SuperHunky: Maico 501

[Turquine]

My apologies if this has already been posted but I thought it might be of interest. --->

http://articles.superhunky.com/4/321

I wonder how it would stack up against the '81 490, given the same type frame. Be most interesting.

[SachsGS]

Back in the 90's my brother had a 550 KTM and I had a Maico 500 and riding the bikes back to back the Maico was more powerful.For example,in one deep,gravelly uphill section the flying "M" was a gear higher then the Katoom.

[Turquine]

That is interesting, Sachs. How did they compare in a drag race, pure acceleration?

[SachsGS]

What I have learned over the years is that you can only transmit so much power through a 120 or 130 cross section of a tire - the rest goes up in wheelspin.My brother had a 440 KTM before the 550 and that bike was probably quicker then either the bigger KTM or the Maico in a drag race because of the lighter flywheels and snappier power but,compared to the bigger bikes, the 440 had noticeably less bottom end.

 Once I rode sweep at a race with a friend and he was riding a Honda CR500.As we rode fire roads between checkpoints Doug ,a masters level rider,would blast me with rocks coming out of every corner and after the barrage died down I would effortlessly reel him in down every straight.Those old big bore Maicos are deceptively fast.

[VintageBlueSmoke]

Just to piggy back on what SachsGS said, out of the corner (actually all the way through the corner), I am just as fast or faster than the modern bikes in MX1 on an '80 Can-am 400. Pulling up the hill after the hair pin though, even the (modern) 250F's pass me...although I admit to not having the rear suspension dialed in.

Problem I am having on this steep and long up hill is that I either am spinning the tire or threatening to blow it over backwards. I have not found a happy (and fast) medium yet. It's like riding a bucking bronco for 30 minutes!

[Turquine]

I hear you about the tires and traction. My friend had an '84 Honda CR500 (the last air-cooled model made), and I had an '82 Yamaha IT 465. In drag races in the dirt, we were usually pretty even despite the fact that he had considerably more hp & torque. He remedied the situation by swapping out the stock tire with a Cheng Shen they used to make which had a huge, wide center knob. About the closest thing to a sand paddle you could get and still have a knobby. He generally roosted me after he slapped that tire on. I wonder if they still make that tire. I know about the Maicos being deceptively quick, and very tractable as well. My brother-in-law had a 1985 Husqvarna CR500 2stroke. This was the MX model, not the cross country or enduro. It felt like nothing in the world could accelerate with it, and it was quick, but fast as well, having a 6 speed. His policeman buddy bought a 1981 Maico 490 in near perfect condition. Just riding the two and going by your seat-of-the-pants, you'd swear the Husky would run off and leave the Maico. Not so. The Maico always edged it out through the gears in roll-ons, and easily won standing start drag races. Well, that is, until the Maico topped out in 5th, then the Husky would come screaming by, having a 6th gear and much higher top speed. Maico seemed to work magic with the motors they built, that nobody else could duplicate. Enduro-like powerbands, with MX horsepower, but very broad and tractable as well. Having said that, the results between that Maico and Husky might have been very different on pavement, but they never tried. I'm pretty sure the Husky had more peak power, but didn't get as good traction.

[SachsGS]

A friend once had one of the last of the Husky XC 500s and I enjoyed riding that bike. You don't see many of the Husqvarna 500s around anymore because they had the nasty habit of breaking the centre cases in the kickstart area and,being made of a magnesium alloy,were very difficult to repair.

 I like the big bore two strokes. I once rode an IT490 with an Ohlins shock and a DG pipe and talk about a nice desert bike with the huge tank,lights and wide ratio tranny. The KTM 550 is also a very nice motorcycle - the power is super mellow in spite of having a huge amount of it.The KTM 440 wasn't as nice though,it hit like a 250,didn't steer and was,as previously mentioned,gutless off the bottom compared to the big Maicos.I've ridden a 440 Maico from the 90's and that bike is a gem as well.

[maicoman009]

Great article Turquine it was nice to read some older article from Super Hunky especially about the old school Maico 501! I'm still a fan of all Maicos but I sure would love to see some imported to the United States like the new 2011 or even a 2010 for goodness sakes! I'm really upset @ Maico International for basically deceiving all of us on this awesome site! I'm certainetly NOT upset with TSM @ all because this site just posts the info it gets from Maico International & I feel like MI has been lying to us for the past 4 years which is'nt a very good way to run a business @ all! I really wanted to buy a new Maico 320mmx or a 320 enduro which they were suppose to make some enduro models with a bigger fuel tank but all I've seen so far is just a pic of the bigger tank! I would really love to see one of MI's Maico enduro bikes but I don't think that will ever happen & that's why I bought a KTM-300xc instead because if I did'nt go ahead & buy the KTM then I still would'nt have a dirtbike to ride & by the time Maico International gets a distributor here in the United States I'll probably be in my late seventies or dead by the time they get any here in the U.S. Sorry I had to vent a little because of MI's BS that they have fed us for sooo looong!!!!

[SachsGS]

This whole Maico saga has been an unpleasant experience for myself as well.It would be nice to see some economic entity with a business plan that has half a chance for survival take the brand in a new direction.

 Koestler Maico is the largest KTM dealer in Germany and the family has business ties with Maico that go back over three decades.I wonder what their plans are (if any)?

[metal_miracle]

maicoman  i did the all most the same thing as you but i waited on the mmx500

but got a ktm sx250 instead

[maicoman009]

I think you picked an excellent ride metal_miracle & if you ever feel like you need more power or torque KTM has the 300sx kit! I almost bought a 250xc & I was going to have a 300sx kit installed on it off of KTM World but it was a lot more cost effective to just go to Bentley's in PA. & buy the 300xc.So far it's been the perfect bike for me & the type of riding I do.(mostly offroad & tight woods & a very small amount of MX @ a local track) and I gotta say that the ol' 300xc has put me down about a half dozen times & so far it only has a few minor scratches & a broken brake lever that was easily fixed with J B Weld! KTM's are very durable & dependable bikes & after being off the seat & in the dirt as many times as I have & only a broken front brake lever!? I still love Maico's & always will but so far KTM is @ the top of my list as best dirtbikes currently made!
   I also wanted to reply to SachsGS about Koestler KTM/Maico in Germany & the only news I have on Koestler right now is he is still building a limited number of Maicos ( about 50 a year.)& they are for sale but just like Maico Int. our dollar to euro & pound exchange rate is still so high so to buy a Maico off of Koestler with U.S. currency would cost you roughly $10 to 11k + depending on the model.... Although you probably already know that tid bit of info Sachs) I wish I had better news on the Maico front but that's all I have right now @ least until I call Axel & hopefully get Axel on the phone & not his brother because I know very little German & Axel speaks much better English than I speak German!!!