A peek into the future... Maico 125 for 2012!

[evo550]

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/mcy/2078427993.html

If I was in Kanas I'd get this

Must be free, don't see a price ?

[opfermanmotors]

Even better

[ford832]

Must be free, don't see a price ?

How else are you going to sell them if you don't give them away?
There is something to be said for something not changing and being old school ergonomically and all that,given a particular persons riding style,size,preferences etc.-but-times have changed and if one wants to appeal to the masses your product must suit what people know,are used to and want.Nowadays,most don't like the "sit in" ergo's of the old CR/KX 500's or XR's(anyone ever notice the popularity of the Service bikes?).If your plan is to sell to the old school faithful,that's fine but if you want to appeal to the largest market,you've got to be modern.
Yamaha 2t's may not have changed much Jetz but they are still the same set up as anything else out there ergo wise 2 or 4t.

[SachsGS]

Seems to me Yamaha is going to be "giving away" a lot of four strokes in the near future.

The ergonomics of modern Maicos are of the "Euro high footpeg" mentality and are very similar to a TM for example.While differing slightly from the Japanese two strokes the ergonomics of a current Maico are no less modern.The ergos of the latest KTMs make the Japanese two stroke ergonomics seem dated in my opinion.

Ergonomics are one thing and the subjective handling characteristics of a motorcycle are another. At one end of the spectrum you have the Yamaha "competent but bland",bikes that are stable with nice cornering qualities (ex.: Maico and Husaberg) and at the other end lively bikes that only want to turn (RM).

I further question Yamaha's attempt to broaden the "mass market appeal" of their two stroke line, other then a token aluminum frame how much have the Yamaha's changed since the mid 90's? I could argue that my Koestler Maico differs more from a Merkle Maico then a current Yamaha two stroke does a late 90's version.

[opfermanmotors]

Latest news:

http://www.tillamooksingletrackmagazine.com/Articles/Generic/index.php?id=2

Here is an email Dirt Wurx sent someone the other day.

Here is the latest status...
Yes we, (Dirt Wurx USA), are going to be the US distributor for MAICO. We
have a deal in place with MAICO UK to import the bikes and we have secured
the required permission from US DOT to bring the bikes in. We are still
working on the EPA import legalities, but we are told this part moves
fairly quickly.
Best Guess... it will probably be 45 to 60 days yet before we are good to
go..


As for the bikes, the news is really exciting...
With the recent announcement by MAICO UK that they will begin building
their own frames and engines in the UK for the 2011 model year, all
similarity with the somewhat dated bikes sporadically imported in recent
years goes by the wayside!
The MAICO UK guys are doing EXTENSIVE R&D and either building or buying
all the good stuff you see in the brochure or at MXA, or on my site, and
then hand assembling each bike from the ground up. I have been over to the
UK several times in the last few months and the bikes are really cool.
Vince Page is a Maico "True Believer" and has put a ton of time and money
into the R&D of updating the bikes, and it really shows !


Unfortunately with the dollar/euro and dollar/pound exchange rate these
days they are going to be pricey... 12k+ range for the big bores...
maybe a bit less for the 250 and 320, but these are really hand built high
end bikes with all the good stuff as stock, and MAICO UK is making a
program available to us where the customer can upgrade very reasonably as
new parts become available in subsequent years, so your bike will not
become dated as quick as with the Japanese models. Obviously it is an
expensive niche bike, but I'm a MAICO nut and I'm going to give it my best
to get them over here at as best a price as I can, and hope there are
enough guys like me out there to make it viable. There is just something
about a traditional motocross two-stroke that makes me want to keep them
alive in a world of cookie-cutter Japanese four banger boat anchors !


Obviously we are going to be doing this on a very small scale at first,
strictly distributor direct. We will keep a supply of spares on hand
here, and many of the components are common to other brands, (Magura,
Brembo, Talon, WP, etc.), and will therefore be available from Parts
Unlimited and similar sources. I would love to grow it in the coming
years to where we have a small group of dealers who are as into the bikes
we are, but to be frank, I doubt we will ever have a dealer on every
corner in the lower 48.
WINK 
 

[ford832]

Seems to me Yamaha is going to be "giving away" a lot of four strokes in the near future.

The ergonomics of modern Maicos are of the "Euro high footpeg" mentality and are very similar to a TM for example.While differing slightly from the Japanese two strokes the ergonomics of a current Maico are no less modern.The ergos of the latest KTMs make the Japanese two stroke ergonomics seem dated in my opinion.

Ergonomics are one thing and the subjective handling characteristics of a motorcycle are another. At one end of the spectrum you have the Yamaha "competent but bland",bikes that are stable with nice cornering qualities (ex.: Maico and Husaberg) and at the other end lively bikes that only want to turn (RM).

I further question Yamaha's attempt to broaden the "mass market appeal" of their two stroke line, other then a token aluminum frame how much have the Yamaha's changed since the mid 90's? I could argue that my Koestler Maico differs more from a Merkle Maico then a current Yamaha two stroke does a late 90's version.

