Comparison Mash Seventy Five vs Orcal Astor Vintage 125

Retro and cheap, the Mash 125 Chinese are the phenomenon of the moment. However, the new Orcal Astor promises to do superior and better. We checked in comparison, on the road and in the workshop. Small cars but high stakes! Behind their retro appearance, Seventy Five Mash Vintage and Orcal Astor count undoubtedly among the best sales in the French market in the coming months.

For the first, this is already the case. And logically Astor, who has just arrived, shares the same ambitions. To do this, one and the other resumed almost the same recipe: a retro look very fashionable, a Chinese construction and a price almost at the grass roots. On 01/10/15, the Seventy Five Vintage is priced at € 2,295, against € 2,320 for Astor 125.
Mash, one time on this promising niche, must now deal with a competitor with long teeth. Communication and word of mouth are in full swing, the Orcal Astor already has an evident sympathy capital from a target without any doubt off between the beginner attracted by its look but also want to stick to B license through a mandatory training 7:00 and the full biker, seduced by this fake replica vintage booking. In short, the “125 classic and cheap” is one of the strong trends. These two are the leading representatives, so let’s see what they have to offer us.

Quality and Price: The debate

It is not a secret; Mash “benefits” today a controversial reputation in the market. We especially know through internet, maxi test Moto-Station and forum Mash 70-75 which we got closer to refine an initial assessment.
While some point bluntly met their worries Mash, most members agree that at this price, it’s hard to ask for the moon, and it is also the responsiveness of the customer or dealer skills to often relatives the gravity of the problems. Especially since the service Mash France would ensure his side a quick replacement.
In short, if there are concerns about Mash – and we know that they are generally more unhappy than happy to speak – those are received and treated differently by the owners concerned. And finally, the constant fact remains unless all have fallen for the look of the Mash and price. And it is precisely on these two criteria Orcal intends to position its 125 Astor, promising a superior build quality. We have checked.

You, who follow daily the station, have already discovered premiering our quick video tour at Legend Motociste, antique motorcycle restorer and precisely oriented in this respect. As it was obviously no question of dismantling everything and take in the laboratory, We at least wanted to visually observe the efforts of one and the other.
First point, it is undeniable qu’Orcal stands here by the work done on the style of his Astor 125. The neo-retro line this bike hardly suffers criticism, giving each piece is naturally to all, the tank side covers, through the seat or the dashboard and owls up / white background tachometer. If Ducati spring inspiration, one can only applaud the work done on the design of this machine.
In comparison, Mash it opposes a less original line, less studied, and is more reminiscent of elements in an assembly. In particular, the inverted fork little retro in the spirit, or the odd fixing the lighthouse or the poverty of the dashboard central counter, no gas BUT seeing a partial trip unlike Orcal are note. However, tank, fender and headlight are steel on one and the other, the aluminum rims, and only the exhaust of the Astor is manufactured in stainless steel, that’s good. But a surprise awaits us after easily removing the tank and seat on each.

Two motorbikes a framework…

Immediately, we realize that this Orcal Mash and 125 based on the same backbone frame: only the motor mounting lugs and the end of the back loop differ. Even if the implementation characteristics of the various components are consistent, battery, beam, turn signal, seat attachments, oscillating arm, rear brake, among others. For its part the Mash offers a passenger grab handle with its raised rear loop clever!, Orcal Astor preferring two chrome side handles.
In quibble, we note that the quality of the paintings plays rather in favor of the Mash, the double layer gray / black Orcal offering more relief finger passing over the connections. Here, what emerges above all therefore lies in the choice of engines, Japanese for two but outsourced to China, the occurrence for Orcal Yamaha (Yamaha YBR 125) for Mash Suzuki (Suzuki GN 125), one and the other fed by the carburetor.
If Orcal therefore detaches thanks to its most studied and most complete line equipment, very clever one who could predict dice now a calmer aging on either, given as close a manufacturing technique . To do this, we wait your opinions on your Mash Seventy and your opinions on your Orcal Astor in maxitest moto-station.com in a few thousand kilometers. But it’s time to hit the road.

