Another squarie found.

[firko]

My friend Bill found this unmolested old 360 squarie in California during a trip from his home in Colorado over the weekend.
It looks like it's been tucked away since 1971 with not a post 1970 item to be seen on it. Bill and I agree that it's probably too good to restore and would benefit better from a thorough tidy up rather than a powdercoat and bling makeover.

This is another fine piece of evidence that there are still plenty of good old bikes out there. I reckon we've barely scratched the surface, even here in Australia. For example......In the last fortnight I've found (but not purchased) a one owner Yamaha MX400B (sold to a mate for $1000), a package deal of two Carabelas, a 200cc and a 125 (sold to the same mate for $1500) and a rare as rocking horse shit Royal Enfield Fury scrambler only 100 or so ever made). All of these bikes are in NSW and all were/are available to anyone who had the cash.

I'll never forget the bloke that accused us old first generation vintage racers for grabbing all the good bikes, preventing him from finding anything decent. It's all about the hunt and following leads
                               
                               
                               

[Mick D]

My friend Bill found this unmolested old 360 squarie.

All 360 Maicos have the decompression fitted above the exhaust flange.


That bike does not.
It is no 360. To be sure.



With no doubt what so ever, it is indeed a 1971 250.

[firko]

It sure is a 250 Mick, you caught me out on that one. I didn't look at it too hard before I wrote the post. I think it might be a bit earlier than '71 though Mick. I seem to remember that they had sand cast outer cases in '71 so I'd make it a '70 model. Not that it matters, he got it for $750 which is pretty good no matter how big or what year it is.

[suzuki43]

Ahh Vail Pass,that photo reminds me of my University Summer Holiday back in 1992 working on a ski resort just down the road from Vail in Colorado.
Thats where I learnt to drink shots of hard liquor!and how bad American beer was in those days (think Budweazel and Olympia),good times,God Bless America.

You are so right Firko,they are still out there,its all about the networking and effort.

[Maicojames]

Firko, a friend of mine in California bought his 250 Sq new in 1971, he indicated that there were both round case and sand cast case models on the sales floor. He went for the latter and still owns the bike today-as well as a very cool 63 Iron barrel 250 which Dave Ekins raced in 64....I did talk him out of his 390 Husky though.

250 Sq Barrels are IMO great bikes-even competitive in pre-74. I have ridden 3 or 4 and they all ran very hard-unlike the 250 Radials. Your friend got a great deal on the bike.

[flyingdg]

Look at the frame to me it looks like the 72 narrow frame. DG

[Mick D]

1971 MC250.

The preceding model MC250 was known as the T5, it had a completely different frame.

Although the first sand cast covers were introduced in 1970 on the 400cc X5, they were not applied to the 250cc until the latter half of 1971. Indeed by 1972 all of the 1972MC250 models had sand cast covers.

The only new sand cast part that was introduced on the earlier‘71MC250, was the conical front hub.
 
That bike sports a frame that was common to only 1971 and 1972.

I would love to wake up and find it under my Chrissy tree.

[firko]

I would love to wake up and find it under my Chrissy tree

Me too. About 12 years ago I found a 250 in remarkably similar nick, even down to the same colour. It was the fabled "never raced" virgin bike that had only been used to tool around a blokes weekend property two times a year for its whole life. Even the forks weren't rusty, a rarity on early Maicos. Because it was so good I just left it as found until I figured out what to do with it as I already had two restored 240 squaries. I ended up selling it to a short circuit  racer and well remember the overwhelming feeling that I'd done the wrong thing as soon as he drove off with it in the back  of  his ute. That was the keeper I should have kept as within 6 months it had been totally destroyed  in a shed fire along with the fast Gary Treadwell ported methanol '74 240 radial I'd also sold him and a nearly finished KX450.

My September '70 350 had sand cast outers but I yield to your greater knowledge on these things Mick...I didn't know that the biggies preceded the 250s with those cases.
Mick...Are you going to Nepean next week? If so I'll bring the part I promised you..