Royal Enfield may have some competition in the military-inspired classic segment, as France’s Mash has just released the Desert Force 400.
This limited edition motorcycle from the French manufacturer comes complete with all the period correct military accessories any military nut would want.
The Mash comes equipped with a front fender-mounted license plate, a headlamp brush guard, a leather tank bag, a bandolier for bullets along the fuel tank, a sprung seat and even a jerry can. Naturally, it’s finished in a ‘desert’ (or gloss beige) shade of paint with tan and black highlights, inspired by US Army motorcycles of the 1950s.
Don’t let the twin exhausts fool you. It’s powered by a 397cc air-cooled single cylinder that makes 27 PS and 30Nm. It’s paired to a 5-speed transmission. The numbers aren’t that impressive, then again, performance isn’t really a factor for fans of this segment.
Keeping it aloft are telescopic forks in front and dual shock absorbers in the rear. A disc with ABS brings in front and a drum brake in the rear bring it to a stop. It rides on semi-knobby tires for some dual-sport capability.
Its fuel tank capacity of 13-liters should provide some decent range. We can’t find figures on the seat height, yet with its low appearance, it’s bound to be accessible for most riders. All told, the Desert Force tips the scales with a dry weight of 163 kg.
The bike may look vintage, but all the pertinent trip info is displayed on a single, off-center, multifunction digital dial with a blue backlight. It looks almost similar to the one sported by the Ducati Scrambler.
Unfortunately, Mash motorcycles are only distributed in France and Germany. This particular model is limited to just 103 units. It’s priced at €4,994 (PhP271,679) in France, which is quite reasonable actually.
If you have friends in those countries, now might be the time to tap them and get your hands on one.
We recommend you check out their other models as well, which have a more customized look than many of their competitors offer.
About Mash Motors
Mash Motors is a French motorcycle brand owned by the SAS Société d'Importation de Motos et Accessoires (SIMA) based in Burgundy, France. Mash was founded in 2014 and sells motorcycles in France and Germany. It’s product line is a combination of models made by SIMA and China’s Qingqi.
Mash offers a broad lineup of motorcycles and scooters with 50, 125, 250, 400 and 650cc engines. It focuses mainly on modern classic designs though some have a more customized look with offset headlamps, and even mounting points for race numbers.
Mash claims its name is 70s inspired, likely after the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit of the US Army deployed to the Korean war.