History eraser

Premium of 125 for the general public, their ease of handling. And these Mash and Orcal are no exception to the rule. Light, we weighed the less than 130 kg with full ones and compact their seat height makes them easily accessible to most of the templates.
However, with its wide handlebars, a seat closer and more remote footrest, Orcal offers a more ergonomic typical roadster. So that one instinctively feels comfortable on board, without having to adapt. The Mash offers a slightly more “relax” position, with its more spacious and comfortable saddle, slightly advanced footrests, handlebars and mirrors tall and narrow. So that it passes more easily between cars on the boulevards, where the wide handlebar Orcal sometimes forced him to stop.
However, the Mash suffers an even worse tire mounts that Orcal bars on the wet. Their clinging drawing makes the least open and agile leadership on Seventy Five Vintage, so that rain will necessarily curb your enthusiasm. On one and the other, we can only invite you to change these Kingstone tires gums, to operate much more quietly these small motorcycles that do not otherwise lack appeal.

Character … or not

In town, it left the road and already guess confirm. The Mash well has the best engine. Brighter start and round in his then revving the Suzuki GN 125 clone reveals a playful and effective companion in everyday life. Whatever the speed, it takes a clear advantage over the Orcal, acceleration and recovery, and therefore allows a more serene driving, for example to double, in town or in duet. The “loop handle” and slightly more spacious saddle are also in favor of the passenger on Mash.
But on one and the other, the low engine power around 10 c and suspensions too compressed by the weight to be taken into consideration before embarking beautiful ride motorized projects getaway. .. It is primarily these frail solo motorcycles are assessed, including their top speed almost equal: just above the 100 km/h chrono.
Still, the Orcal is struggling to support the comparison most of the time … In his case mounted in slow regime and its metallic sound incurred in the approval and the charm of this beautiful little bike every day. At least, the Astor does not vibrate or very little, which eventually constitutes its real strong point facing the mechanical buzzing Mash, so harmful to the longevity of the bulbs … For the rest, their conso strictly equal – measured 3 1 l / 100 km nearly 300 km test – must go less into account that the bulk tank Orcal promising more than 500 km of autonomy!

Test Appraisal: Very, very Tight

Conducted under changing climatic conditions and therefore instructive, you guess the final outcome of this match for the less tight. More aesthetically rewarding and slightly better equipped, the pretty Orcal Astor 125 so scores on café terraces but must resign himself to submit to the law of the Mash road.
Here, the influence of tires definitely bad – is relative since we urge you to immediately change on one and the other! More than almost similar technical basis, it is therefore the engine that objectively the difference between these and Mash Orcal 125. For as the quality of their braking the work of their suspensions – virtually identical and correct solo does not allow definitely decide between them in terms of road holding and safety.
Thus, despite the modesty of their services, we must nevertheless admit that compare these bikes really interested us. For these 125 Chinese clearly containing conditions we almost never faced before. Starting with their relatives and their technical design fashion distorting the traditional comparison. It is also the first time a test we apply automatically as a further reflection on the quality of construction and the expected reliability.

And it is clear that, on this point, we are hard pressed to favor one or the other, waiting your feedback in the maxitest. However, it also seems to us that their low price does not excuse everything. For if we dig in competing lines, we find the same type of engine, but with the injection, to finally close price, and if one believes the returns from maxitest with a standard reliability.
But ultimately it is essential there or in the real phenomenon generated by these 125 Chinese retro? For as we have discussed with dealers, and also read about the forum Mash, it is less than the price finally retro character and their preparation needs or opportunities that are worth their success with a wide variety of customers. In this sense, these 125 full benefits of the general excitement around the classic motorcycle and prepared, and so far they are the only ones able to share it with the B permit holders.