Maico 501 3 speed (truth or fiction)

[Maicojames]

Cool article, makes sense a friend in California told me he raced a pre production 3 speed 501 sometime in 1969.

[MauriceR]

Very cool response to this subject on my ebay posting for the 501 from Pat DeBenedetti

Good thing I got the correct info from this website and G46B for posting that article

From: maicocmc6
To: coastal3743
Subject: Other: maicocmc6 sent a message about Other Makes : MC501 #261339060816
Sent Date: Nov-27-13 19:13:40 PST

Dear coastal3743,

Very nice bike, I just wan't to comment on your answer Re:3 or 4 speed , you are correct as I was one of the riders to race the 3 speed bike in the support class at sadleback. Clutch was slipping , got second overall ,Bruce Baron won .Maybe 1970. Ake Johnsonn won the primere class. Great bike then and now. Good luck on the auction. Pat DeBenedetti

- maicocmc6

[Maico-Mac]

Cool article, makes sense a friend in California told me he raced a pre production 3 speed 501 sometime in 1969.

Could be... in winter 1968 Maico tested an 480ccm Prototype in Laubus-Eschbach....

In 1998 or so, i found one and a half 3-Speed transmission in a Maico-Dealer's stock in Leverkusen/Germany and bought ist.
It fits in the normal 4-speed case with the 4-speed shiftingplate. The gearwheels were much thicker than on the 4 speed trans and the shifting forks were also very rigid  I gave it later to a friend of mine who has a 501 .... Maybe i'll take some pictures of the parts when i'll see him again, unfortunately he is living 450 Km from me 

In the same dealers stock i also found the 5-speed prototype transmission, that fits in a modified 4-speed case !
The Dealer has bought the whole Maico parts of the former Maico-Builder "Merkle". So there were much old NOS parts from the former Maico-Factory included 
Unfortunately some 5-speed parts were missing/demaged and the case was lost....  But i still have it 

[Mick D]

Cool article, makes sense a friend in California told me he raced a pre production 3 speed 501 sometime in 1969.

Could be... in winter 1968 Maico tested an 480ccm Prototype in Laubus-Eschbach....

In 1998 or so, i found one and a half 3-Speed transmission in a Maico-Dealer's stock in Leverkusen/Germany and bought ist.
It fits in the normal 4-speed case with the 4-speed shiftingplate. The gearwheels were much thicker than on the 4 speed trans and the shifting forks were also very rigid  I gave it later to a friend of mine who has a 501 .... Maybe i'll take some pictures of the parts when i'll see him again, unfortunately he is living 450 Km from me 

In the same dealers stock i also found the 5-speed prototype transmission, that fits in a modified 4-speed case !
The Dealer has bought the whole Maico parts of the former Maico-Builder "Merkle". So there were much old NOS parts from the former Maico-Factory included 
Unfortunately some 5-speed parts were missing/demaged and the case was lost....  But i still have it 

I am overwhelmed at the moment :'( shucks :'(

I built a lot of my Maicos on the coffee table when I was a young bloke, I wouldn't have it any other way. I am currently surrounding myself in a Maico themed Aladins Cave. But you have been to the Holy Grail? I need a tissue  :'( hang in there Micka