Mash 125 Café Racer Black Edition 2017 — Specifications

Imagine a Parisian street corner in 1965, a leather jacket slung over your shoulders, a cigarette hanging from your lips, and a throaty little British bike purring at the edge of the sidewalk. That's exactly the image this Black Edition seeks to sell, a dark and uncompromising version of the Café Racer signed Mash. This Sino-French manufacturer has built its entire 125 range on the same platform, the Seventy, declined in as many styles as there are motorcycle subcultures to celebrate. The Café Racer ticks all the visual boxes of the genre: low handlebars, megaphone exhaust, rearset controls, seat cowl. The scene is set.

In 2017, the mechanics received Delphi injection to pass the Euro4 standard. It's not a revolution, but it tames consumption and makes the 124 cc single-cylinder a little more flexible at low revs. Full-ABS also makes its appearance, with a 70/30 front/rear distribution and a three-piston caliper at the front. On paper, it's serious for a 125. The 38 mm inverted fork gives the whole assembly a substantial look, even if the two lateral rear shock absorbers are nothing exceptional. The featherweight dry weight of 105 kg facilitates life in the city, and the 12 liters of tank capacity avoid too frequent stops at the gas station.

What distinguishes this Black Edition is the methodical application of matte black to almost the entire machine. Fork, fork tube, frame, fenders, rear fairing, airbox covers, controls, seat cowl: everything is painted. Only the turn signals and the engine block retain a different hue. The tank features a vintage-style decoration that recalls the café racer meetings of the sixties. The result is coherent, assertive, and frankly successful for a motorcycle displayed at 2590 euros. Faced with a Royal Enfield Meteor or a Brixton Cromwell in this stylistic category, Mash clearly plays the card of price accessibility.

Remains the question of substance. With 12 horsepower at 8750 rpm and 8.8 Nm of torque at 7750 rpm, the little mono will never be a bomb. The maximum speed is capped at 105 km/h, which clearly places this machine in urban and suburban daily use, not on the highway. The 90/90-17 tires at the front and 110/80-17 at the rear are correct for urban use, without sporting pretensions. The five-speed gearbox and chain transmission do the job without surprise. It's not a motorcycle for those dreaming of strong sensations, but rather for the young A1 license holder or the commuter who wants to ride the look of the job without breaking the bank. In this specific niche, the Mash Café Racer Black Edition fulfills its contract with disarming honesty.