You"re a man of impeccable taste....great to know someone out there loves Maico almost as much as i do. The day i first saw one was a life changer - not likely for better, i was 6 yrs old, now i'm over fifty...to this day, i spend (waste?) more time than i'm willing to admit daydreaming about this most beautiful of machines... despite my obsession, i've failed to acquire one - a bitter & lingering pain...i'll continue coping through articles and images... and for this, i'm deeply grateful to you and the dear few others - Thanks for the work & dedication, and for "getting it"...you're a real bro
Awesome rebuild, love the sound of that engine man. my dad used to ride a Maico 490 when I wasn't even born. When I was born my mom and dad got a dog and named her Maico, I have lots of fun and enjoy seeing his old pictures from back in the day, he still has his helmet boots and all that stuff and an maico tank emblem. I don't have a dirtbike, but I really want to get one or start learning for my motor licence.. ( I'm 17 now ). Keep it up man!
Yeah I had 2 of the 81 Maico 490 Mega 2 and bought the first one in Thomaston Connecticut when like 18 yo and the guy restored it . He welded metal gussets to the frame to where their was a weak spot. All I got out of that bike was a 2 minute ride. I started the bike up and took it on the trail. The rear wheel locked up and I took the cylinder off noticing the circlip was put on wrong and came off. The piston was ruined and cylinder liner was broke!! Damn That was $800 dollars I didn’t have. The OEM pistons were $180 back then. So in Connecticut by luck found another one in Windsor Connecticut for $300 and the kickstarter shaft and Kickstarter knuckle were stripped and it would start by jump starting it. The guy had a spark plug installed in the compression release. Omg the bike ran beautiful for the time I owned and would jump start and bought another kick spindle and kickstarted knuckle. I never had to tear mine completely apart. Loved that freaking motor. What I did was put a 17 tooth front sprocket on it and it went 110-115 mph. It went like 80 mph with stock gearing. I sold the two 20 + years ago. Damn I loved that flawless power band the engine generated. I wish the suspension had a single monoshock as mine was a pogo stick bouncing up and down. I recall seeing Doug Henry and a few friends practicing on a motocross track at Stevenson Dam in Oxford Connecticut and the suspension could not handle those whoops so I just watched those guys ride as I did not have special sand tires as the track was sandy so it was cool watching them buzz through the track.
Best of all is : the left and the order half was Maschined separates ! So it is possible to Change from each motor to an other !, also it was possible to Change the zylinder from 78 s 400 to the nrw Design 440 wihtout Problem ! Maico is my favorite also in Future ! Best wishes an Tanks for y our Help to Support !,,,
Do you know which serial numbers were affected by the bad frames and swingarms from the factory? How can you tell if they were fixed if they were one of the affected ones?
All of them. Even 1983 has frame issues if you bottom out the shock the bar in the swingarm can take out the shock. The solution to 1982 was to get a new rear shock, something other than the stock like a Fox or Ohlins shock.
Where did you get the seat cover from. Also where is a good place to get new fenders and side panels and decals. Proud owner of 1982 Maico enduro model Alpha E that's needs some tlc. bought the bike in Idaho, and live in Eastern Oregon (possibly the best riding anywhere). 65 year old wants to feel the power again. coming off major back surgery and want to ride a few more times before its put in the will. any other info would help relating to the bing carb, which is crap, along with the front brakes. feeling almost young again Jack
The seat cover is easy to find, the Alpha 1 seat cover you can get from most Maico sites or even on ebay. You can check out the links on my website under Links then Maico but places like DC Plastics also sell that seat cover and a few places in the UK like Maico Only. You can get a Mikuni TM flat slide to work for the bike and it will be pretty crisp but the mid range will ping if you hold it there and that's the only down part I wasn't able to get it jetted to not do that without it being too rich. The bing doesn't have that problem, but there's no choke on the bing. The front forks you can swap out with newer models and front disc. Newer KTM triple trees from a few years ago use the same bearings and fit so you can upgrade to disc brakes.
I have a questions. I don't know too much history about these old dirtbikes and I am currently looking for a new one. I currently ride a 83 RM250 and to be honest I brought it because I liked the yellow colour and it looked nice. Now i'm getting more into riding i'd like to upgrade my bike, i've been and looked at a 83 KX500 a 82 YZ490 and a 82 RM490 and to me they all look the same but with different colours. My question is what bike out of the 4 main companys made the best bikes back in the early to mid 80's, all I want it for is to ride at my local dirtbike track and over an abandoned coal mine near my house.
