1982 Maico 490 Resto
- Thread starter mbaird
- Start date
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I saw this. Not sure if your interested.
https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/bar/d/pinellas-park-maico-501/7270434634.html
https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/bar/d/pinellas-park-maico-501/7270434634.html
SS Lancer
Well-Known Member
Thanks Roy
If you can make a deal with him. I can pick it up for you and hold it .
Have you seen the thread
"Darting for Divorce" ?
Well I am Maicoing for a Mad Mother !
No more projects for right now. This one didnt go over well .
And she doesn't even know about this one I picked up yesterday .
Very nice.
MiradaMegaCab
Well-Known Member
Carb rebuilt , wheels detailed , suspension waiting for new seals to arrive , frame and swingarm at my buddies for powdercoating .
Spent 3 hrs wet sanding the tank with orbital . 800-1000-1500-3000... then on to the buffer using wool pad and polishing compound . Final coat of wax topped it off .
Spent 3 hrs wet sanding the tank with orbital . 800-1000-1500-3000... then on to the buffer using wool pad and polishing compound . Final coat of wax topped it off .
Mrpatel
512Dart
I have a very clean 1983 Maico 490 Sandspider
Plastics were too far gone to restore so I new ones coming from SoCalMaicos.
There is a story in itself !
Spent a few hours on the phone with Gary Kortz , owner and operator of SoCalMaicos . Turns out he used to be on John Forces team. Had an Alchohol Funny Car up until about 10 yrs ago.
I asked him if he had any old Hemi blocks laying around...lol
He said " no....I sold all those 2 years ago" Ha! This guy hung out with all the big names of dragracing thru out the 70s and 80's. Heard some great stories ....
There is a story in itself !
Spent a few hours on the phone with Gary Kortz , owner and operator of SoCalMaicos . Turns out he used to be on John Forces team. Had an Alchohol Funny Car up until about 10 yrs ago.
I asked him if he had any old Hemi blocks laying around...lol
He said " no....I sold all those 2 years ago" Ha! This guy hung out with all the big names of dragracing thru out the 70s and 80's. Heard some great stories ....
That is too cool ! We will have matching bikes and cars ! My 69 340 Swinger is R4 .
Most parts are available but limited.
The engine is at a friends place that specializes in vintage bikes. He was amazed at how nice it was inside !
I had him split the cases and put new seals in just because it had been sitting .
Oh it is going to be ridden ! Vintage MX is in April .
Mrpatel
512Dart
I know the full history of the bike. It bought from a guy in SAN Bernardino who brought it over himself from Europe and owned it for 16 years. It was ridden regularly at GlenHelen. Mechanically the bike is mint, I purchased new plastics from Gary. I just need to frame it to clean it up. It just sits in my garage as a keep sake. Andrew
For readers that are wondering what I meant by Maicos history I will explain .
Maico was taken over by the 2 sons at some point and the son in charge of ordering hubs and gears from vendors decided they could save some moneyby skipping the heat treating process .
Wheels were exploding and gears shredding on many bikes in '83. One racer was killed ... warranty claims were costing them a fortune ! All of this followed the 1982 issue of miscalculating the linkage geometry and shock length on my model (Alpha1).
So Maicos went from being the most revered and feared MX bike in the world to bankruptcy in 2 short years !
1981 Miaco 490s are still considered the best open class MX bike ever !
Maico was taken over by the 2 sons at some point and the son in charge of ordering hubs and gears from vendors decided they could save some moneyby skipping the heat treating process .
Wheels were exploding and gears shredding on many bikes in '83. One racer was killed ... warranty claims were costing them a fortune ! All of this followed the 1982 issue of miscalculating the linkage geometry and shock length on my model (Alpha1).
So Maicos went from being the most revered and feared MX bike in the world to bankruptcy in 2 short years !
1981 Miaco 490s are still considered the best open class MX bike ever !
Mrpatel
512Dart
Ahh, sorry I read the post to fast. Yes, I am well aware and the hub has been upgraded. The history of the company is an interesting read. Andrew
Nice resto thread.
You know I’ve be been known to sneak a gun or rifle into my collection without the wife knowing or I’ll tell her I’ve had that one forever! How do you sneak a bike into the mix without her knowing?
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Very cool. Had I known you were looking my buddy has an 81 490 that has been reed valved. We just put a new ignition on it, because that Motoplat was 40 years old. And they fail without quitting. When they go bad they do weird ****. You can’t get the tune up right, and it’s always changing.
My brother has an 80 440. He is the second owner and the original owner stopped riding the bike in 1982 and my brother bought it 1999.
He also has a 1981 Can Am 500, 1988 Cagiva 250, 1998 TM 250, 2003 Gas Gas 250 and a 2003 Maico 500.
If anyone is interested in the 81 490 PM me.
My brother has an 80 440. He is the second owner and the original owner stopped riding the bike in 1982 and my brother bought it 1999.
He also has a 1981 Can Am 500, 1988 Cagiva 250, 1998 TM 250, 2003 Gas Gas 250 and a 2003 Maico 500.
If anyone is interested in the 81 490 PM me.
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