Maico 501 3 speed (truth or fiction)

[Mick D]

beautiful Maurice, thanks for posting.

Hey Tim,

and it shit all over the two valve four strokers!!!!!!

thanks mate, that was exactly what I was wanting to here  

[firko]

Here's a pair of barn find 501's that have been for sale in Sydney for years. I offered 3k for just one of them but it wasn't enough, the seller thinks he's got a couple of mobile superannuation schemes and I'm not going to contribute to his retirement with any more than 3k for a basket case. Owning a 501 isn't that important to me.
                                                                               

[Mick D]

Some one should tell him

[Mick D]

Owning a 501 isn't that important to me.

I would rather hang off a well sorted 250/350/400 or a sexy bit of booty.

[firko]

I would rather hang off a well sorted 250/350/400 or a sexy bit of booty

I'm with you Mick, I'd rather a 350.....they're rarer and are an infinitely better race bike. But what a great piece of teutonic artwork those 501 engines are.
                                                                                 
                                                                                         

[g465b]

it appears to be true,the test says 3 speed.       g   

[/URL][/URL[URL=http://s1284.photobucket.com/user/gbankier/media/501004_zps0c774781.jpg.html]][/img]

[Mick D]

Well there you go, but never ever part of Maico's production range. Thanks g465b.

Ummm, after reading that, better add a ride on such a beast to the bucket list after all.

[firko]

This forum is the best.....No matter how much we think we know there's always something new to learn . I've never heard of the 3 speed 501 despite doing a fair bit of research for my VMX article on them. As I wrote in an earlier post, you can bet that Maico went with the 4 speed to keep production costs down to a respectable level as the 250/350/360/400/440/501 all use the same gearbox ratios.....in fact they use the very same gearbox parts. The only differences in Maico boxes was when they changed the dog arrangement when they went from the square barrel to the radial engine. I don't know if the 501 box changed with the others in 1973 . A one model 3 speed would have been an unnecessary extra expense. Thanks for digging up that obscure article Grant.

the square barrel in the 1971 pamphlet is a 250.

[Matador107]

MOOREBANK SCRAMBLES EARLY 70'S. Kenny Bushnell on a MAICO,riding number 101, on the back wheel only through the sand section and leaning to steer it through. Where or what happened to him?

[firko]

Kenny Bushnell on a MAICO,riding number 101, on the back wheel only through the sand section and leaning to steer it through. Where or what happened to him?

See reply 16 above.....he's still got them.

[Hoony]

I remember watching the short lived (it was banned...) Maico 501 speedway solo at Brooklyn . Now that would have been a single speed.....

forken hell who was the big balled crazy who rode that Tim, that would have been something to see.

[Rosco86]

Rode Brooklyn from 75, can't ever remember seeing a Maico out there. Only 501 around in those days was a Maico antig ridden by a bloke from the Hartwell Club, which he rode frequently at Granite Park at Seymour. Had  a P.Crump and D. Kennedy round me up in a handicap event one night and I dare say Tim the big Maico would have been lapped by those 2 even on the old 2 valves.

[Tim754]

Was 13 to 15 years old so slightly prior to 75 Rosco, Searching an old black and white photo and Speedway News paper article for you to view when/if I can locate them. 

[Tim754]

This appears high in a Google search if anyone can locate the full item.


    MAICO 501 - OzVMX
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    Nov 2, 2008 - MAICO 501. << < (3/3). paul: ... the 501 maico dont they ... 501 engines were briefly tried as a full on solo speedway powerplant here in Australia . I remember

[Rosco86]

Hey Tim, brain finally kicked into gear late last night, Mick Tankard was the slider rider I saw with the 501, had been a pretty good  B grader in his day so he may have been the one trying his hand at speedway. It was quite late in his career I came across him as a junior
Rosco86