Different bikes and different years did have different problems. Also depends what you're looking for. The 1983 Honda CR480 I have heard has good bottom end for trail riding (the 83 is better than the 82 because it's a 5 speed, not a 4 speed), but the kicker is on the left on that bike. Skip the 84 CR500 and go for 85 and up CR500. YZ490's were known to ping, but I have heard the IT490 is a good trail bike. The older KX 500's had various issues, you'd want a 90s KX500 with powervalve and all the issues ironed out.
Opferman Motors (tobyeo) I think i'm going to go with a 83 CR, i'm left footed so the kicker isn't a problem for me. I've just got to look around and find one at a good price. I was really leaning towards a KX but I wanted an early 80's model for the simple reason of nostalgia but if they're known to have problems I guess i'll skip it. Thanks for the advise.
Leeroy Jones Good choice. Yes the early KX's had many problems including blowing up on a regular basis. Search for "worst bike kx500" and you can find some related articles. Good choice on the 1983 480, it's a bike I have always wanted myself :)
I would always put the crank bearing in the freezer over night before dropping them in the heated cases.Never had a problem with flat spots.I've always wanted one of these bikes ever since I rode one a few years back.It was a blast until you had to slow down.Old bikes are beautiful but drum brakes suck!
Haha, ya, front disc are easy just need to change the triple trees with disc brake front end. The rear you need to make it and if you know a machine shop would help out. However, I'm not the only one who has put front/rear disc brakes on. I've seen several 81's even with front/rear disc brakes.
I found some really good exhuast black paint that looks way better than any VHT paint..its called: John Deere Black muffler paint. You should order a can and give it a try. It's about $20 a can but it looks amazing.
Enjoyed the video. Good job. Where did the term Maico Breako come from? Wasn't the primary chain problematic? Back in the late 70's early 80's Vic Krause taught classes on how to prep a Maico. Are you aware of any of his bulletproofing techniques?
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! I don't know of his stuff specifically, but there's a few things. The first is that if you maintained your bike you would never have any problems. The primary chain just needs changed every so often or it stretches and if it gets too lose will break and smack the cases. But as long as you replaced it, it went well. Some say that is part of the magic of the older maicos because it made the engine all spin the same direction, not to mention that is transfers torque better than cut gears. Some of the maico-breako aside from those not knowing how to maintain was mostly legend, from the "Big 4" just attempting to muddle the waters so ppl would think poorly of the bikes when in reality they were copying them left and right. If you search online for "CRF or KXF blows up" or KTM splits in half, there's a lot of videos out there where modern bikes are breaking and have been breaking for 10 years. Yet you never hear Hondabomb or Kawakaplawie or Just "KT cause the M broke off". Seems like ppl may have just been blowing things out of proportion since dirt bikes do fail even modern ones, all the time. I think that Maico-Breako is unfounded.
Don't believe that maico- breako myth. Jus so y'all know. All of the big 4 bought maico 490 s and tried to copy the broad maico powerband, and all 4 faild. So being sore losers they started the maico-breako myth. The big 4 have made some awesome equipment but.... Anything that makes that much power will eventually grenade the crankcase innerds without periodic maintenance. Gotta remember maintenance!!!!
You"re a man of impeccable taste....great to know someone out there loves Maico almost as much as i do. The day i first saw one was a life changer - not likely for better, i was 6 yrs old, now i'm over fifty...to this day, i spend (waste?) more time than i'm willing to admit daydreaming about this most beautiful of machines... despite my obsession, i've failed to acquire one - a bitter & lingering pain...i'll continue coping through articles and images... and for this, i'm deeply grateful to you and the dear few others - Thanks for the work & dedication, and for "getting it"...you're a real bro
Thanks! Ya, always liked the Maicos since I first heard of them a long time ago!
