OzVMX Forum
Marque Remarks => Maico => Topic started by: T250K on January 08, 2011, 08:55:54 am
-
I'm interested in these things, and almost bought a Franken AW 250 out of the U.S. a couple of years ago the last time our dollar was high, but it was a dull Gold all over except for the tank and looked crude compared to what you guys are building. What are the rules or guidelines that make a bike a ' Franken, ' as compared to just another customised Maico ???
-
Not knowing a lot about the Maico pschyc, I think the following points are critical. Take a perfectly good 1979 Maico 400/440 and
a. Regardless of how good the standard motor is (and I'm sure they were good), you have to drop in a reed-valved 490 mutha.
b. Piss off the 38mm forks in favour of the 42mm jobbies (you'll probably need an '83 model to desicrate as well).
c. Find a girder off of some disused bridge (preferably a European bridge) and beld/weld/grind/bribe until it'll comply as a swinging arm.
f. Find a third year Arts Grad student on crack-cocaine to decide a colour scheme for said beast.
Hope this helps. :)
-
I can just picture a television advert in about the year 2050. A small boy stands in a field holding an old mans hand. Both gaze out into the land.
"Grandad. Whatever happened to all the '79 400 Maicos?"
"Sorry son. They were all turned into Frankenwhorst...." :'(
:-X
-
:) :) :) :) :)
Thats Hilarious,keep em coming
#8
-
i dont know what to say yet im haveing a fit :o
-
:D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D
-
I reckon my young bloke made something like that out of his Leggo stuff. I can picture something like this..
A spectator walking around the pits spots a yellow Maico and says "nice 400". The owner begins with an enthusiastic "No no, it's a Franken bike! It's a '79 chassis with a 490 engine, reed valve, modified blah blah blah, cost a million and 2 years to do blah blah blah, better than the factory blah blah blah." The spectator begins to walk off muttering "still just a breako, wonder if it'll finish a race..."
Sorry Paul & Brad, all in good fun. At least it keeps you off the streets.
Cheers,
K
-
ive got a stock 78 in bits just in case the become rare :P
-
That's all right bigk. I can give as good if not better than I get. At least there is no Dulux resto going on in Maico land :P
I'm building a bike from a bare frame I rescued from the depths of a shed and am making two bikes out of one. No bike was harmed in the resto process.
-
I'm interested in these things, and almost bought a Franken AW 250 out of the U.S. a couple of years ago the last time our dollar was high, but it was a dull Gold all over except for the tank and looked crude compared to what you guys are building. What are the rules or guidelines that make a bike a ' Franken, ' as compared to just another customised Maico ???
Legality wise, it is an evo bike so keep within those guide lines.
The rest is your taste and how deep you want to reach into your pocket. The fashion police will keep you in line regarding the look :D
-
I'm interested in these things, and almost bought a Franken AW 250 out of the U.S. a couple of years ago the last time our dollar was high, but it was a dull Gold all over except for the tank and looked crude compared to what you guys are building. What are the rules or guidelines that make a bike a ' Franken, ' as compared to just another customised Maico ???
78 /79 frame
490 engine
81 swing arm
81 forks and tripples
any colour you like
and bling if you are so inclinded
-
no coach bolts
-
What about japanese parts?...Frankenbike san :o.....Yankenbike.....Sankenbike....Kankenbike....Hankenbike....or am I just being silly? ;D
-
The whole 'Frankenbike' thing started in California in the early days of Evo. Some genius decided that if the best Maico frame was fitted with the best Maico engine and suspension...the result should be the Best Maico. The best one I've seen took it one step further and had Yamaha 43mm forks and twin leading front brake thrown into the mix. They're not for everyone but for those who like their bikes a bit on the hot rod side of things, they an ideal racer.
-
What about japanese parts?...Frankenbike san :o.....Yankenbike.....Sankenbike....Kankenbike....Hankenbike....or am I just being silly? ;D
I think you have been hitting the Saki.
