2006-07-24 18:25:28 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Motorcycles
Ahhhh.... the ol' Maico... "You can win on a Maico while sleeping." "Best turning dirt bike built." "Maico Break-o"
I loved them... truly a great motorcycle and a sad story as well.
The readers digest version of their story is that there were issues in the family that owned the company, it was sold and for a time built under the name "M-Star" but the under financed company couldn't keep up with the cubic dollars the Japanese were investing into the sport at the time and they folded. The marque is still used but as far as I know it is not owned by the original company.
The story is actually more involved and convoluted, but...
Check these links for a good read.
http://www.superhunky.com/maicopt1.html
http://www.superhunky.com/maicopt2.html
http://www.usmaico.com/
P.S. to JeffyB: I know what you mean about the 501 and how powerful we *thought* it was...especially at the time. But I was able to take part in a dyno test a few years ago where we had access to an original '71 (I think...) 501. It was actually kinda scary... a modern 125 mx bike made more ponies than the mighty 501 did... Not near the torque, but more overall hp. Pretty wild huh?
2006-07-25 00:33:22 · answer #1 · answered by Nomad 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I raced a 490 Alpha 1, stupid fast. The engine that was being developed for sidecar MX in europe is owned by an american company and there were plans to make the 780cc single into an 80hp dirtbike a couple of years ago. (dont remember what the name was changed to though) think they were in Texas or Arizona
there was an article in cycle world.probably 04 or early 05?
2006-07-25 05:25:49 · answer #2 · answered by 1crazypj 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, brutal power. The Maico 501 was the ultimate off-road beast! I htink th ecompnay is still in business but no longer makes dirt bikes for the US.
2006-07-25 02:52:56 · answer #3 · answered by JeffyB 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I remember them being sold in my town, yrs ago. I'm not a motocrosser, so I don't know what became of them.
http://www.usmaico.com/
2006-07-24 18:45:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I owned a maico mc400.Left hand kick start.When it ran it was okay but I think they went out of business years ago.
2006-07-24 19:28:49 · answer #5 · answered by ruscain97216 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my neighbor's father had one his son had a hodaka i had a bultaco a friend of mine had a cz back in the late 70s i think all are out of business now
2006-07-24 23:56:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