Sad Day Maico

[opfermanmotors]

I was out riding my 1983 Maico 490 Sand Spider today and the rear shock snaped in half.






I don't know the history of the shock, I never serviced it and it was on the bike since I had it for 2 1/2 years.  The 82 have the shock problems, 83 should have fixed it, but either way, they were breaking immediately back then so it lasted 30 years

[evo550]

I had the same problem with my '84, I caught it before it snapped, but the shaft was bent at the bottom similar to where yours broke.
I believe the problem is that the linkage mounting position on the bottom of the shock does not sit directly underneath the shock shaft, it is offset by about 20mm. The maico shock is the only one I have seen mounted in his fashion. As pressure is applied to the shock from the linkage, the load is not transfered directly to the shock shaft, but slightly behind it, putting stress on the joint between the shaft and the bottom mount, just where yours broke.

[SachsGS]

Strange. I haven't had a single shock problem with either my 83 250 or my 83 490. My 250 has a "million" hours on it and I rode it in the same areas and at least the same speeds as my Suzuki RMX 250, and I was overhauling the RMX shock at least once a month.