The 1st bike I bot new was 1980 440 and the truss frame was amazing looking with the tank off. That bike made me happier than any others
I once had a maico 440 I think it was a 400 with a big bore kit on but it was a monster and so much fun to ride . Realy enjoyed the video keep it up
Awesome rebuild, love the sound of that engine man. my dad used to ride a Maico 490 when I wasn't even born. When I was born my mom and dad got a dog and named her Maico, I have lots of fun and enjoy seeing his old pictures from back in the day, he still has his helmet boots and all that stuff and an maico tank emblem. I don't have a dirtbike, but I really want to get one or start learning for my motor licence.. ( I'm 17 now ). Keep it up man!
Gota love that low end power that maico was famous for!!!!!! Nice bike. Rare!
Curtis Webb Thanks!
Yeah I had 2 of the 81 Maico 490 Mega 2 and bought the first one in Thomaston Connecticut when like 18 yo and the guy restored it . He welded metal gussets to the frame to where their was a weak spot. All I got out of that bike was a 2 minute ride. I started the bike up and took it on the trail. The rear wheel locked up and I took the cylinder off noticing the circlip was put on wrong and came off. The piston was ruined and cylinder liner was broke!! Damn That was $800 dollars I didn’t have. The OEM pistons were $180 back then. So in Connecticut by luck found another one in Windsor Connecticut for $300 and the kickstarter shaft and Kickstarter knuckle were stripped and it would start by jump starting it. The guy had a spark plug installed in the compression release. Omg the bike ran beautiful for the time I owned and would jump start and bought another kick spindle and kickstarted knuckle. I never had to tear mine completely apart. Loved that freaking motor. What I did was put a 17 tooth front sprocket on it and it went 110-115 mph. It went like 80 mph with stock gearing. I sold the two 20 + years ago. Damn I loved that flawless power band the engine generated. I wish the suspension had a single monoshock as mine was a pogo stick bouncing up and down. I recall seeing Doug Henry and a few friends practicing on a motocross track at Stevenson Dam in Oxford Connecticut and the suspension could not handle those whoops so I just watched those guys ride as I did not have special sand tires as the track was sandy so it was cool watching them buzz through the track.
Man that sound,I'm ready for the gate to drop!
Best of all is : the left and the order half was Maschined separates ! So it is possible to Change from each motor to an other !, also it was possible to Change the zylinder from 78 s 400 to the nrw Design 440 wihtout Problem ! Maico is my favorite also in Future ! Best wishes an Tanks for y our Help to Support !,,,
Rachel Ray says,put a little EVOO on those seals!!
Do you know which serial numbers were affected by the bad frames and swingarms from the factory? How can you tell if they were fixed if they were one of the affected ones?
All of them. Even 1983 has frame issues if you bottom out the shock the bar in the swingarm can take out the shock. The solution to 1982 was to get a new rear shock, something other than the stock like a Fox or Ohlins shock.
In 82 it is an over extension problem, so if you're not jumping the bike and just doing some standard trail riding and stuff probably never notice it.
@@Maicowerk Only ride Motocross. The bike has an Ohlins Shock on it.
Please let me know what the intake port duration was (degrees) if you measured it or have the porting specs so I can figure it out. thanks
Where did you get the seat cover from. Also where is a good place to get new fenders and side panels and decals. Proud owner of 1982 Maico enduro model Alpha E that's needs some tlc. bought the bike in Idaho, and live in Eastern Oregon (possibly the best riding anywhere). 65 year old wants to feel the power again. coming off major back surgery and want to ride a few more times before its put in the will. any other info would help relating to the bing carb, which is crap, along with the front brakes. feeling almost young again Jack
The seat cover is easy to find, the Alpha 1 seat cover you can get from most Maico sites or even on ebay. You can check out the links on my website under Links then Maico but places like DC Plastics also sell that seat cover and a few places in the UK like Maico Only. You can get a Mikuni TM flat slide to work for the bike and it will be pretty crisp but the mid range will ping if you hold it there and that's the only down part I wasn't able to get it jetted to not do that without it being too rich. The bing doesn't have that problem, but there's no choke on the bing. The front forks you can swap out with newer models and front disc. Newer KTM triple trees from a few years ago use the same bearings and fit so you can upgrade to disc brakes.
Thank You for the information.
Nice work, where do you get your parts from like the bearings
Bearings are standard, I contact a bearing supply company
I have a questions. I don't know too much history about these old dirtbikes and I am currently looking for a new one. I currently ride a 83 RM250 and to be honest I brought it because I liked the yellow colour and it looked nice. Now i'm getting more into riding i'd like to upgrade my bike, i've been and looked at a 83 KX500 a 82 YZ490 and a 82 RM490 and to me they all look the same but with different colours.
