Maico engine and frame no's

[nipplesX2]

I am puzzled by the so called maico police quoting eng and frame no from usa or do you have the no's from blair or ross or brisk sales they imported most of the maicos here  please let me know.
there is a gentleman with a 74 400 that has correct no's but has been told by the maico police it's not.
Just how long have the maico police been around ? were they playing with maico's in 73,74 0r 81

[paul]

i cant see the number being different for australian delivery  , going to stackers   tomorrow  i will check with keith  to see if there we the same world wide   that all i can say 
btw i dont know nothin about a 74 /400   
btw the thing that i dont like is people selling mock up gs 490s as mx 490s  the cheating ku  nts                                                                               

[Maicojames]

Well, the # s are the same worldwide, Maico did not distinguish -hell, as if they had any idea for certain in most cases that this particlular frame # and eng # would go to US, thid one to importer in Australia, this one to Canada and so on.

I sure as hell don't know who the Maico police are, but what is the issue you are running into? Is it importing a bike from US? If so, what is being told to whom, ..and by whom. Maico used different #s for different models each year(with some exceptions) , though never say never as far as any clear cutoff for a model year and specific features etc.

I know my 77 440 I sold came with a 330 series frame-not uncommon for Maico to do this at all( sure enough it was pointed out to me), but I am fortunate the bike sld for a good price( thanks to Paul, and Brad's interest and bids). most all of the #s are available online, I do know a gentleman in Az who sold Maicos in So Cal from 71-84. Damn, you guys in Oz have to pay twice as much for everything, the bikes are more scarce, yet I see some of the nicest VMX bike sin the world form Oz and NZ...you shouldn't have to take a load of crap on top of that just to get your bikes...
If I can be of any help, let me know.
James

[bigk]

I have had 3 1977 AW400's and if you go by the frame numbers they were all 250's fitted with 400 engines. I actually sold one because the I thought the guy I bought it off had dudded me. I think it must have been common for Maico to use 250 frames if they were out of 400 frames or something like that. I can't even find the details of my 74.5 MC440 on the common websites, but the guy I bought it off had Firko get all the guff from Germany, so I do know the day, month & year it was built. I think the ID numbers listed on the websites are a good guide, but cannot be taken for gospel.
Cheers,
K

[Rosco400]

This May Help save someones hard earned cash and a guide only as it was borrowed off the web. I near made mistake of buying a bike which was not what it was said to be and can only thank the person involved for saving my dollars.

My View is some of the apprentices in the factory were to lazy to grab the right frames and engines and slapped some together before there tradesman had a chance to check what they were upto,(probably the same week Octoberfest was on) just a thought but probably wouldnt be the first time its happened.

CODE DEFINITIONS
MC - Motocross
GP - Grand Prix
NG - New generation
AW - Adolf Weil Magnum -
1978 New motor design - Motocross Magnum
E -Enduro model Magnum II-

1979 Motocross model M1 -
1980 mega Mega 2 -
Motocross model Mega E -
Enduro model SC - Super Cross (1984) LC - Liquid

Cooled ENGINE CODE DEFINITIONS
These letters precede the engine serial numbers.
U - Close ratio transmission
K - Wide ratio transmission
M - 250 Close ratio transmission
R - 400-440 Close ratio transmission
G - 400- 440 Wide ratio transmission
MT - Countershaft moved back on motor, closer to swing arm pivot. 250cc
MX Started 1978 RT - Countershaft moved back on open class motors. (400,440,490cc MX)
GT - Countershaft moved back on Enduro models

