is in the meadow ?

The 400 Adventure is an almost unique proposition in this segment. But she must savor her solitude, because soon, the small trail segment will be seriously crowded: Honda 250 CRF Rally, BMW G 310 GS, Kawasaki Versys X-300, Suzuki 250 V-Strom, Royal Enfield 410 Himalayan, at the EICMA show in Milan 2016, it was downright the festival of the small trail !

In the meantime, the Mash 400 Adventure displays its price, rather competitive in view of the services displayed: € 4,990 for a trail 400 with the side cases included in the price, it is still more attractive than a few 125 scooters that we can offer yourself for the same price.

Discovery

The Mash 400 actually comes from the Chinese factories Shineray where, there, it is sold as Kougar 400 R while a supermoto version also exists. Distributors other than Mash have offered this Kougar: google WK Trail 400 in Great Britain and you will come across the same bike. But whatever: the Adventure 400 is a bit of an old-fashioned trail, with simple and proven shapes and it looks a bit like a Yamaha XTZ 660 Tenere in its proportions, with which it shares the oil tank in the frame. Nothing that is not very fashionable today, therefore, but fashions are sometimes overdone and for hipsters and poseurs, Mash still has plenty of other motorcycles in its range and if you prefer the saddles in Brown "leather" and the thermal strip on the pots, they have what you need, in particular the incredible limited edition Von Dutch at 6490 €.

In short: we are in the presence of a trail of classic appearance. Thin and tall, it nevertheless seduces with the quality of its equipment. Sturdy swingarm, double exhaust, two disc brakes, hand guards, generously dimensioned suspensions, engine guard, aluminum side cases with fasteners that seem rather solid, high screen, luggage rack with passenger handles: nothing missing !

And the build quality in all of this? I see some come with their prejudices: "Chinese motorcycles, it’s rotten and gnagnagna …". So it’s true that the hand guards are not fixed on their inner part and we suppose that they will explode at the first bowl or at the first meeting with an old woman who crossed out of a pedestrian crossing. Having said that, let me tell you an anecdote: on the first night of the test, I was amazed to discover that the headlight indicator no longer worked on the dashboard. And the next evening, that the entire lighting of the said instrument panel no longer works either. So there, I say to myself (I often talk to myself): "it’s really $ # !, these Chinese motorcycles". Two days later, strong in my certainties (and 30 years of automation, too), I discovered with amazement that what I had taken for the code / headlight switch acts as a warning light on the dashboard, because overall the lighting on / off switch is switched because of the standards which impose permanent lighting, but the dashboard does not light up when the lights are officially on. Like what. "He who claims to be wise should not judge without knowing", said Lao-Tseu. He was right. A true sage, this Lao-Tseu.

Since we are talking about a dashboard, it has a fuel gauge and a battery indicator in a digital window, as well as an analog tachometer on the left. Graduated up to 11,000 rpm, it has no red zone. Astonishing.

In the saddle

Perched at 880 mm, it is quite high, but fortunately, not too wide. Provided you have the required leg length, you end up on a fairly thin motorcycle, with a rather natural driving position, the legs not too much folded back. With its old-fashioned, unpretentious trail geometry, the Mash 400 Adventure is not overdone or aggressive..

Even so: what is a little aggressive is the impact of the knee on the side cases if you have not raised your leg enough to get on board. Chklonk, knees in aluminum, but at the same time you just had to be more flexible and we are not going to complain about having such a machine equipped for 5000 €. Moreover, when you see the price of a Touratech suitcase kit, it makes the Mash almost inexpensive! Although it is not recommended to put more than 5 kilos per suitcase, with a capacity of 35 liters.

In short, we gauge the feeling of the controls, gas, brake, clutch and we do not see a wolf; we are not on a Honda either, with this degree of feeling and precision that makes us recognize them with our eyes closed, but there is nothing to run away crying scandal.

Everything is therefore ready for the Mash 400 Adventure to come to life with a determined boost. Contact. Starter. Action! Broaap !, does the little mono with almost 450 enduro accents. The sound is deep, full, rather melodious, although a little noisy for lovers of peaceful neighborhoods. Nevertheless, the sound of the double exhaust remains rather nice even if, with the 29 horses in fury, it risks making more noise than speed..

