KX Riders

General => In General... => Topic started by: Motorrad on October 20, 2013, 04:09:26 AM

Title: maico
Post by: Motorrad on October 20, 2013, 04:09:26 AM

Was looking for maico for sale local    and ran across this.  Interesting


http://twostrokemotocross.com/2010/02/1981-maico-490-vs-2009-honda-crf450-separated-at-birth/

Title: Re: maico
Post by: sandblaster on October 20, 2013, 04:25:31 AM

It's funny but about 10 years ago I started comparing suspension travel, Hp, weight by part, and basic geometry of early 80's through 00's mxers...
What I found was the dampening and rebound as well as brakes are better on the newer stuff... but really, how much better..
Weight by part is pretty close.. Geometry is pretty close.. HP does vary when you throw in torque curves but how much better are we talking?
I think this kid really proves my point..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3pOQW_7VMQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3pOQW_7VMQ)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUHHhE75ke0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUHHhE75ke0)

Youtube search Jerry Robin for more info..
So much as always depends on the rider...
All the improvement hype from the manufactures won't help the average weekend rider like me.
At 50 years old I can take a late 80's KX500 with the suspension done and put the hurt on about 90% of the riders out on the dunes and it's not because I'm that good of a rider.... :lol:   The bikes just haven't gotten that much better for the average rider.

Title: Re: maico
Post by: motopunk on October 20, 2013, 04:57:11 AM

the major difference are the dificult engines,brakes, dampers and ergonomic of tank-seat-line...  which makes not the same performance of the bike, but install new handmade "reiger" shocks and a showa 48mm-fork or whitepower extreme-fork and you could ride the old twinshocks nearly like newer bikes...  i´ve never forget as a i´ve seen 2 years ago, as a 79 suzuki rm 400 with 465-motor battled down a ktm sx 530  :-D
 
 in fact, the maico-engineers, tryed to be very close at the honda-works-bikes in this time...

Title: Re: maico
Post by: Motorrad on October 20, 2013, 05:24:41 AM

im in the market for a 81 490 BTW.    

or.   a older  square barrel   open class  


just a FYI.  

Title: Re: maico
Post by: sandblaster on October 20, 2013, 07:26:38 AM

Quote from: Motorrad on October 20, 2013, 05:24:41 AM

im in the market for a 81 490 BTW.    

or.   a older  square barrel   open class  


just a FYI.  

Haven't seen any available in our area for some time.
But, you never know what will pop up so I'll keep a watch for it..

Title: Re: maico
Post by: motopunk on October 20, 2013, 03:58:12 PM

here is another comparing of the 81 maico 490 to the 91 cr 500 ... 

http://www.robandrewsmx.com/article.php?id=110

this also a site with lots of infos and facts to former works-bikes..   8-)

Title: Re: maico
Post by: Dutch-K5 Fan on October 21, 2013, 06:07:58 AM

Go for the 1981 Maico 490 MegaII. For MXA it's the best open bike ever made.


dutchie

Title: Re: maico
Post by: motopunk on October 21, 2013, 05:11:19 PM

one of the best open class bikes, ever made in the early ´80´s ...  :-) the time of the big kx started 2 years later in 1983...

(http://www.robandrewsmx.com/uploads/images/full/Maico%201.jpg)