Year Model Chassis Motor
1968 MC250 380 000 272 000
1968 MC360 380 000
1969 MC250 380 000 273 000
1969 MC360 380 000
1970 MC250 381 000 274 000
1970 MC400 381 000 T400 000
1971 MC250 382 000 275 000
1971 MC400 382 000 U403 000
1972 MC250 383 000 U276 000
1972 MC400 383 000 U404 000
1973 MC250 383 0000 U277 000
1973 MC400 393 0000 U405 000
1973 MC501 501 2000 U501 000
1974 MC250/4 394 0000 U278 000
1974 MC400/4 394 0000 U406 000
1974 MC440/4 394 0000 U441 000
1975 MC250/5 321 0000 M321 0000
1975 MC400/4 322 0000 U322 000
1975 MC440/4 320 0000 U320 000
1975 ½ MC400/5 323 0000 M323 0000
1975 ½ MC440/5 324 0000 M324 0000
1976 MC250/5 AW 326 0000 M321 0000
1976 MC400/5 AW 327 0000 R323 0000
1976 MC440/5 AW 328 0000 R324 0000
1976 MC501/5 329 0000
1977 MC250/5 AW 330 0000 M321 0000
1977 MC400/5 AW 331 0000 M323 0000
1977 MC440/5 AW 332 0000 M324 0000
1978 Magnum MC250/T 336 0000 MT336 0000
1978 Magnum MC400/T 337 0000 MT337 0000
1978 Magnum MC440/T 338 0000 MT338 0000
1979 Magnum II MC125/T 340 0000 340 000/83
1979 Magnum II MC250/T 341 0000 MT336 0000
1979 Magnum II MC400/T 342 0000 RT337 0000
1979 Magnum II MC440/T 343 0000 RT338 0000
1979 Magnum E GS250 241 0000 GT236 0000
1979 Magnum E GS400 241 0000 GT237 0000
1979 Magnum E GS440 241 0000 GT238 0000
---The Enduro model bikes were sold as 1980’s as well. There were a small amount of models sold with 504-engine size.
1980 Mega MC250/T 346 0000 MT336 0000
1980 Mega MC400/T 347 0000 RT337 0000
1980 Mega MC440/T 348 0000 RT338 0000
1981 Mega2 MC250/T 350 0000 MT350 0000
1981 Mega2 MC400/T 351 0000 RT351 0000
1981 Mega2 MC490/T 352 0000 RT352 0000
1981 Mega2 MC440/T 347 0000
--- Some 1981 MAICO’s were built with 440 motors but not advertised in brochures. They have later style top tubes/backbone, (NON Mega form frame).
1982 (Alpha 1) MC250/T 353 0000 MT353 0000
1982 (Alpha 1) MC490/T 354 0000 RT354 0000
1982 (Alpha E) GS250 353 0000 253 0000
1922 (Alpha E) GS490 354 0000 254 0000
1983 Spider MC250 361 0000 361 0000
1983 Spider MC490 362 0000 362 0000
1984 SC250LC 363 0000 363 0000 1984 SC490 364 0000 364 0000
--- Sold in Europe as MAICO’s, but in the US they were sold as M-stars.
1985 GM250LC 365 0000 H365 0000
1985 GM500LC 366 0000 H366 0000
1986 GM250 Star 367 0000 H367 0000
1986 GM500 Star 368 0000 H368 0000
1986 GM530 Star SC 369 0000
1987 GM250 GP 370 0000
1987 GM400 GP 371 0000
1987 GM500GP 372 0000
1987 GM550 SC 373 0000
1988 MC250 380 0000
1988 MC320 381 0000
1988 MC500 382 0000
1989 MC250 390 0000
1989 MC320 391 0000
1989 MC500 392 0000
1990 MC250 394 0000
1990 MC320 395 0000
1990 MC500 396 0000

[paul]

http://www.redisdead.org/maicomas/numeros/numeros.htm
this has both gs and mc

[firko]

   http://" I am puzzled by the so called maico police quoting eng and frame no from usa or do you have the no's from blair or ross or brisk sales they imported most of the maicos here  please let me know".

Blair Harley threw all of his records away years ago and Ross King has lost most of his as well. All engine and frame numbers are the same, no matter which country the bike is sold.

[nipplesX2]

Correct firko.. But how many complete bottom ends that did not get used for the intended year it was stamped for, Were used the next year ? Who is to say?? U404 by the sheet posted by an other gentleman shows this to be 1972.. And U405 is to be 1973  I have papers to show a 1973 400 eng no U404.. was sold by Brisk sales Qld sold as 4/73  the barrel was stamped 2/73. Also there is difference between the 1972 400 radial which was the first radial and the 1973 radial. And this was in the barrels design.
So it not possible to pass off a 72 for a 73. And before any body says this has nothing to do with the 490 mx or gs I have no interest in starting there yet. I am just pointing out the No's are not always correct.

[paul]

would i be correct in saying the reinforcement on the cylinder were narrower on the cylinder fins 72 /73/400

[Rosco400]

U404 by the sheet posted by an other gentleman shows this to be 1972.. And U405 is to be 1973 

Gentleman Thanks Nipplex2, I've never been called that before, now i've just got to show that to the wife and kids and prove what they have been saying about me is all wrong

[nipplesX2]

By the paper work and tests and photo's and also in my collection the 1972 radial had narrow fin blocks this was changed for 1973 and onwards. also the first 1972 radials came in the wide frame Meaning the rear loop, were seat was mounted, Also the seat was mounted to the frame through the side of the seat (both sides as in the 1971 models).

[paul]

whats this then

[firko]

It appears to be a 74.5 frame, identifiable by the drilled gusset behind the top shock mount. The straight 74 LTR frame is gusseted differently.

[paul]

and this

[bingil 6]

Before doing the deal on the 81 490 I bought from the states I spoke to Les at Mainly Maico because by the numbers on the frame indicated that it was a 400 frame but Les went on to say that this was a common practice as the 490's were out selling the 400's and the used frames that hade the 351 prefex to house the 490 engine and by all accounts the 400 & 490 frames are identical , I don't confess to be an expert on the subject this is just the imformation that was supplied to me when looking at the deal for the bike I ended up buying.