In the city

By laying the foundations of the problem, we say to ourselves that the Mash has everything to achieve a beautiful paradox by being cut out for escape and at the same time very comfortable in the city. Because the turning radius is quite good, the suitcases do not overflow the handlebars and allow the interface without stress, the geometry and the natural balance of the chassis make the evolutions totally natural and with its narrow tires (90 in front, 130 behind), its agility is remarkable. Full box, then? Not quite, because of the 397cc single cylinder which is quite rough and not very flexible at low revs. It is characteristic of monos to be inflexible, you will retort, and probably rightly so. Still, there is the way. And it really snorts like a block both larger displacement and more sporty character. Suddenly, at 3000 rev / min in 4th, we are just at 50 km / h and at the extreme limit above the threshold of flexibility. It is therefore often necessary to play with the gearbox in town with this Adventure: fortunately, its handling and that of the clutch do not call for criticism..

The Mash 400 (Five-Hundred roadster included) have a reputation for not being on the injection side and, alas, this 400 Adventure is no exception to the rule. The response to the grip is good and straightforward, however, and the motor does not suffer from hiccups within its operating range. No, the problem comes from untimely settings, at very low speeds, when you put a micron of gas to move forward. Now, that doesn’t happen all the time either. Let’s say this has happened to me globally once every day of this testing week. And once you’ve stalled, you have to come back to neutral before you can restart the starter, which adds panic to the embarrassment when you are tanked in the middle of a crossroads and a horde of Parisian motorists are mad at you for having slowed their progress towards the next traffic jam. A question of factory idle adjustment, which could be corrected by a good mechanic ?

On motorways and main roads

With 29 horsepower, the Mash 400 Adventure, we suspect, offers only modest performance. And that the tachometer graduated up to 11,000 rpm does not mislead you: past 7,000 rpm, the block has given everything. In fact, the maximum speed turns at a very small 140 km / h counter at around 7,500 rpm, in a fairly high noise environment. Suddenly, a more comfortable cruising speed for the crew seems to be 115 km / h counter at 5000/5500 rpm (these approximations on the speed, because the tachometer quickly began to dance the lambada and not to give indications which corresponded to the reality of the driving).

With these reasonable speeds, let’s say the Mash 400 Adventure can venture onto the freeway, as its stability is beyond reproach, but the major axes are already more appropriate. But the best for her are the departmental ones. So let’s move on to the next section because in addition, over long distances the saddle is firm..

On departmental

At a good 90 km / h, the mono turns at about 4500 rpm and it is flexible enough to resume from 70 km / h in fifth, which allows the blow to wander without changing gears too much. The 400 Adventure is delighted with a more playful playground, because its modest power is offset by a neutral and balanced chassis and we are happy to find the geometry of the old-fashioned trail, placed on its narrow tires, which lets you take turns effortlessly thanks to the large handlebars.

This ease leads to looking for tortured routes, to avoid the limiting effects of modest power and savor the rest, namely the absence of constraints (in action, the already reduced weight is not felt) and focus on the real fun to ride. And this, especially since the chassis of the Mash is healthy and apart from a slightly firm rear suspension, we rather want to continue the experience, since the brakes are well sized and, in the dry, the Kenda tires offer quite decent grip, failing a perfect feeling of the front end when it comes to tightening a trajectory. We will therefore not comment on the grip of these Kenda in the wet, even if we know that this manufacturer has not been very attractive for the moment in these conditions..

Off-road

As a good old school trail runner, the Mash 400 Adventure is happy to be taken along in the undergrowth, not like those monsters of power and electronics that we are served these days. And under her conditions, she continues to do the job. The upright riding position is well studied, you don’t have a broken back or broken wrists and it allows you to feel comfortable and use your body to cushion and counterweight. Indeed, the relative flexibility of the single cylinder very low in the towers requires a little attention to the conduct, especially as the extension is quite limited in the towers. But for a smooth ride, it’s okay. We also note the good dosability of the brakes, devoid of ABS on this Euro3 test model, as well as the good handling of the suspensions. Oh, there is nothing magic in their behavior, but it cushions properly and it has the merit of not swinging untimely racket hits at the first rut coming..

In short, on a trip through the undergrowth in the company of the Aurel ‘triptych, Yamaha XT 660R and Continental TKC 70 tires, the Mash 400 Adventure was not unworthy. Which is to its credit, since remember that it is worth the price of a high-end 125 scooter.

Comfort and duo

It can do it provided you have a slightly resistant buttocks. Because the saddle is firm, for the pilot as for the passenger, who can appreciate the generous grab handles arranged at the level of the luggage rack. And since the rear suspension is also a little firm, you should know that the Mash will not provide you with the comfort of a BMW R 1200 GS, but at the same time, this is not what was expected either, or so the seller of the dealership is super strong. Another point of annoyance: the generous vibrations from the engine and which resonate the trim, which can end up boring.

