Who Actually Owns The "MAICO"Name?

[maicoman009]

I know that Maico International is making some really "BAD A$$"as well as updated Maicos,However has anybody been to Axel Kostlers' site @ Maico-Bikeworld.de because it appears to me that Axel is still selling Maico motorcycles & on his site the bikes look like slightly older models but he has them listed as 2011's...?...

[opfermanmotors]

Ok, so Koestler is essentially the factory, when Bower went under in ~1999 or 2000 or 2001, Koestler bought Maico.  Before then, I believe Koestler was always into modifying or fixing Maicos.

Since then, Koestler has pretty much been selling the same bike over and over, minus the 685cc he did in 2004 for some special request (i forget).

Maico International is a UK based distributor for Koestler and they have been taking the Koestler's bikes and modifying them.  They appear to be getting closer and closer to simply manufacturing their own bikes.

Now, I don't know who all the "ownage" is because I beleive several manufacturers actually owns some  kind of rights to reproduce maico engines from when Maico went under in the 80s.  One example is Zabel.  Zabel has been producing a 700cc Maico (this is 15cc larger than Maico produces) for side car racing since the 80s and it's just a Maico 490 set out to 700cc (full 700cc).  

[opfermanmotors]

This is a 700cc Zabel put into a bike frame (They just sell the motor as far as I know)

700 2t ..parte 1

Zabel's Website:
http://www.zabel-racing.de/en/10.html

Video I made a while back:

Maico: Rise and Fall of a Legend (HD)

[maicoman009]

Thanks for the video Opferman. I have just been a bit confused as to why the Maicos that Kostler is still making are'nt as updated as the British versions?...

[JohnN]

Thanks for the video Opferman. I have just been a bit confused as to why the Maicos that Kostler is still making are'nt as updated as the British versions?...

I would suggest that you write an e-mail to Vince at Maico International to ask this question.

But I know the following for a fact.

MI has been very excited about the Maico and has done more to get the brand the recognition it deserves than any of previous incarnation of the company since the original factory was closed.

He has used his own ingenuity and money to develop the bike further and to increase it's value to any new owner of the machine. Taking a machine that had been undeveloped for decades and making improvements to bring it up to date, in some cases exceeding the value of other brands of bikes.

If someone decides to invest in a modern Maico, MI will stand behind the bike, do it's best to ensure that any updates can be added to your bike, without having to purchase a new machine.

That means you can buy a new Maico as an investment and have a great bike that will last you many years. Compare that to some of the other offerings out there, where the manufacturers have built in obsolescence and want you to buy a new one every year.

[maicoman009]

I agree with you 100% John that MI has done more for the Maico brand than anybody else has since the original factory in Germany went bankrupt.It just bothers me a little that Kostler who as far as I know and have heard has always had a good reputation when it comes to building Maicos yet all that he's doing is just selling the same Maico motorcycles since 1999 and listing the same bikes on his site as 2011's like last year they were listed as 2010's! In my opinion thats just bad business practices & for that reason I'm definetly behind MI 100% & I can hardly wait for their 2011's to get to the States!...

[opfermanmotors]

I have kind of tracked this down, I'll post my findings of who owns the Maico Name

[Bioflex]

We'd love to hear, if you have any info as to when the 2011 Maico Internationals will be released that would be good too.

For what it's worth can you confirm that the Zabel 700cc engine is identical physically to Maico wanter cooled 500's?
I'd love to bolt one of these bad boys into an earlier model Maico 500 but just can't get confirmation as to how similar they are.

[SachsGS]

If I'm not mistaken the Koestler family provided financial support to Maico in early 1983.This was around the time of the improperly heat treated gearbox fiasco.

[opfermanmotors]

I don't have any update on 2011 Maicos.

For what it's worth can you confirm that the Zabel 700cc engine is identical physically to Maico wanter cooled 500's?
I'd love to bolt one of these bad boys into an earlier model Maico 500 but just can't get confirmation as to how similar they are.

I was talking to someone on Monday about this and he knows the guys at Zabel.  He was planning on doing a transplat of a Zabel engine into a Maico and he said the bolt patterns are the same.  Zabel basically keeps on improving the engine each year.  I am going to check out one of his bikes this weekend, I'll ask him about it.  He says he has a zabel engine cases so I can probably take a look.

[opfermanmotors]

The summary of "who owns the Maico name" at least, the Maico Trademark in the US is currently... NO ONE.

I may put a video together on this but want to track down some more.  To give a brief summary though, in 1956 Maico filed for trademark of "Maico" in the US.  This expired in 1996. Lorenz Merkle filed for the trademark in 1997, in spite of Holland already producing Maicos at that time.

His trademark ended in 1999 with the US.  Over the last decade, several ppl every once in a while filed and owned the name for a year or so.  The last to do so expired in 2009.  So the Maico trademark is available.

The above is only the US path.

Now, remember there is a difference between trademarking a name in a certain country vs. owning intellectual property rights to reproduce a design. 

[EJ]

Köstler stil offers new Maico's for sale, from Leverkussen in Germany.

The 2010 500cc Enduro version:

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/showDetails.html?id=138755431&__lp=2&scopeId=MB&sortOption.sortBy=price.consumerGrossEuro&sortOption.sortOrder=ASCENDING&makeModelVariant1.makeId=16300&makeModelVariant1.searchInFreetext=false&makeModelVariant2.searchInFreetext=false&makeModelVariant3.searchInFreetext=false&vehicleCategory=Motorbike&segment=Motorbike&siteId=GERMANY&negativeFeatures=EXPORT&damageUnrepaired=NO_DAMAGE_UNREPAIRED&export=NO_EXPORT&customerIdsAsString=&lang=de&pageNumber=2

And the supermoto version:

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/showDetails.html?id=138755517&__lp=2&scopeId=MB&sortOption.sortBy=price.consumerGrossEuro&sortOption.sortOrder=ASCENDING&makeModelVariant1.makeId=16300&makeModelVariant1.searchInFreetext=false&makeModelVariant2.searchInFreetext=false&makeModelVariant3.searchInFreetext=false&vehicleCategory=Motorbike&segment=Motorbike&siteId=GERMANY&negativeFeatures=EXPORT&damageUnrepaired=NO_DAMAGE_UNREPAIRED&export=NO_EXPORT&customerIdsAsString=&lang=de&pageNumber=2

[Huffieva]

So can the "Kostler Maico's" be imported to the states?
Here's the deal I am going to buy a new bike, My hearts been set on a Maico (the "New Maico) but It just doesn't seem like that is moving along very smoothly, I'd settle for one of these if they are available... either that or its another Husky or maybe a GasGas but I was really wanting a Maico

[opfermanmotors]

You can import them on your own dime if you want of course.  I've heard of ppl doing it and koestler even said he will sell bikes or engines to the US to me before.

You can also contact Dirt Wurx if you want a new Maico Intertional bike to get on the list when they start importing.

There are a few used 2000's Maicos for sale world wide and in the states as well if you want to go that route.

[ford832]

Well opfermanmotors,you seem to have all the most recent info regarding the brand-so,what's the scoop?Surely to god with everything that's supposed to being going on with the new ones,there would at least be some teaser vids or something of them in action-wouldn't there?