'82-'83 Single shock problems- 250 & 490

[Ktm181]

Gents, whats the go with these, what are the rear end/frame/shock problems and what is the "fix" for them?

Cheers,
Kt.

[Stevo17]

I am not an expert but have owned both. The 82 Alpha had a crazy linkage ratio and a spring like it came from a train.  The Alpha had a problem where the top of the shock mounted to the frame ( I think the shock used to get caught up in the gusset and sometime broke the frame and or shock).  My Alpha had a factory fitted Ohlins shock which was the fix for it.  The 83 Spider did not have any issues as far as I know and was near identical to the 84.

[oldyzman]

I heard something about fitting a Honda Cr linkage, only a small amount of modification required...

[evo550]

The 83/84's had issues as well, but at the other end, I've had two with bent shafts at the base where shafts joins the bottom mount.

[davidmc]

84s still had a problem with lower Clevis hitting swingarm and breaking the shock shaft at the start of the thread. There is a longer foot that has more clearance, maybe it's an upgrade or from a latter model? It hasn't broken after approx 7 or 8 meetings, original used for a couple of seasons (previous history unknown) before breaking, they flex then eventually break on landing off jumps, strange feeling!

[Ktm181]

Thanks for the info Gents, sounds like a good bike to steer clear of for me!  I am looking for a '81 Mega 2 250 mx (not keen on a 490, already got 3 open classers!) if anyone knows of one, complete and running.  Would look at something already done so long as engine work etc is allowed for.

Thanks again,
Kt

[paul]

THE NIGHTMARE OF 1982/83
People bought the new Maicos in droves, based mostly on enthusiastic magazine test reports. Few of the magazines knew that the distributors gave the press carefully prepped bikes, with most of the flaws removed.

But when the average rider/racer out there bought the bike, the fan started getting pelted with dung. Shocks broke on almost every 1982 bike sold. In 1983, transmissions started shredding gears like popcorn, and even bizarre things like rear hubs exploded.

Dealers started getting bombarded with complaints from irritated customers, and even lawsuits from injured customers. When a person buys a bike, he doesn't expect the rear end to collapse from a broken shock when landing from a normal jump. And he certainly wouldn't expect a rear hub to explode when braking at the end of a high-speed straight-a-way!

In spite of heroic attempts by the U.S. Maico distributor to warranty all the claims, the harm was done. By 1984, Maico was in bankruptcy. From that point forward, no matter who tried to salvage the marque (M-Star being the first futile effort), it was all over. Maico, as we knew it, was dust.