i heard this bike was the best open class mx bike ever? Is this true? First of all i never new there was a bike called maico. So i was wondering when these were made and how good were they? Im not going to get one or anthing i was just wondering if it is the best? Thxx:)
Maico 450...
- Thread starter marcv125
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I have heard the 1981 Maico 490 referred to as "one" of the best bikes ever made. Don't think the 450 holds the same distinction.
maicomotoman
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I have a 1980 450 Maico. Maico made a 250, 400 and 450 in 1980. They were all based on the same frame and suspension. Click on my photo gallery to see pics of my 250 and 450. I think the 1981 490 is generally regarded as the peak of Maico's advancement.
maicomotoman
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I think you're right Wes. The 450 was highly regarded until the 490 came out the next year.
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I have heard from a reliable source that the 450 was much harder to ride than the 400. Although the 450 may be worth more today than a 400.
maicomotoman
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That makes sense. I have heard that the 490 combined the smoothness of the 400 with the brute force of the 450, and that's why they are so famous. I have never ridden a 490 though.
The 450 is actually a 440. Same size as the '79 440. Go figure...
I'm 42 and in my formative years as a teenager (70's). Maico was one of the best MX'ers around. They were best known for their great handling and suspension. Can't say that they won many championships though. "Back in the day"...................that is, the heyday of the Maico, Suzuki and Roger DeCoster ruled.
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AAAHHH Yess
you are right...the 1981 maico 490 mega as it was reffered to. Checked up on the internet. I heard that when they tried to go to a single shock they had disaterous results. I guess the leverage ratio was too extreme, the Corte Cossa shaock shaft was too small, and the combination of the two resulted in bikes actually snapping in half!! Ouch!!Then bankrupcy occured and Honda came out with the CR480, it was reffered to as the Maico look alike.. ??
you are right...the 1981 maico 490 mega as it was reffered to. Checked up on the internet. I heard that when they tried to go to a single shock they had disaterous results. I guess the leverage ratio was too extreme, the Corte Cossa shaock shaft was too small, and the combination of the two resulted in bikes actually snapping in half!! Ouch!!Then bankrupcy occured and Honda came out with the CR480, it was reffered to as the Maico look alike.. ??
maicomotoman
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Yea, they won exactly 0 world championships. Oh well. Maybe they didn't want to (or couldn't afford to ?)spend the $ for the top riders. I don't think it was because of the bikes. I think they were also known for their smooth power. :aj:
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Who produced these bikes? Also it does say that the bike could be lugged chuged and whatever you wanted to do with it.. They said that the 250 engine was lackluster at best but the 490 had the best powerband for MX ever built. ?? Can you still find any to be restored?
maicomotoman
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[
There was a little more to it than that...Check this out>>>>What killed Maico <<<<
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maicomotoman
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Yep that's the one.:) Unfortunately, that's the one everyone wants. Kindof pricey:(
man those bikes are/were beautiful, very few bikes really do it for me like the 80's maicos (although the 86-89 cagivas were beautiful machines too)i remember wanting one of those bikes so bad,and thinking "man when i get older i'm gonna have me one of those" i almost did i bought an '86 gm500 m-star but it just wasn't the '83 spider i wanted.oh well maybe when i get older i can find one and restore it wait a minute i am older now!! this stuff really gets me in trouble with the wife i think i'm gonna start lookin'
jeff
jeff
maicomotoman
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That's the way I felt about the '80 Maico when I was 13. Imagine how I felt when a friend gave me one after I had not owned a dirtbike in over ten years. I am a much happier man now that I have restored my fantasy bike:aj:
Find one. Restore it. Ride it. I guarantee you will not regret it.
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Those pictures are beautiful. brings back many memories. I remember "Super Hunky" of Dirt Bike magazine calling Maico the "father of handling". Remember the 501?
I also remember the 490 as having the most awesome motor ever built, didn't they call one of the 490's a "sand spider"? I think maybe a 490 Maico geared up still has some kind of top speed record...maybe??
I know a "collector" who has almost 500 old restored dirt bikes. I mean restored to showroom condition. I think he has almost ever Maico ever made. It's his mission to own one of everything ever made. He has one of the first Husky's to ever enter the U.S. I'll have to see exactly which Maico's he has.
Maico, were they not produced by some family by the name of Maicsh or something like that?
I also remember the 490 as having the most awesome motor ever built, didn't they call one of the 490's a "sand spider"? I think maybe a 490 Maico geared up still has some kind of top speed record...maybe??
I know a "collector" who has almost 500 old restored dirt bikes. I mean restored to showroom condition. I think he has almost ever Maico ever made. It's his mission to own one of everything ever made. He has one of the first Husky's to ever enter the U.S. I'll have to see exactly which Maico's he has.
Maico, were they not produced by some family by the name of Maicsh or something like that?
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- Thread starter
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Yup!!!
They did say that the 490 maga 2 have the best handeling bike of the 80's. To bad the suspension had to bring them down b/c if all the japenese companies were buying the maico to just tear it down and look into the engine to see what they were doing then it mus have been a great bike...Hey Maicoman do you have any vids of your 250 in action just to hear what they sound like compared to todays bikes???
Marc
They did say that the 490 maga 2 have the best handeling bike of the 80's. To bad the suspension had to bring them down b/c if all the japenese companies were buying the maico to just tear it down and look into the engine to see what they were doing then it mus have been a great bike...Hey Maicoman do you have any vids of your 250 in action just to hear what they sound like compared to todays bikes???
Marc
maicomotoman
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No vids yet. I'll see what I can do...
maicomotoman
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Here's what it sounds like.>>>>MAICO SOUND<<<<
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Woohahaha:)
maicomotoman
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Who me?? hehe
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