Motorrad Tours

Taking inspiration from that famous Italian factory’s massively successful retro scramblers, Mash’s latest machine offers something a bit different for learners and commuters alike…

Run by MSL columnist Richard Millington, Motorrad Tours organises riding trips all over the world, from Scotland to South Africa. Motorrad Tours is an official BMW travel partner, so they always ride and hire BMWs, although you are free to ride your own bike, whatever make it may be.

For further information: www.motorrad-tours.com

sent us the routes to upload to our satnavs before the trip, with detailed instructions on how to do it. In addition they had given us route notes – a printed list of every turn you have to take on your travels, with all the coffee stops and fuelling options marked, too.

Unfortunately, not even the most elaborate preparation can entirely negate human error. So I went wrong… at the first junction! For a moment I missed Nigel. But this is part of the fun, I told myself, got back on the right track and carried on. Disaster averted. Hurrah!

Eventually I got better at remembering to keep glancing at the satnav and the route notes every now and again. It was actually really fun to be riding on your own – you could decide your own pace, stop when you wanted and take a detour if you saw something you liked. But I did miss the others when I stopped and there was nobody to chat to.

My solo navigation journey took in one of the finest sections of the whole tour. From Hermanus, hugging the cliff edge, a nice long stretch of incredibly smooth Tarmac zigzagging between the mountains and the ocean. The road was quiet, which meant that I could let the GS enjoy the ride as its makers had intended. I could have ridden it back and forth all day, but my stomach was rumbling so I pressed on to Gordon’s Bay for a burger by the sea.

From Gordon’s Bay it was only a short ride to the outskirts of Stellenbosch, where we spent our last night on the road, staying at an actual vineyard. Not a bad way to get ready for the last day of riding!

Back to Cape Town

Two weeks is a long time to be riding, but before we knew it we faced the last day on the road.

It seemed like we had only just started, but on reflection, we had covered a whole heap of things in the two weeks we had been on the road. From the hustle and bustle of Cape Town to the tranquillity and calm of Mount Camdeboo Game Reserve, and everything in between.

We left our digs at the vineyard slightly reluctantly. It was not easy to tear yourself away from all that lovely wine or the scenery of vines reaching all the way to the mountains on the horizon. But the mountains were where we were heading, so it wasn’t all bad.

The last day’s riding was a loop over the mountains, taking in some lovely passes and old towns, before eventually joining the highways that feed Cape Town.

Riding around the mountain passes was a good chance to reflect on the trip, the bike, and how it had all panned out. I had come to South Africa with very little knowledge or expectations of the place, but even so, I was surprised by so many things.

Among the highlights were the people, nature and wildlife – and the riding, too! Everything else was so exciting that it was easy to forget how good the riding really was.

Not so much of a surprise, but a definite plus, was the bike. I had ridden the BMW R1250 GS before, so I knew what to expect, but cruising round those last passes of our tour I was once again reminded how good the bike really is. The electronic suspension made cornering so solid and confidence-inspiring, and the engine pulled so keenly when you shot out of the corners that you just couldn’t help smiling. Add to that the quickshifter and cruise control, and even the more boring stretches of road were a breeze. The TFT dash and the built-in connectivity also meant that I could link my phone and headset to the bike, then control everything from the switchgear. The only things that I wasn’t entirely happy with were the screen and seat. In fairness, I still haven’t found a screen that I am entirely happy with, but the one on the GS seemed a little low to me (even when in the top position) and quite noisy. The seat could have been slightly higher, not because I wanted to be further from the ground, but because the distance from the pegs to the seat was limited, and after a few hours on the bike I spent a good time riding standing up and stretching my legs.

Neither issue was a major one, and with shorter distances they wouldn’t even have been a consideration, but on a big tour like this one the little things get to you in the end.

