Mash Desert Force 400 vs Royal Enfield Classic 500 Desert Storm: Photo Comparison Gallery

How does France’s latest retro-themed motorcycle fare against one of India’s most favourite classics?

French motorcycle manufacturer Mash Motors recently introduced a delightfully retro-looking offering, the Mash Desert Force 400. This vintage military-themed bike looks like the ideal alternative to the Royal Enfield Classic 500 which is still on sale in France. Here’s a picture-by-picture comparison of the two bikes:

The Mash Desert Force 400 certainly looks a lot more old school than the Royal Enfield Classic 500 Desert Storm. It also has a more subtle feel to it, thanks to the blacked-out powertrain and underpinnings.

The front fender in the Desert Force 400 features a vintage-style licence plate holder whereas the Classic 500 Desert Storm gets a conventional number plate holder. The Desert Force’s dull yellow painted wheels look a bit tacky compared to the steel ones on the Classic. Talking about off-road capability, the Desert Force 400 is slightly superior thanks to the block pattern tyres.

The Mash Desert Force 400 packs a 397cc air-cooled engine, which churns out 27.37PS and 29.9Nm. The Royal Enfield Classic 500 Desert Storm’s larger 499cc single-cylinder fuel-injected motor produces 27.5PS and a healthy 41.3Nm of torque.

Both bikes come with pea-shooter exhaust but the Mash Desert Force 400 packs a dual-port exhaust setup. The two bikes come with low exhaust pipes that will be vulnerable to damage over bad roads.

While both bikes feature a sprung rider’s seat, the pillion seat is altogether a different affair. Though not pictured here, Royal Enfield offers the pillion seat as standard. However, it is fixed to the subframe and isn’t sprung like the one in the Desert Force 400. This setup is a lot more practical than the Desert Force 400’s seat.

The rear comes with twin shock absorbers in the two motorcycles. But the gas-charged units in the Classic 500 are expected to offer better damping properties than the conventional setup in the Desert Force 400. While the panniers and luggage racks are offered as an optional fitment in the Classic 500, the French motorcycle comes with a 10-litre jerry can and a canvas pannier as standard.

As far as availability is concerned, the Mash Desert Force 400 is limited to just 103 units and is priced at 4,995 Euros (around Rs 4.13 lakh). On the other hand, the Royal Enfield Classic 500 Desert Storm is a regular production model, which will set you back by 5,795 Euros, equivalent to around Rs 4.79 lakh.