I had a 1982 250 Maico, gold rims, blue seat and mono shock. I remember well the kick start being on the left hand side and it was very tall for me to ride. Sold it years ago but somehow i wish i still had it.
Maico was more than a brand.At a time when I was riding Pentons (mid '70's) the 501's were feared (for at least their roost!)Then the Elsinore Honda came along with Yamaha YZs at $300 less ($1300 vs. 1700 for the European 250cc bikes) With the parts network and after-market companies trying to sell you what the pro Japanese brands were using (usually required if you wanted to be competitive even on a local level) Even high schools had MX teams! I relish that I was able to ride "On Any Sunday."
I wish I would have kept my 1979 380 WR Husqvarna, and my 1988 430 WR Husy as well. The 390 popped a wheelie without even trying. The front wheel would just start climbing toward the sky. The punk who bought the 390 in Aloha, Oregon trashed it.
Very cool history! I loved the factory pics, and they are still available? Impressive to say the least. they must be like buying a Lamborgini though. ten in California and forty for the rest of the country, or should I say the world? People forget this little company survived behind the Iron Curtain in the early days. Great engineers held back by communism, I love freedom, God bless America!
A few extra things. Looking back, the Maicos were great runners, but were expensive, and maintainence intensive. Most racers seemed to want something that was cheaper, and they could "just put gas in and ride", so to speak. I really liked the 1980 440, and the 1981 490, but today, at my age now, I would rather ride the 1980 400, as it is more like big, torquey 250. The big 490 was great, but you better practice a LOT on it, or you may end up at Doc In A Box on Sunday afternoon.
This was a good summary of Maico, but I think to say the 1980 Maicos were"a disaster" is just not right. As an MX racer racing in the 250 Expert and 500 Expert, the Maico 440 was as good as it got. The 250 was a bit slow, but still a winner. In fact, the conventional wisdom of the year was that the YZ 465 was deficient, and many riders yearned for their old YZ 400s. The KX420 was a rare beast. An yes, AZRS199, if they didn't get a lot of TLC, they did pretty poorly
I used to have a MAICO 360 cc Square Barrel... I don't remember what year offhand... maybe 1970-1972. It was a great handling bike! Especially after riding a Yamaha DT-250. Power, Torque, Smooth Ride... this bike just purred. I have always been a die-hard MAICO fan, and I always will! Thanks for the history lesson! 5 Stars...
Why the hell were they left side kick start- killer unless your'e left footed. Many years ago(1981-2) a friend at the time had an alpha 1 when we were 16 and it was awsome but scary compared to wot i was on- a kwak ke 175
I sure don't remember Maico being referred to as "square barrel" being all that common. I do remember Maico being called "maico BreakO"! They were known for break downs, but what a dream bike that was for me. Then when cycle world did the road test on the "501" and talked about 4th gear rooster tails! they had a power band and handling that couldn't be matched. Although CZ handled pretty good too. I ended up going the Husky route. Two 400's and Two 450 Desert masters. the good ol days!!!
Got it Toby Maico 125 gold rims, rh side over the head exhaust and newer type of yellowish tank decal? Engine looks black to me all standard. If not it was his previous years 250.
@azsr199 Never liked Maico myself but they were a contender from around 73 to 83 by being easy to ride quick. As in no savage 2 stroke power curve at the expense of low down power. If you were any good you wouldnt use low down power as you would want max power.
Japs left them for dead from 78 on but made up for it by the handling.
@jhareng Ya, Maico 125s are extremely rare and I think they stopped making them in 1980. They also share nothing in common with the larger bikes, the engine is completely different.
@tobyeo Maico 125's were based off of their road-race bike and weren't really geared or engineered for motocross. While I did see one in 1974, ridden by a 30-yr old woman! that achieved quite a few wins in central Virginia, they were expensive and hard to maintain compared to a $800 Suzuki 125, that just happened to have taken the 1973 world mx title at mid- Ohio courtesy of a 18-yr old named Mickey Boone. In this era 100+ riders might show up at a local race just for 125cc class.
Just putting you right there were a few other manufacturers using 2 stokes in cars.
Add to that they were more usueable at the expense of sacrificing mid and top end power, its let down. Tracks with long straights you could not catch up with the japs in the corners, already gone through by time entering- Thats the scenario.
Too slow to change Jap running watercooled from 1981, the engines on the big 4 remained unchanged to at least 86 so couldnt copy!
