French manufacturer Mash Motors has just unveiled a limited edition version of its Five Hundred retro bike. It’s called the Mash Von Dutch and it’s a fresh approach to a bike known for its neo-retro looks. To those who are unfamiliar with the Mash Five Hundred, it’s a niche model that’s typically found in its home market of France. It won’t blow anybody away with its performance capabilities, but owners of the Five Hundred have long come to grips with that, knowing well enough that its classic styling makes up for its lack of power.

The Mash Von Dutch is a step up to the standard Five Hundred. Mash Motors made sure of that by enlisting the help of design firm SIMA and French artist Daddy Graph to create a design that stands out across different generations.

The customization work was limited to the bike’s design so if you’re expecting a sizeable bump in power, the Mash Von Dutch is going to disappoint you. But if your expectations are clear from the onset, you’re going to be amazed at the incredible work put in by Mash Motors and its partners to justify the limited edition label attached to the Von Dutch.

The bike’s graphics design was a big part of the modification process. With the help of Daddy Graph, the Mash Von Dutch received a two-tone paint scheme that captures the retro-fied appeal of the motorcycle. The use of brown and ivory white colors gives the bike a noticeable glint, a feat made more significant since the two shades aren’t palette screamers. The colors are complemented by a racing number plate on the front bearing the number “500,” a clear and obvious nod to the bike that it’s based from.

Look closely at the ribbed seat and you’ll notice that it’s made from genuine leather. Hardly a surprise using that material since Mash is trying to remain consistent with its design philosophy for this limited edition model. The same leather material was also used on the strap and the trim on the housing of the two gauges, ensuring that the amount of fine leather is evenly spread out throughout the machine.

A pair of Mentzeler - Karoo 2 tires are the last significant pieces of modification given to the Mash Von Dutch, ensuring that any of the prospective 200 owners will take ownership of a bike that really speaks to their sense and sensibilities.

Continue reading to read more about Mash Motors’ limited edition Mash Von Dutch motorcycle.

Why it matters

I honestly didn’t know a whole lot about Mash Motors until a few years ago when I saw a handful of them during a trip to France. Since then, I’ve kept tabs on the company and its growth has been pretty impressive. The launch of the Mash Von Dutch is another step in the right direction for the French manufacturer and if it can continue the success it has enjoyed in the past few years, I expect bigger things to come out of Mash Motors in the future.

Anyway, the Von Dutch is an aesthetic wonder. The playful use of colors creates a delicate balance between its retro-styled roots and its modern functionality. The styling upgrades really help in bringing out a new level of authenticity to the bike’s design DNA. That helps justify the special edition label given to it, especially with Mash Motors only making 200 units available to the public.

The absence of any performance upgrades may come as a minus to some people, but in keeping with its character, I’m actually glad that Mash Motors steered away from that temptation. Having more power would’ve been nice, but it also would’ve robbed the Von Dutch of its true calling as a neb-retro city rider.

I’d give the Mash Von Dutch a real long look if any one of the 200 units are made available to me. That’s how impressed I am with the styling upgrades given to the Five Hundred.