My question is what bike out of the 4 main companys made the best bikes back in the early to mid 80's, all I want it for is to ride at my local dirtbike track and over an abandoned coal mine near my house.
Different bikes and different years did have different problems. Also depends what you're looking for. The 1983 Honda CR480 I have heard has good bottom end for trail riding (the 83 is better than the 82 because it's a 5 speed, not a 4 speed), but the kicker is on the left on that bike. Skip the 84 CR500 and go for 85 and up CR500. YZ490's were known to ping, but I have heard the IT490 is a good trail bike. The older KX 500's had various issues, you'd want a 90s KX500 with powervalve and all the issues ironed out.
That's actually a good idea for a video :)
Opferman Motors (tobyeo)
I think i'm going to go with a 83 CR, i'm left footed so the kicker isn't a problem for me. I've just got to look around and find one at a good price.
I was really leaning towards a KX but I wanted an early 80's model for the simple reason of nostalgia but if they're known to have problems I guess i'll skip it.
Thanks for the advise.
Leeroy Jones Good choice. Yes the early KX's had many problems including blowing up on a regular basis. Search for "worst bike kx500" and you can find some related articles. Good choice on the 1983 480, it's a bike I have always wanted myself :)
thank you
I would always put the crank bearing in the freezer over night before dropping them in the heated cases.Never had a problem with flat spots.I've always wanted one of these bikes ever since I rode one a few years back.It was a blast until you had to slow down.Old bikes are beautiful but drum brakes suck!
That's why I put front and rear disc brakes on my 1983 Maico 490.
I knew you would say that .lol.Maybe I'll find one.
Haha, ya, front disc are easy just need to change the triple trees with disc brake front end. The rear you need to make it and if you know a machine shop would help out. However, I'm not the only one who has put front/rear disc brakes on. I've seen several 81's even with front/rear disc brakes.
Cool.
Heat the case to expand freeze the bearing to shrink
I found some really good exhuast black paint that looks way better than any VHT paint..its called: John Deere Black muffler paint. You should order a can and give it a try. It's about $20 a can but it looks amazing.
Enjoyed the video. Good job. Where did the term Maico Breako come from? Wasn't the primary chain problematic? Back in the late 70's early 80's Vic Krause taught classes on how to prep a Maico. Are you aware of any of his bulletproofing techniques?
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! I don't know of his stuff specifically, but there's a few things. The first is that if you maintained your bike you would never have any problems. The primary chain just needs changed every so often or it stretches and if it gets too lose will break and smack the cases. But as long as you replaced it, it went well. Some say that is part of the magic of the older maicos because it made the engine all spin the same direction, not to mention that is transfers torque better than cut gears. Some of the maico-breako aside from those not knowing how to maintain was mostly legend, from the "Big 4" just attempting to muddle the waters so ppl would think poorly of the bikes when in reality they were copying them left and right. If you search online for "CRF or KXF blows up" or KTM splits in half, there's a lot of videos out there where modern bikes are breaking and have been breaking for 10 years. Yet you never hear Hondabomb or Kawakaplawie or Just "KT cause the M broke off". Seems like ppl may have just been blowing things out of proportion since dirt bikes do fail even modern ones, all the time. I think that Maico-Breako is unfounded.
I've just put up a video on the myth of Maico Breako. It's a very long video :)
What I want to know is did you tell the wife you're baking crankcase for dinner?lol.
Brian Zaborowski Haha, well back then I was divorced so it was OK :)
nice
husky500cr Thanks!
Opferman Motors Dirtbiking how many plates are in the Maico 490 1981 please.
Done it 1000 Xs
Plastic caged bearings are no good for two stroke competition engines main bearings . must be steel caged . Maico Magician DW @ WULFSPORT
The bearings put into the crank in this video are steel caged.
C.
Don't believe that maico- breako myth. Jus so y'all know. All of the big 4 bought maico 490 s and tried to copy the broad maico powerband, and all 4 faild. So being sore losers they started the maico-breako myth. The big 4 have made some awesome equipment but.... Anything that makes that much power will eventually grenade the crankcase innerds without periodic maintenance. Gotta remember maintenance!!!!
Curtis Webb I've got a video on that :)