1. The video doesnt say no one else made a 2 stroke car.
2. Maicos have a broad powerband usable from idle to high rpm jap bikes have a very thin power band.
3. The only bike to out accellerate the 490 was a KTM 495.
4. They did copy & the source is listed. Jap bikes were not unchanged till 86, you are thinking the 90s. Honda alone: 1981 450, 1982-83 480, 1984 500 air cooled (bad issues), 1985 500 water cooled. sorry, check ur sources.
@jhareng Yes, but not all. YZ490 was never water cooled. RM500 was not and didn't even come until after. may be the baby bikes were not modified but I am only referring to open class, Maicos were never really in the baby league, they ruled the open class and the 490 beat them all and thats why they attempted to copy.
Also its not true that even the baby bikes werent modded b4 86. When hannah came to Honda in 85, they messed up the CR250 in an attempt to copy YZ's powerband.
@tobyeo Right on dude, when Hannah was riding he was on a "Works" bike, unlimited cash in order to win! Rick Johnson and David Bailey Had multi-million dollar machines too. I glad they instituted the "production" rule, it made all the bikes better, every brand. only problem is they have no personality now....just different graffics and color. No small, hand built with craftsmanship company could compete with those odds
@tobyeo The Maicos as said earlier have power lower down where not needed and mid range at the expense of top end power.
Quite easy to alter the powerband to come in at the top, just take a file to the transfer ports. You will lose the bottom and mid range depending how far you go.
In the day there were the die hard Maico fans, nothing wrong with that and had to accept when beaten.
@jhareng Porting....with a file??? WoW that's crazy stuff! LMAO depending on how far you go....... You're already too far, You are out there for sure.
@jhareng Porting....with a file??? WoW that's crazy stuff! LMAO depending on how far you go....... You're already too far, You are out there for sure. Power where it's not needed? depends on the delivery preference. I dig bottom end power, with a 500 you don't need top end HP just shift the tranny to go faster!
@tobyeo Didnt specify capacity try this, same bikepics.com click Honda offroad then CR scroll down to 1981. All is forgiven can do same i expect with YZ and RM which ran 33hp at the time.
so based on what you have read if you could get your hands on a new/newer maico. would you get one because you like the bikes or just to have one for the collection?
@ED209ISBACK The 83 is the best out of all the previous years and the 83 motor is what all of the following Maicos are based on. Even Zabel licensed the design and creates Maico motors for carts. I own 2 83s and 1 82.
Great video! I miss my 83 Spider 250. We could ride it off a cliff. It would still start. Leave the gas on which leaked down into the case. It would still start. Stripped kickshaft gear? No problem, it would still start! Maico-breako not here. I miss blasting by the pretty boys on their brand new water cooled jap bikes on my ugly old steed, they would come up to me later and ask "what the hell is that?" my reply? "Its a Maico motherfucker and yes, it bites."
I will never forget the first 125 Maico I ever saw in 1971. A guy brought one out to the foothills in Bakersfield, California where we rode often. The bike had about two hours on it from new when the ignition side of the crankshaft broke completely off. Took the ignition cover off, and the flywheel and the broken end of the crank fell right into the dirt as a unit. No Maico's for me ,thank you.
Great video. I had a 75 250 I bought new then a 78 400 and 73 501. That 78 was the best handling bike I've ever ridden. I'd love to have an 81 490. Hell I'd love to just get a chance to ride one!
omg i can remember when i was a teenager these were available for very small amounts in the uk until vintage motocross came popular. awesome machines the early models were
I don't get why they got rid of the chain in '83. Granted, the 2- and 3-row chains in the old Maicos could provide a reliability issue, but in... I think it was either '80 or '81, they switched to a pair of non-connected chains, which cut wear and gave the Maico engine the reliability of gears with the power bones awarded by chains. I think it's an unbelievable testament to the Maico engineers that they got so much power from the '83 nevertheless!
I had a 1982 250 Maico, gold rims, blue seat and mono shock. I remember well the kick start being on the left hand side and it was very tall for me to ride. Sold it years ago but somehow i wish i still had it.
madeljacky 1 week ago
Nice vid! Thanks!
2stroke1971 2 months ago
holy fucmoly a damn car with powerband would be fucking fun!
fnsawgun 5 months ago
A g'damn slide show? Man I get tired of these things.
laxr5rs 7 months ago
My Uncle raced for Maico in the 70's. Furman Gray from Alabama.
