MASH X-RIDE CLASSIC 650 (2020 - on) Review

Highlights

  • Simple air-cooled single with 70s style
  • Very keenly priced for a brand new 650
  • Not as rounded as alternatives

At a glance

Owners' reliability rating: 2 out of 5 (2/5)
Annual servicing cost: £150
Power: 40 bhp
Seat height: Tall (33.9 in / 860 mm)
Weight: Medium (404 lbs / 183 kg)

Prices

New £4,999
Used N/A

Overall rating

Next up: Ride & brakes
3 out of 5 (3/5)

Mash are a French concern – and yes, they’re named after the TV show of the '70s/'80s. In business for a decade, their bikes are actually built by Shineray, a huge Chinese company that makes a very comfortable living from building machines based around existing designs.

For the Mash X-Ride 650 Classic this means the single-cylinder engine that used to power Honda's legendary NX650 Dominator. There’s more connection to old-school 'giant trailies' too, as there’s an unmistakable and completely intentional hint of Yamaha XT500 to the retro bike’s look. If you still pine for the time of dirt-based thumpers the Mash seems like just the ticket, especially with its very modest £4999 asking.

Five-grand isn’t much for a well-finished 650 retro, especially one with features you don’t find on similarly priced potential rivals (radial brake, LED lights, adjustable levers, and more). The engine is willing with a decent character and pleasing exhaust note, and the X-Ride feels right during half-arsed B-road bend-swinging.

Unfortunately, while it has plenty going for it, there are just a few too many irritations – even accepting that oh-so-attractive price. Its chassis shortcomings are things you notice every ride. Sorting the issues out wouldn’t be rocket surgery but would require time and money, which defeats the object of a bargain-priced buy-and-ride bike.

If your riding is mostly on tight lanes and you’re smitten by the X-Ride’s looks, fill your boots. There’s not really anything else quite like it – you can count other five-grand retro trailies with decent-size engines on the fingers of no hands, and for cheery bobbing down back lanes it does have appeal.

But remember that while Royal Enfield’s Interceptor 650 might be £700 more expensive, the best-selling 650 parallel twin is faster, smoother, and a much more rounded package. The Indian firm’s bikes hold their money far better than French ones, too. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a 650cc version of the RE Himalayan...

Ride quality & brakes

Next up: Engine
2 out of 5 (2/5)

Running gear looks impressive. There’s a sizeable radial-mounted brake caliper on a 320mm disc, with chunky-looking forks, a neat aluminium swingarm and attractive gold rims.

However, the Mash X-Ride 650 Classic doesn’t ride as well as it looks. The biggest issue to get around is Mash’s decision to build a supermoto with broad 17in rims, but fit chunky off-road tyres. Supermoto bikes are trail machines converted for tarmac capers with smaller, wider rims and grippy tyres, but curiously the X-Ride has low-grip knobblies. I know The Dirt Look is all the rage, but they spoil the 650’s steering and low-speed handling – it feels like the front tyre is soft. They look like the Pirelli fitment on a Yamaha Ténéré 700 but are made by Kenda, and don’t have the Pirelli’s grip at decent lean on chilly or damp roads.

The riding position is nicely balanced and spacious enough despite the X-Ride being compact, and the bench seat is comfy enough to see off the contents of the 12-litre tank. No problems with the ride quality from the rear shock either, especially given this price point. But the front forks are disappointingly choppy; the ride is jiggly and unsettled at pretty much all speeds. And while the blingy-looking Hangte four-pot front brake stops the 650 well enough with a good squeeze of the span-adjustable lever, it’s desperately shy of feel.

Riding the Mash X-Ride 650 Classic on a sunny day

Engine

Next up: Reliability
4 out of 5 (4/5)

The X-Ride’s motor is the air-cooled 644cc overhead-cam single that Honda used in the NX650 Dominator and XR650 dirt bike (Shineray acquired the rights in 2016). Back when Honda made it the unit produced 39 lb.ft of thud and around 44bhp, but modern regs mean this Mash version has 32 pound-feet and around 40 horsepower at 6000rpm.

However, the X-Ride still feels how old 'giant trailies' used to. It pulls cleanly all the way to an indicated 7000rpm and thrums contentedly at 75mph in top (fifth) gear. There are no off-the-throttle power wheelies, but the Delphi injection gives great fuelling and there’s a tad less low-speeding chugging than big singles of yore. It’s a dry-sump motor, with oil carried in the frame ­– the dipstick is next to the headstock.

The Mash X-Ride 650 Classic engine is based on the Honda Dominator

Reliability & build quality

Next up: Value
4 out of 5 (4/5)

There are some pleasing parts on the 650. The neat rear rack, finned headlight housing and diddy ABS switch on the bright-finished 'bars are great, and the tiny clocks are in keeping with the style of bike.

Some of the welds on the frame aren’t the nicest to look at (who mentioned pigeons?), and our 1000-mile-old test bike had the first tiny suggestion of rust on the underside of the steel twin-pipe exhaust. Overall finish is certainly no worse than a Royal Enfield Interceptor though, and you have to look hard to see evidence that it’s a £5k bike, not one costing more.

Our Mash X-Ride 650 Classic owners' reviews don't indicate anything concerning on the reliability front.