Cycle part

The Fast Ace suspensions, from China, are not necessarily known to the general public, but the company is known in the world of biking and mountain biking, as well as pit bikes. Their hyper minimalist website tells us that they make drugs (!) Or medical equipment. It does not matter, because in fact and once again compared to the selling price of the motorcycle, the fork & shock absorber duo does the job rather honorably. We appreciate the compression settings of the fork (13 notches on a wheel at the bottom of the tubes), as well as those of the shock absorber (compression at the bottom and rebound on the top of the spring). Certainly, as we have said, comfort suffers from a somewhat firm operation of the shock absorber (but machines 3 times more expensive have the same fault) and apart from that, the suspensions do not offer anything caricature in their functioning.

The 43 mm fork has 210 mm of travel and the rear shock absorber has 200. Small bonus: their look and their markings are quite "pro" !

Brakes

No ABS yet on this Euro3 version, but already two disc brakes which, with their diameter of 260 mm at the front and 220 mm at the rear, have little work to slow down the 150 dry kilos of the bike . Good dosage and good feeling at the controls and if there was not (necessarily, with 210 mm of travel at the front), a big diving effect on strong decelerations, the picture would be perfect. In any case, there are no untimely blockages and whether in town or when going off-road, the brakes are doing their job..

Consumption / autonomy

With 19 liters in the tank and a fuel gauge on the dashboard (a little pessimistic, since the last bar flashes while there are 7 liters remaining), there is plenty to see coming. Especially since the mono is reasonably sober. I did my week test with an average of 4 l / 100 being in a fairly rush and driving on a departmental road at a reasonable pace, you will do 3.5 l / 100. This leaves more than 500 kilometers of autonomy in these conditions. A real trail, therefore.

Conclusion

This Mash 400 Adventure leaves mixed impressions. The first is that there is real potential and that the small displacement trail is really great. It frees the mind, it doesn’t cost very much, it doesn’t consume much, it makes you want to get away from it all, to discover France by taking only the little yellow lines that wind on the Michelin map and by having, from time to time, want to go and look for chestnuts by borrowing an undergrowth. A vision of the motorcycle a little forgotten under the effects of fashion, the race for power, the manga roadster but which is nevertheless so essential, almost pure.

In this sense, the potential of the Mash is real. Healthy chassis, correct performance, royal autonomy, it only sins with firm comfort (at the same time when we see the saddle of the next Honda CRF 250 Rallye, we can be afraid too) and this bike arouses all the desires mentioned above. above. And at 5000 € suitcases included, it makes you want sabbaticals…

The Mash 400 Adventure also leaves criticism, especially on the rough, old character of its engine whose plans have fallen into a kind of public domain. That a motorcycle only makes 29 horsepower is not the problem, it is more than enough to discover the World. But that the engine is not smooth below 3000 rpm and that its character is graceful and vibrant does not make a very pleasant companion on the road. And these wedges !

It’s a shame, because the potential is there: a little work on the injection, a little on the control of vibrations (better engine mountings, a trim that resonates less, a balance shaft?) And a little more foam on the saddle and the Adventure, with its friendly price, has everything to put young people on the road. The only problem is, if it improves in the same way that every vintage of the other Mash models has improved over time, it will also arrive in a much more crowded market. And in this case, may the best win, because the little trail is really good !

Strong points

• Correct build quality
• Mono sound !
• Full equipment
• Fairly competitive price
• Kenda tires in the dry
• Real versatility
• Reduced consumption
• Correct braking
• Rather balanced chassis

Weak points

• Some untimely settings
• Put the neutral point to restart (when you have stalled in the middle of a crossroads, it’s a mess)
• Vibrations
• Hard saddle
• Mechanical approval dated
• Kenda tires in the wet ?

The technical sheet of the Mash 400 Adventure

Test conditions

• Itinerary: 500 kilometers and a week of testing, daily life in Paris and a trip to the forest of Rambouillet (78)
• Motorcycle mileage: 500 km
• Problem encountered: wedges and a joker tachometer
• The competition: a used Yamaha XTZ 660, BMW G 310 GS, Honda CRF 250 Rallye, Honda CB 500 X, Kawasaki Versys X-300, Suzuki 250 V-Strom, Royal Enfield Himalayan 410

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