The latest KTM I've ridden is an 08 and ergo wise I noticed little dif from the YZ-both fit me fine.My Berg had very high pegs but It never bothered me at all.Yamaha has long been known for being a fairly conservative company when it comes to sweeping changes which is likely why their bikes are not generally known for being stellar in one area and poor in another but good all around.I'm not a Yamaha die hard either but I guess in order to compare it to the Maico I'd have to give one a shot.You should bring yours down this way next summer Sachs.

[SachsGS]

The latest KTM two strokes are impressive in their ergo's and I'm not a big fan of the brand. I haven't seen the 2011 Gassers yet but everybody else will pretty much be playing catchup to those new 2011 Katooms.

My mother in law ( ) is from the maritimes and maybe I'll make out that way in the not too distant future.

[opfermanmotors]

The day Ford rides a Maico he will change his profile pic to Otto Maisch.

[SachsGS]

I personally believe the ghosts of Otto and Wilhelm pay Ford regular nightly visits (sort of like Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol").Now if he studied a little German he could understand the advice he is receiving.

[ford832]

Sweet,bring the bike and ditch the wife at the in laws and come out for a ride
I get visited by many ghosts in my dreams.Adolf and Heinrich Maisch isn't it?Yeah, something like that
I also happen to be fluent in dream german.I believe they speak to me regularly.Something along the lines of " Aryans are the master race,the fourth Reich shall rise and Maico's will be imported in the next 50 yrs

[JETZcorp]

The Adolf fellow would be Mr. Weil; he's trying to tell you about how many races he won.

[bearorso]

I've owned, I think 9 Maicos in my 50 years, the last 2 Merkle produced 320 and 500s. I would have liked more, and deeply regret selling my 490 / 500s

I love Maicos, but don't eulogize them to the extent that some do. Great bikes, that have some how managed to be still produced.

What I, and I think, a fair few people are getting a bit tired of is the regular announcements by Maico International, without any real, tangible proof of the great leaps forward they are announcing / claiming. It so reminiscent of the old Italian ' new model' announcements of the 70s and 80s, it's not funny. Mind you , TM revisited this with their announcing their 2t EFI bikes last year, with no subsequent showing of them, or further news.......

2010s, I see a 86 Maico, updated, with beautiful alloy swingarm, nice alloy tank (but why the hell isn't it slammed down to the cases , to give a real benefit?) and some updates . Great stuff, and I'm sure a great bike, that I'd like to have. But not a innovative motorcycle.

I REALLY do hope we see these new (all new?) Maicos, with their super secret shock, super secret FI, with all the changes / new bits designed etc by some F1 / FI genius.

Some have raised the point of how marketing / sales / promotion has changed so much with the internet etc. I see that sort of leakage / teasing of news all the time, but eventually, you have to show people what you are touting / boasting about.

Please, it's about time we were actually shown some of these new Maico 2011s, and the coming innovations. I doubt it would lead to Maico International being gazumped by someone else, stealing their ideas etc.

I guess I sound negative here, but I really want the new Maicos of Maico International to succeed - the sooner they show what they have coming, the sooner they have a chance of people saying, "I've got to have that bike". A modern 380cc 2t is what I WILL spend money on, and I'd much prefer to spend it on a Maico than Any other brand!

[bearorso]

This is the format of tha alloy tank I've I described above - bad picture, but the sort of tank I make for CR500s (it's off an unlinished / polished test tank):





Basically , to emulate ( but on the opposite side - 500 Hondas of that era were mirror image motors) the works Hondas - I can't seem to come up with anything but a thumb nail pic:




And here's a 4t Maico, that was rather trick - circa '82:



I've got quite a few pics of this bike...........

[SachsGS]

Bearorso, I hear what you are saying but the problem with the last of the Maisch Maicos is that the design was so fundamentally sound that even updated versions are what I prefer to ride verses much more modern offroad bikes. I have ridden Gas Gas and TM 300s extensively ,for example.and have found my 380,antique that it is,vastly more powerful yet EASIER to ride. For me the steering response of the Maico chassis is perfection, I have found none better. I'm almost 6 and a half feet tall and the Maico is one of the few bikes that is comfortable for me.

The task that lies before Maico International, and I wouldn't want to be in their shoes,is to somehow move the Maisch design into the 21st century with something that is demonstrateably better yet still intrinsically Maico.I've sometimes thought that somebody should comb all the old folks homes in Germany and find all the old Maico employees that are still alive,stick them under one roof and get one last great design out of them.

[TMKIWI]

What I, and I think, a fair few people are getting a bit tired of is the regular announcements by Maico International, without any real, tangible proof of the great leaps forward they are announcing / claiming.

Same here.
I do wish them well and understand they have had problems with US customs BUT,
Why havnt we seen anything more then pictures ?
I would have thought they would have put a couple of bikes in 1 of the 4 2 Stroke champs that are running in the UK.
I would get more excited seeing a video of a Maico mixing it up with KTM's/TM's/RM's etc.
They don't even have to win, just be visable at 'A' track.
I am a bit thick skinned when it comes to marketing BS and the "trick F1 bits" sounds like marketing to me.