Mash X-Ride 650 Classic twin exhaust

Value vs rivals

Next up: Equipment
3 out of 5 (3/5)

There aren’t many other 650s for five thousand. Most bikes at this price point feel a tad flimsier, too. In terms of seeming like it’s worth the cash, the X-Ride succeeds. Insurance won’t break the bank either. It's a group nine, which is a group higher than a Royal Enfield Interceptor but then still only the same as a Kawasaki Ninja 300.

The ex-Honda engine is good for 50mpg, given the sort of breezy thrumming the Mash encourages. Tyres should last as well. But it’s unfortunate that the 644cc single needs frequent servicing – as in every 2500 miles. We’re not talking just oil and filter either: there’s a valve clearance check every time. Access is easy and they shouldn’t need adjusting on every occasion, but it’s still a bit much. Spark plugs and air filter are every 5000 miles.

A front end view of the Mash X-Ride 650 Classic

Equipment

2 out of 5 (2/5)

The Mash won’t excite if you’re an electronics freak. You get switchable ABS… and that’s your lot. The very compact single digital dial has limited information (speed, revs, fuel level and odometer) and no scope for adjustment, but it feels right on a 70s-style retro.

Other bits make up for the lack of gizmos. The overall finish is good, the Monza-style filler cap is neat, and the rims and brakes give a fancier image than they’re deserving of.

Mash X-Ride 650 Classic fuel tank

Specs

Engine size 644cc
Engine type Air-cooled, SOHC, 4v, single
Frame type Steel tube cradle
Fuel capacity 12 litres
Seat height 860mm
Bike weight 183kg
Front suspension 41mm telescopic forks
Rear suspension Monoshock, preload adjustable
Front brake 320mm disc with four-piston calipers. ABS
Rear brake 240mm disc with one-piston caliper. ABS
Front tyre size 120/70 x 17
Rear tyre size 150/60 x 17

Mpg, costs & insurance

Average fuel consumption 50 mpg
Annual road tax £117
Annual service cost £150
New price £4,999
Used price -
Insurance group 9 of 17
How much to insure?
Warranty term Two years

Top speed & performance

Max power 40 bhp
Max torque 32 ft-lb
Top speed -
1/4 mile acceleration -
Tank range 132 miles

Model history & versions

Model history

2020: The X-Ride 650 Classic is launched (£4999), using the Chinese-made 644cc Honda Dominator engine in a steel tube cradle frame and long-travel suspension for an enduro-style stance.

Other versions

2020: Mash Dirt Track 650 launched (£4599). Simple twin-shock chassis with steel frame and upside-down forks, pushed along by the same Honda Dominator engine. Styled into a convincing flat track-style roadster, complete with tiny headlight nestling in a front numberboard.

Owners' reviews for the MASH X-RIDE CLASSIC 650 (2020 - on)

2 owners have reviewed their MASH X-RIDE CLASSIC 650 (2020 - on) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Review your MASH X-RIDE CLASSIC 650 (2020 - on)

Summary of owners' reviews

Overall rating: 3 out of 5 (3/5)
Ride quality & brakes: 3 out of 5 (3/5)
Engine: 4 out of 5 (4/5)
Reliability & build quality: 2 out of 5 (2/5)
Value vs rivals: 3.5 out of 5 (3.5/5)
Equipment: 3.5 out of 5 (3.5/5)
Annual servicing cost: £150
2 out of 5 Never Again
18 December 2023 by Geth6488

Year: 2022

Annual servicing cost: £100

Beautiful looking & cheap, but poor suspension, the fuelling was terrible, unreliable and poor quality. Shame, as for some strange reason I liked it! The fuel injection constantly failed due to faulty Throttle Position Sensor. The warning light came on on the trip home.

Ride quality & brakes 3 out of 5

Choppy suspension, need different suspension either end really although I could live with it. Brakes worked ok, but had very little feel

Engine 4 out of 5

Engine re dated (copy of Honda Dominator) but an effective 650 single. Quite fun, but fuelling very poor.

Reliability & build quality 1 out of 5

Constant fuelling issues.

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

Never had it long enough for this detail! It was normally in the dealers anyhow!

Equipment 4 out of 5

Swap the OE tyres (Kenda) if you ever ride in the wet. Long lasting but ooor wet weather grip

Buying experience: Cheap - bought from a dealer in Rugely, Staffordshire called Edwin Ferneyhough - the only element of the whole experience that was good.

4 out of 5 Great little scrambler with limited ability off road.
27 December 2021 by Adlsmithy

Year: 2020

Annual servicing cost: £200

Value for money. Classic feel of a bike with scrambler potential. Basic bit of kit that you don't mind thrashing over fire roads. Easy to ride and confident braking ability.

Ride quality & brakes 3 out of 5

Hard and limited suspension as it's not a big bike.

Engine 4 out of 5

Revvy and enough scrambling power. Sounds good with a few down pops.

Reliability & build quality 3 out of 5

Some rust spots in first 6 months

Value vs rivals 3 out of 5

Cheap as chips

Equipment 3 out of 5

Abs, that's it!

Buying experience: Pleasure. Nice jackets and tees

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