Tide12NC 9 months ago
Maico was more than a brand.At a time when I was riding Pentons (mid '70's) the 501's were feared (for at least their roost!)Then the Elsinore Honda came along with Yamaha YZs at $300 less ($1300 vs. 1700 for the European 250cc bikes) With the parts network and after-market companies trying to sell you what the pro Japanese brands were using (usually required if you wanted to be competitive even on a local level) Even high schools had MX teams! I relish that I was able to ride "On Any Sunday."
yabbadabba1975 9 months ago
I had a 1980 440 maico the best bike i had. Also i had a 420 KTM it could not touch the 440 wish i still had the 440.
TheJohnnylake 10 months ago
I had a 1980 440 maico the best bike i had. Also i had a 420 KTM it could not touch the 440 whish i still had the 440.
TheJohnnylake 10 months ago
I wish I would have kept my 1979 380 WR Husqvarna, and my 1988 430 WR Husy as well. The 390 popped a wheelie without even trying. The front wheel would just start climbing toward the sky. The punk who bought the 390 in Aloha, Oregon trashed it.
3Mudbone1 11 months ago
Imagine a 2 stroke car :D best car ever
roastingpeanuts 1 year ago
Very cool history! I loved the factory pics, and they are still available? Impressive to say the least. they must be like buying a Lamborgini though. ten in California and forty for the rest of the country, or should I say the world? People forget this little company survived behind the Iron Curtain in the early days. Great engineers held back by communism, I love freedom, God bless America!
wrenchinremo 1 year ago
A few extra things. Looking back, the Maicos were great runners, but were expensive, and maintainence intensive. Most racers seemed to want something that was cheaper, and they could "just put gas in and ride", so to speak. I really liked the 1980 440, and the 1981 490, but today, at my age now, I would rather ride the 1980 400, as it is more like big, torquey 250. The big 490 was great, but you better practice a LOT on it, or you may end up at Doc In A Box on Sunday afternoon.
DQE347 1 year ago
This was a good summary of Maico, but I think to say the 1980 Maicos were"a disaster" is just not right. As an MX racer racing in the 250 Expert and 500 Expert, the Maico 440 was as good as it got. The 250 was a bit slow, but still a winner. In fact, the conventional wisdom of the year was that the YZ 465 was deficient, and many riders yearned for their old YZ 400s. The KX420 was a rare beast. An yes, AZRS199, if they didn't get a lot of TLC, they did pretty poorly
DQE347 1 year ago
@DQE347 Must agree with you there to some extent, the Maicos probably peaked in popularity in 1980.
I have piccies of 490 Yams in 1980 with 49hp quickest around at the time, elsewhere 1981.
I was a 125 and 250 Expert racing in 125, 250 and 750 class nationally with KX's, all Maicos were slow and served as a battering ram in berms.
jhareng 1 year ago
Yes, I would say the 250s were pretty slow. The 440s were pretty good, but not overpowering. Nobody raced the 400.
DQE347 1 year ago
I used to have a MAICO 360 cc Square Barrel... I don't remember what year offhand... maybe 1970-1972. It was a great handling bike! Especially after riding a Yamaha DT-250. Power, Torque, Smooth Ride... this bike just purred. I have always been a die-hard MAICO fan, and I always will! Thanks for the history lesson! 5 Stars...
BLoblaw005 1 year ago
Why the hell were they left side kick start- killer unless your'e left footed. Many years ago(1981-2) a friend at the time had an alpha 1 when we were 16 and it was awsome but scary compared to wot i was on- a kwak ke 175
MECHEN66 1 year ago
I sure don't remember Maico being referred to as "square barrel" being all that common. I do remember Maico being called "maico BreakO"! They were known for break downs, but what a dream bike that was for me. Then when cycle world did the road test on the "501" and talked about 4th gear rooster tails! they had a power band and handling that couldn't be matched. Although CZ handled pretty good too. I ended up going the Husky route. Two 400's and Two 450 Desert masters. the good ol days!!!
twoweeled 1 year ago
very good
eoinmcgowan 1 year ago
Got it Toby Maico 125 gold rims, rh side over the head exhaust and newer type of yellowish tank decal? Engine looks black to me all standard. If not it was his previous years 250.
Got 1981 on the back of piccy.
jhareng 1 year ago
I do have a piccy of my mate just after i passed him on his Maico 125 in 1980, though could have been 81? Can check.
jhareng 1 year ago
maico is a peice of shit off brandd buy a honda or suzuki if you want to win races
azsr199 1 year ago
@azsr199 Never liked Maico myself but they were a contender from around 73 to 83 by being easy to ride quick. As in no savage 2 stroke power curve at the expense of low down power. If you were any good you wouldnt use low down power as you would want max power.