-
I would actually like to ride a Frankenfurt back to back with a well set up '81 490 to see the difference. I imagine it would be subtle and is it enough to make it worth the effort? Couldn't really fault the power delivery or handling '81 490 I had, just a tad hard to live with the clutch maintenance. What advantage does the earlier chassis have over the '81 chassis? Personally I have an intense dislike for the look of the '78/'79 fuel tank but even more so the for the IMO horrid side plates.
K
-
I reckon you're right on the Magnum looks K....they're a bit on the fugly side, especially the '79. The side panels on the '78 look a lot better though but there's not much you can do with the tank, although I've seen Frankenbikes with both 83ish Husky and Suzuki RM A/B alloy tanks and they looked pretty good to me with Maico graphics. I had a '78 400 Magnum enduro and an '82 490 twin shocker enduro at the same time for a few months until I could sell the Magnum and even though it's been 30 years, I recall enjoying the neutral handling of the '78 much better. A lot of that had to do with the softer power delivery of the 400 engine over the brutish reed valve 490 but I think the neutral habits of the magnum were reassuring. It went where it was pointed and it more often than not turned bad riders into good ones because it prompted you to go that 'little' bit faster because of its good manners. You had to be on top of your game on the 490. Geoff Ballard reckons the Magnum to be the best Maico of all and the often discarded 38mm forks to be better than the 41mm versions.
The only Franken bike I've ridden was a friends 250 version in the US about 15 years ago and I didn't find it to be all that ground breaking. Perhaps it was the '81 250 engine being a bit disapointing....I'd just finished riding the owners monster power 750 Triumph Metisse so the 250 was a bit tame when compared.
I also wonder about whether the fitting the longer '81 swingarm might take away some of the handling traits that make the Magnum so distinctive over the '81?
Just thinking aloud. ;D
-
Better not say anything
But you all know what I'm thinking
maico stu
-
Go on...you know you want to Stu....let me have it matey.
-
No Firko
I luv 79,s
I luv the tanks
the two loves of my life my is the 79 and the dog ( german shep of coase )
And whats with the yamaha fork thing 42mm maico forks are great
Dont understand that either
Maico Stu
-
No Firko
I luv 79,s
I luv the tanks
the two loves of my life my is the 79 and the dog ( german shep of coase )
And whats with the yamaha fork thing 42mm maico forks are great
Dont understand that either
Maico Stu
You know the story Stu, Yamaha forks + Yamaha front wheel = BRAKES
-
Unfortunately I don't get your point Stu.....Taste is a funny but individual thing. I think they're a bit plain yet you like the look of 'em. No big deal. I was just offering my opinion and agreeing with Big K, not kicking Magnums into the gutter. In truth, I agree with you...I love '78 Magnums (I prefer the earlier side panels ....there's that ornery taste thing popping up again!) and although I prefer Staffys I like German Shephards too. Isn't it great when we're all on the same page? ;D
And whats with the yamaha fork thing 42mm maico forks are great
Dont understand that either
I'd also stick with the Maico forks but the builder of the bike I was referring to built it out of leftovers, I guess the IT forks fitted into his financial and availability parameters plus the added bonus of a working brake is a handy option. Building these kind of bikes doesn't have any rules of etiquette...you can use whatever parts you like as long as it fits the Evo rules. Is there a Frankenbike Journal I should be reading here?
Anything else I can help you with Stu before I go out for dinner?
-
for sale stu ;) just waiting on the pipe and muffler
(http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo263/ozmaico/IMGP3619.jpg)
-
Thats what I'm taking about ;D ;D ;D ;D
ugly ?
Sold
Maico Stu
-
That one looks OK, what sideplates are they?
K
-
78 style side covers
-
Paul. Looks good. i have another frankenbike but no photobucket to post pick.
-
bill if you send the picture to me i will post it here ;)