A tall first gear?
They have a tall first gear and primary ratio, at least the Open Class bikes have since 1985.  
Check out the bottom, the 1986 gear ratio and 2010 are high for the 500.  The 250s are generally same gearing but with different primary ratio.
http://www.vmxmag.com.au/03_news_events/vmx_Maico_490.htmlI would like an option for enduro to lower primary ratio and 1st gear (mostly just lower 1st and 2nd ratios and keep the upper ratios higher for enduro)! since even they are still quite tall, at least from what I know of the 1986. 
(i.e., Sand Spider is 2.36 1st gear ratio, but now the 1st gar ratio is 2.28 and with the sand spider the primary drive ratio was lower (2.13) than it is now, which is at 1.96 now.)