Messages

46

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: The king talks

« on: May 05, 2010, 04:23:01 AM »

I got to meet Jeremy and talk a bit to him on stage in 1995 in Vegas of all places. We were both nominated for AMA pro-athlete that year. He was just like in this video. He didn't have a big head at all and was very easy to talk to. I'd rate him alongside guys like Weinert, Pomeroy, Dowd, Chris Carr, DuHamel, to name a few that are easy to talk to and great for the sport of motorcycling in general. Definitely one of the best ever, I rate him as my favorite Supercross rider of all time.
                                    Paul

47

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: YZ one two five

« on: May 04, 2010, 08:32:04 PM »

If you notice, Bubba's 125 was actually pulling Roncada's F on the uphill portions of the track.
  Maybe the top 10 at AMA Nationals should be required to be on two-strokes to make the racing better. I know the AMA will never go for it. I've been told first hand what they are interested in, and it's not outdoor MX.
                         Paul

48

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Maico-the final answer

« on: May 04, 2010, 08:12:48 PM »

I have a collection of bikes from my first purchase (Rickman Montesa)when I was 16 in 1972 to my 99 CR 250. After owning and riding modern and vintage (antiques?) I feel the modern bikes best trait is landing from jumps. The stiffer suspension seems to make the landings safer and smoother. Every one of the 'big four' bikes are a bit twitchy. You need to ride them on the edge a bit.
  I have a nice dialed 93 CR125 that I embarassed many 250F bikes with in the last 8 years. I actually like it better than the 02 YZ125 my freind has. I revalved his suspension for him. The 03 KTM 125 is a solid handling bike with great power. I felt more comfy on that than the YZ. John Dowd's 03 250 KTM was the fastest 250 I have tried, and it handled great. The newest bikes I've ridden and hated all of them, were the 4-strokes. I like 4-strokes, but the MX ones are just not what motocross needs. I just did suspension work on a 03 KX 250 and got to ride it enough to help dial it in. It's nowhere near as fast as my 99 CR but it was a good handling bike that was easy to ride, still a little twitchy.
  Ford, I am in the US in Mass. about 30 minutes from SOuthwick. It would be quite a haul to come out just to ride, but if you ever make it to the Southwick National, email me, I'll have something for you to ride.
    I'm not trying to bash anyone when I comment on my Maico. I just want more people to try it out. Most that put them down never owned one, never ridden one that has not been trashed, or never ridden one that has had the suspension balanced, or jetted right. Then their word is gospel for the young guys coming up who can't even pronounce the name right. Once a bunch of kids that were out at a private track riding where I was thought I was riding some prototype Honda or a Chinese bike.
  John, I don't live far from you and have a good area for a little GP style moto-ing. I'd love to try a TM out.
  Let me know if you're interested, I can't have 4T riders because of the neighbors, but I have had no complaints with 2T's here for over 40 years.
                                                                Paul

49

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Maico-the final answer

« on: May 04, 2010, 02:40:48 AM »

Brad Lackey says otherwise, also, comparing a Maico 490 to his 2010 RMZ450. I think his comments are on Super Hunky's site. If you live close by, I have a nice track you could bring your YZ to compare it to my 81 490 Maico. You will honestly not be able to say much after you ride mine. The rider in this video is obviously not a 500 rider, nor is the area he's riding fit for a big bore 2-stroke. He looked like he was wasting a lot of time waiting for other riders to get out of the way. The 83 Maico 490's are easier to start than any modern 250, so there is definitely something wrong with the one this guy is riding.

50

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Service Honda 500AF vs. CRF450

« on: April 16, 2010, 05:54:58 AM »

Well put John.  I am a more 500 rider and by the sound of this article, I'm sure they were trying to ride it like a 125 at it's power peak, the completely wrong way to ride a 500. Keeping them a gear higher than a 250 and making them pull is key. The 450F's I tried all stall very easily if you don't use proper technique. Sure would be good to see a test where the riders were all 2 stroke riders comparing these bikes.
                 Paul

51

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: ban the 4 stroke face book

« on: April 14, 2010, 04:43:22 PM »

Chris T, I'll vote for you after the revolution!! Lets put the shoes on the other feet for a few years! We need equal displacement, we need quiet bikes, we don't need our private tracks being closed because of pigheadedness.
              Paul

52

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: A 1981 Maico 490 Mega 2 vs a 2003 KTM 525SX

« on: April 12, 2010, 04:09:24 AM »

I have done the same test with my FRESH 490 against a KTM 525 and I easily smoked the KTM, standing start and roll-on starts. It says in the test that their 490 was tired and in need of rings. Most of these 490's I've seen are set up poorly. I'm not sure if anyone on this site has seen Herbert Shmitz ride at a recent VMX race, but he has a correct running 490 also that is a better judge of what these bikes should run like.
                          Paul

53

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: 2010 2 stroke predictions coming true

« on: April 09, 2010, 07:02:29 AM »

Octane rating is what determines how high you can run your compression. Most of the 2 stroke motors I've built came through with compression that will run great on 93 octane. But this new pump gas is no good. Pro riders are forced to use the special gas, but amatuers can run whatever.
    If you think magazine test bikes are stock off the showroom floor, you're dreaming. I've talked to enough of the testers to know otherwise. If you think one of the big 4 is going to let a bike get tested without a crew of technicians tagging along, you've been very misled.
  The reason a lot of posts are referriing to the 81 and up Maico's can be directed right to a photo on this site with photos of the new Honda and 81 Maico laid over each other showing the similarities between the two. If the bike is that outdated why does the 'new' Honda share so much of the frame/chassis dimensions?
  Dissing the new Maico's because the fenders are 'Outdated' is the same ignorant thinking that got this whole 4 stroke steamroller going in the first place. There are only three things that should be considered when buying a new bike; engine performance(meaning ridability, not peak power), handling, and durability. Being close to the dealer is not a reason, nor is if RC is riding one. I have an aluminum framed CR250 2stroke and have not had to worry about durability, it doesn't handle as well as my 81 Maico but it's not bad, and the low to mid power is great for a 250.
    Equal displacement and get rid of that foolish homo. rule.
   