In terms of the tour itself, I thought that Motorrad Tours had done very well. There was a lot of riding (almost 3000km in total), lots of things to do besides riding (from the Cape Town tour to the game drive), and everything ran smoothly. I particularly liked that there was the option to follow the tour leader, or go and do your own thing using the satnav and route notes, even if we preferred to stay as one group most of the way.

Tours like this cost a lot of money, there’s no two ways about it. But you get expert guidance, all the activities and logistics organised for you, highquality meals and accommodation, and just generally being looked after really well. If you have the money, it’s a no-brainer – definitely worth it! Just a word of warning: food in South Africa is good and the portions generous, so if you’re not careful you will return home fat. Not stout. Fat! Still, that’s a small price to pay for the trip of a lifetime.

“What’s that? Looks a bit like a Ducati Scrambler, doesn’t it? It’s a what? A Mash. Never heard of them before.” That’s a conversation I’ve had several times while I’ve been bombing around on the Dirt Track 125. I’ve been taking it as a compliment. I suppose it is. Ducatis are notoriously stylish, and Mashs haven’t been around all that long. Assuming that you, like many of the inquiring bikers I’ve met of late, haven’t heard of Mash before, here’s a bit of history about the fledgling French brand.

Mash is the brainchild of SIMA, which has been on the go in France since 1976. In the past it imported Ducati, Husqvarna and GasGas bikes into France (as well as a massive range of accessories), but back in 2014 it decided it was time to launch its own brand. So, that’s exactly what it did – punting production out to China to create a now extensive range of 70s-inspired motorcycles and scooters. And it’s gone from strength to strength since, establishing nearly 400 dealers across Europe. That’s quite impressive in such a short space of time. And this year it’s just released its first range of 650s. If it’s developing more bikes, it’s probably doing something right, don’t you think?

I’ve actually spent a fair bit of time on a variety of Mash machines over the past few years. I had a glorious few weeks with the bikini-faired TT 40 café racer a couple of summers ago, and was thoroughly impressed with the super-stylish retrolooking roadster.

I'll admit, they’ve probably not been the best bikes I’ve ever ridden, but from my experience the simple, stylish and reasonably priced machines from Mash are well worth a look. Does the Dirt Track 125 fit the same mould? Will it stand up to the test? Will it be any good off-road? I guess there’s only one way to find out.

HEY GOOD LOOKING

First things first, I reckon the Dirt Track’s a cracking looking little bike. I love the gold rims, bright red seat and the funky front light, which pokes through the racing-inspired number board. It might sound a bit garish, but it all works well together, helping the bike to stand apart from the competition in the very crowded 125cc market.

It’s a nice shape, too. The wide bars set the tone, while the tank, seat and slim-line tail unit all flow smoothly to the tapered back end where you’ll find the brake light. I’m a big fan of the matte white colour scheme; in my opinion it’s the best of the options on offer from Mash.

The front mudguard is a bit of a let-down; it’s more of a ’token’ gesture rather than anything practical and functional. It’s not offering much actual protection – but who cares? I reckon a big one would partially spoil the bike’s good looks which, let’s face it, is far more important… agreed? Just dodge the puddles, and it’s all good.

The instrument display is compact and not particularly comprehensive, but it displays everything you need (including speed, revs, fuel, gears and the time), and importantly, it fits in nicely with the bike. The mirrors are decent too, with the long stems helping to offer a totally unhindered view to the rear. That might sound like a given for rear mirrors, but you’d be surprised how often ‘cheaper’ 125 mirrors miss the mark.

I recognise that the Dirt Track’s styling is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. But that’s ok; bike manufacturers should be trying to push the boat with fresh, new designs, and I reckon I've seen enough retrostyled scramblers for a lifetime, so personally, I think this little machine has far more going for it than most. Nicely done, Mash.

DIRT TRACKER?

I have ridden a good number of the current crop of Asian-imported 125s available on the market, so when I tell you that the Mash Dirt Track is very high up on my list of favourites, you should sit up and take note. The confidence it awards the rider is second-to-none, with those wide handlebars allowing you to flick