Japs left them for dead from 78 on but made up for it by the handling.
jhareng 1 year ago
Nice to see this hasnt turned in to a slanging match, we will both have our differences and share a common interest, keep up the great work.
Maico did do 125's but very rare, know of two used in 1980, my mate had one and Rob Andrews who i used to beat then.
Ps i have a piccy of a Maico 440 behind me on a KX250A5- No smilies
jhareng 1 year ago
@jhareng Ya, Maico 125s are extremely rare and I think they stopped making them in 1980. They also share nothing in common with the larger bikes, the engine is completely different.
tobyeo 1 year ago
@tobyeo Maico 125's were based off of their road-race bike and weren't really geared or engineered for motocross. While I did see one in 1974, ridden by a 30-yr old woman! that achieved quite a few wins in central Virginia, they were expensive and hard to maintain compared to a $800 Suzuki 125, that just happened to have taken the 1973 world mx title at mid- Ohio courtesy of a 18-yr old named Mickey Boone. In this era 100+ riders might show up at a local race just for 125cc class.
yabbadabba1975 9 months ago
maico sucks dick
azsr199 1 year ago
@jhareng i have a maico mx 125 1968-69 mabe the only 1 in Australia .video is up !
450hp202turbo 1 year ago
Just putting you right there were a few other manufacturers using 2 stokes in cars.
Add to that they were more usueable at the expense of sacrificing mid and top end power, its let down. Tracks with long straights you could not catch up with the japs in the corners, already gone through by time entering- Thats the scenario.
Too slow to change Jap running watercooled from 1981, the engines on the big 4 remained unchanged to at least 86 so couldnt copy!
jhareng 1 year ago
@jhareng Sorry, but you are actually incorrect
1. The video doesnt say no one else made a 2 stroke car.
2. Maicos have a broad powerband usable from idle to high rpm jap bikes have a very thin power band.
3. The only bike to out accellerate the 490 was a KTM 495.
4. They did copy & the source is listed. Jap bikes were not unchanged till 86, you are thinking the 90s. Honda alone: 1981 450, 1982-83 480, 1984 500 air cooled (bad issues), 1985 500 water cooled. sorry, check ur sources.
tobyeo 1 year ago
@tobyeo No need to check sources i used to race them, 82 saw watercooled on KX with the B1. CR, YZ and RM were watercooled 1981.
Wont let me put links on here so try this for proof bikepics.com click piccies and paste in 1489363
jhareng 1 year ago
@jhareng Yes, but not all. YZ490 was never water cooled. RM500 was not and didn't even come until after. may be the baby bikes were not modified but I am only referring to open class, Maicos were never really in the baby league, they ruled the open class and the 490 beat them all and thats why they attempted to copy.
Also its not true that even the baby bikes werent modded b4 86. When hannah came to Honda in 85, they messed up the CR250 in an attempt to copy YZ's powerband.
tobyeo 1 year ago
@tobyeo Right on dude, when Hannah was riding he was on a "Works" bike, unlimited cash in order to win! Rick Johnson and David Bailey Had multi-million dollar machines too. I glad they instituted the "production" rule, it made all the bikes better, every brand. only problem is they have no personality now....just different graffics and color. No small, hand built with craftsmanship company could compete with those odds
wrenchinremo 1 year ago
@tobyeo The Maicos as said earlier have power lower down where not needed and mid range at the expense of top end power.
Quite easy to alter the powerband to come in at the top, just take a file to the transfer ports. You will lose the bottom and mid range depending how far you go.
In the day there were the die hard Maico fans, nothing wrong with that and had to accept when beaten.
jhareng 1 year ago
@jhareng Actually, they had a flat mid range and power down low and power up high. My Maico 490 would eat my CR500 for lunch.
tobyeo 1 year ago
@jhareng Porting....with a file??? WoW that's crazy stuff! LMAO depending on how far you go....... You're already too far, You are out there for sure.
wrenchinremo 1 year ago
@jhareng Porting....with a file??? WoW that's crazy stuff! LMAO depending on how far you go....... You're already too far, You are out there for sure. Power where it's not needed? depends on the delivery preference. I dig bottom end power, with a 500 you don't need top end HP just shift the tranny to go faster!
wrenchinremo 1 year ago
@tobyeo Didnt specify capacity try this, same bikepics.com click Honda offroad then CR scroll down to 1981. All is forgiven can do same i expect with YZ and RM which ran 33hp at the time.
Nice video by the way keep up the good work.
jhareng 1 year ago
this is actually a very good video i watched twice so that i could just see how the bikes have changed over the years
xbulldogs57x 1 year ago
Can I get one in the states?