54

Vintage Two Strokes / Re: The Fastest Man at Woodland

« on: April 04, 2010, 06:11:35 PM »

Try setting up your twostroke with methanol. You'll easily gain 20-25% more torque with the same revs on top. Set up properly they really put out the HP. I went one tooth higher on the countershaft sprocket easily on my CR500's and 250. And methanol burns clean.

55

Photos & Videos / Re: Ron Lechien with a 2dope on his ass!

« on: April 04, 2010, 12:33:31 PM »

Harry Everts was 1975 250 World champion on that bike. It was claimed to put out almost 50 HP with grunt like an open bike by using both the rotary valve and piston port.  That is one bike I would love to be able to try out. They were actually for sale back around 1976 or so but there were only about 100 made. Cost was over US$3000 back in 76, probably in the $12,000 range using todays dollars. They were the exact bike that took Harry E. to his championship.
    The Puch that was ridden at Unadilla USGP in 79 or 80 had a Rotax(Can-Am) single carb motor and was ridden by Heinz Kinigadner before he went to Yamaha and KTM. I had photos somewhere of those aqua green Puchs he rode that day.
                                      Paul

56

General Two Stroke Talk / 2010 2 stroke predictions coming true

« on: April 03, 2010, 09:50:32 AM »

Just want to spred some good news. We had a few riders come into our shop this week and talked about a recent Southwick NEMX race with a lot of two-strokes on the track. He claimed there was about a 50/50 split, even in the pro class, with John Dowd riding a 2 stroke. One of the riders said the 4 strokes took all the fun out of racing for him with their extreme expense to keep them running an entire season.
                                   Paul

57

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: What is your favorite Dirtbike?

« on: April 02, 2010, 09:44:34 PM »

I have had many great bikes in my day and still have two of the first bikes I bought when I was 16 and 17 years old. My favorites are the AW400 Maico I bought in the crate in March 1977. Cheapest racer I ever owned. Tires, chains sprockets, and oil is all I spent my money on with the AW, a far cry from the RM 250 A that I spent over $1300 in one year trying to keep on the track. My 1984 CR500 that I bought as a new leftover for $1375 to set up as a hillclimber is next. I won 5 consecutiove AMA pro-hillclimb championships with it in 1993-94-95-96-97, it helped me to be a 1995 pro-athlete nominee in 1995, along with the 87 AMA amatuer 500 hillclimb championship. That's been a great bike. Next is my 81 Maico 490. It has been so reliable and blows everyones mind when they see it go on the track. It handles better than any modern bike I have ridden, has that smooth, easy to ride, 4T type power. I am still on the original clutch plates after 17 seasons of riding! Last is my 73 Montesa VR250 that I rode for two straight seasons without so much as a ring job and had an absolute blast riding it stone stock, rear shocks, tires, bars, grips, and all. I have plenty more good ones and I've had plenty of turds, mostly late 70's early 80's Yamaha's and KX's. I had a brand new 1980 YZ465 in 1980. Within one month of riding I went through a tranny, piston, main bearings, numerous filters, shock mods, and more only to realize I was 8 seconds a lap slower on it than I was on my 79 440 Maico.

                       Paul

58

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: The Maico Challenge

« on: April 02, 2010, 09:24:23 PM »

I would love to do a test on one of the new Maico's, I don't care what size, and I'll even supply a place to ride it. I also have newer and older bikes to compare it to. I'm a half hour away from Southwick.
                           Paul

59

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Racing and Engine Displacement

« on: March 31, 2010, 07:00:34 AM »

I'm so glad to see a Walter Kaaden bit on this site. Suzuki should have a photo of him in their office thanking his genius for their early world titles after the MZ rider jumped ship. I'm pretty sure there is a story on the internet about that.
   In 2001 after the Unadilla National I was at the Dearlers ride day. I pitted with another famous Massachusetts rider and friends with my 81 Maico 490 to have a little fun on the National track. The riders KTM mechanic told me I should get a new KTM 520 as the 4 stroke is the new rage. I told him no way, too heavy, too expensive if they break, the motors need to be twice as big to be competitve, and not as fast as my 490. He was stunned by my answer, as if I didn't know what I was talking about.
  If you ever get the chance to ride a properly set up Maico 490, do it. Mine has changed a lot of people's idea of an 'outdated' bike. The most common response is the motor is like riding a 4stroke, but it's a 2 stroke.
   

60

General Two Stroke Talk / Re: Dying to see the new MAICO tested!

« on: March 25, 2010, 09:03:52 AM »

I would have mixed feelings about a magazine test, as they are obliged to the big four and honesty usually does not come through in their tests. I don't like when magazine tests give a bike poor ratings because of a sticker that came off or the bars are too wide for their testers, or the color isn't what they want.
    I would have more faith in Super Hunky to do a test comparison and to oversee the test with his own chosen people doing the riding. That would be an honest test, I'm sure.
                        Paul