The Ducati Scrambler is quite possibly one of the most hipster of hipster bikes out there—particularly in Desert Sled trim. Think of it as hitting three birds with one stone, if you like. On the one hand, you get that retro aesthetic which is guaranteed to get you tons of likes on Instagram. On the other hand, you get to call yourself a Ducatista. The fact that you get a pretty capable all-rounder machine is a nifty bonus, too. 

Mash X-Ride 650

All that being said, it's really no surprise that the Ducati Scrambler is one of the most imitated motorcycles of the modern era. With folks building their backyard creations, to knock-off, made-in-China copycats drawing inspiration from this chic motorbike, I'd be thoroughly flattered if I were a Ducati Scrambler. This brings us to the bike in question today—a rather unflattering interpretation of a Desert Sled. I mean, sure, they got the colors right, and if you close one eye, and squint really hard with the other, you could certainly fool yourself into thinking that this was the real thing.

What we have here today comes to us from a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer which has begun to make a name for itself in the European market. The X-Ride 650, as well as the other bikes in Mash's stable, is described in Mash Motor's official website as a "Dream Machine." This makes sense, as you would probably be dreaming of riding the real Scrambler every time you swing a leg over the X-Ride 650. Now, imitating styling and aesthetic cues is a rather easy (and cheap) way to get yourself a half-decent looking bike. It's when we look beneath the skin where things can get a bit awry. 

Mash X-Ride 650

As expected, the Mash X-Ride 650 packs nowhere near as much of a punch as the bike it aspires to emulate. With a 643.7cc, single-cylinder engine, the X-Ride makes the better part of 40 ponies at 6,000 RPM. While this is just a little more than half the power output of the Desert Sled, I'm pretty sure the X-Ride wouldn't do too badly when it comes to overall fun factor. If only Mash had opted for a slightly more original design. 

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