DEANZO6 1 year ago
@DEANZO6 Yes
tobyeo 1 year ago
Great Video! I'm living approx. 25km from her first factory...
900rde 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
had a 400cc scrambler in the early 70s, used to scare the life out of us !!! wish i still had it !!!
mountfields 1 year ago
had a 400cc scrambler in the early 70s, used to scare the life out of us !!! wish i still had it !!!
mountfields 1 year ago
so based on what you have read if you could get your hands on a new/newer maico. would you get one because you like the bikes or just to have one for the collection?
ChevyK3500 1 year ago
are the bikes expensive?
Ascorbylpalmitat 1 year ago
this is so cool yet so sad. i had no idea that this breed existed
motabikeboy 2 years ago
So out of all the problem years, it seems that the 83 models were the best ones.
ED209ISBACK 2 years ago
@ED209ISBACK The 83 is the best out of all the previous years and the 83 motor is what all of the following Maicos are based on. Even Zabel licensed the design and creates Maico motors for carts. I own 2 83s and 1 82.
tobyeo 2 years ago
Great video! I miss my 83 Spider 250. We could ride it off a cliff. It would still start. Leave the gas on which leaked down into the case. It would still start. Stripped kickshaft gear? No problem, it would still start! Maico-breako not here. I miss blasting by the pretty boys on their brand new water cooled jap bikes on my ugly old steed, they would come up to me later and ask "what the hell is that?" my reply? "Its a Maico motherfucker and yes, it bites."
ThouHastEnabled 2 years ago
I will never forget the first 125 Maico I ever saw in 1971. A guy brought one out to the foothills in Bakersfield, California where we rode often. The bike had about two hours on it from new when the ignition side of the crankshaft broke completely off. Took the ignition cover off, and the flywheel and the broken end of the crank fell right into the dirt as a unit. No Maico's for me ,thank you.
2oldcoots 2 years ago
awsome video. good job, sick bikes too 5*
WetDirtProductions 2 years ago
Maico either u race one or chase one
xandercage7681 2 years ago
You either ride a Maico or try to keep up.
krmealey 2 years ago
maico is the worst shit ever made.honda rules
stjo5555 2 years ago
cant find a video of a blue maico runnin and or being rid if anybody noes were please give me the link
snowman1692 2 years ago
There are a few videos of newer maicos will send the links
tobyeo 2 years ago
Great video. I had a 75 250 I bought new then a 78 400 and 73 501. That 78 was the best handling bike I've ever ridden. I'd love to have an 81 490. Hell I'd love to just get a chance to ride one!
mrmaico 2 years ago
ha took em till 2009 to get updated suspension.
cmt910 2 years ago
Maico i saw a 490MC but it s a monster the man who rode it was in fourt gear wheeling
KTM3630 2 years ago
omg i can remember when i was a teenager these were available for very small amounts in the uk until vintage motocross came popular. awesome machines the early models were
GT03235 2 years ago
m star motorcycles is about one mile from where i live in santa paula
bassmastera666 2 years ago
Send me a picture of the place
tobyeo 2 years ago
Thats great, that people like you still keep
the history of MAICO alive. That were the best
machines. i got a MC 250/T. this summer ill repair
the motor. dont know what "Dichtungen" and "Kolben" are called in english. but those two things have to be replaced by new ones and it will work.
greetings from germany, Flo
scooterdriver112 2 years ago
Kolben is piston far as I know
CRF250RGUY 2 years ago
And Dichtungen are gaskets.
wildebube 2 years ago
the new ones look old to me
dirtrideryzrthebest 2 years ago
Cool video. I'd like to have a new Maico.
KX5OO 2 years ago
not 5:51 5:41
vmxrm85 2 years ago
AT 5:51 they look alot like the 1993-1995 rm 125s and 250s as far a body design and frame geometry
vmxrm85 2 years ago
I agree with that the radiator shrouds are identical and stance and overall plastic is very similar.all in all a very good video though.
Motorakid 2 years ago
ya i agree it is really good
vmxrm85 2 years ago
Good job.
easydoesitmikey 2 years ago
I don't get why they got rid of the chain in '83. Granted, the 2- and 3-row chains in the old Maicos could provide a reliability issue, but in... I think it was either '80 or '81, they switched to a pair of non-connected chains, which cut wear and gave the Maico engine the reliability of gears with the power bones awarded by chains. I think it's an unbelievable testament to the Maico engineers that they got so much power from the '83 nevertheless!
Very sad story, makes me want one even more!
JETZcorp 2 years ago