yz 465

[firko]

The thing that annoys me a bit is the general assumption that Maicos have some sort of reliability problem. That assumption is usually sprouted by folks who have neither owned or ridden a Maico (of any size or era). You rarely if ever, hear Maico owners complaining about their bikes reliability. Why? Because breakages just don't often happen. The Maico Breako bullshit grew from a tongue in cheek article in Dirt Bike magazine back in 1972 that has over the years become legend. In truth, Maicos are no less reliable than a Yamaha, Husky or my uncles Camry.

[paul]

http://www.tmxnews.co.uk/content_database/noyce_takes_a_bite/index

[mx250]

Sorry to disagree with you Firko but in the day the 'Maico Breako' taunt  was well earned, at least in my eyes.

I use to have a MX riding buddy I went to the racers with - I was up close and personally involved (pushing, dodging flying spanners and consoling).  Bruce had no end of trouble starting the thing and getting it to run clean.

Bruce was a fitter and turner and, although young, no mug idiot when it came to turning a spanner. The bike was bought new, about start of 74, and Bruce lived at Putney and use to call into Gladesville nearly every afternoon. If anything Bruce use to baby the thing.

And looking around the pits he wasn't alone. I can't remember the sponsored riders having similar probs so it may have been reliability of the clubman racer. But compare that to the Japanese MX'er and at least in contrast the Maico was unreliable (at least, less reliable).

I knew the Maico Breako taunt well before an ADB (can't even remember seeing such an article). If there wasn't a basis for the  taunt then it would never have got 'traction'.
 

[DJRacing]

Everything counts to you obviously Paul. But maybe you should have directed your posting to Holeshot Buddy since it was he who stated the results, not me. All I pointed out was that more Maicos are out racing now but jap bikes still seem to get there share of wins. But I would 'never ever' say that one particular bike is dominate over another(unless just joking or doing a wind-up) because I have seen it to many times where it isnt the bike but the rider who wins races, weather he is on a Maico, Honda, CZ or postie bike. I wasnt so much as having a dig at Maicos, but more in the stigma that they are legends even before they get to the race track.

So has Holeshot buddy got it wrong....  

Should he have said... Yamaha 18 world titles, 21 AMA titles
                               Maico 1 VMX world title

[paul]

dont worry dj   i like em all , there s lots off us older fellars  coulndnt have these toys when we were young so it good to be able to do this vmx thing     either race ,ride ,restore or collect

[firko]

It was Dirt Bike magazine Graeme, not ADB. ADB wasn't around in 1972. I guess reliability is down to personal experience. Sure I had my little problems with Maicos but it was just about always down to my bad maintenance. They were and still are just like my ex wife, high maintenance. My point is that as far as major disasters happening within the workings of a Maico, you never hear of a blown gearbox or a tossed rod or anything major. In the 38 years I've owned my 350 it's only on its second piston and second big end. The engine hasn't been apart since 1991 and it still runs like a Swiss watch.
I usually stay out of these "my bike is better than your bike" discussions because everyone has their own inbuilt bias and all of the "discussion" in the world won't change anyones opinion. I can only speak from my own experience of owning one bike for 38 years as well as owning and racing at least another 20 Maicos since 1970. Everybody has a right to their own opinion but I do arc up when I hear that tired old "Maico Breako" dirge.

[DJRacing]

Speaking of taunts, the Yamaha YZ's had a few as well, and probably for good reason. The old 'yamahop' comes to mind and in '85 the YZ125 had a 'brake activating suspenion system' called "B.A.S.S" the motor was one of the worse ever made by yamaha so the 'fish' jokes were plentiful. The 'boost bottle' sometimes would get a name change as well to 'baby bottle' but hey, isnt it all in jest?? 

[evo550]

Hmmm, choose your words carefully Brenden.
Firko, I have owned/raced a few evo/pre 85 490 maico's and I would agree that the motors don't deserve the breako tag but..... the overall finish of the bike leaves alot to be desired compared to a Yamaha.
Here is a list of things that happened to an "84 500 I bought new from geoff udy's ,
Exhaust melting fuel tank (twice), decomp handle bar mount pressed tin breaking straight away, fuel tap leaks from new, air cleaner mounting bracket breaking destroyed engine, rear chain adjuster weld breaking chain derailed into engine cases, bent shock, fork seals leak from new don't get me started on the rear brake lever or the rear brake backing plate, cables made of dental floss.
These things just don't happen to a jap bike of the same era.
Yamahas are like whores you just ride 'em then just lean them up against the shed till you want to use them again, Maico's are like the woman of your dreams you have to caress and pamper her every hour of every day, then and only then will she give you the "ride" you've dreamed of. Just so you know I've never been with a hooker, so I'm just guessing on that bit.

[firko]

Evo...My '84 500 was remarkably trouble free except for the pipe melting the tank. That was indeed a dumb design fault but it's easily fixed. The only other problems I ever had with it was the Ohlins shock running out of dampening when the bike was 20 years old and cracking the crankcase when I lost a chain due to me not fitting the circlip properly when I was distracted while fitting the chain. It broke and jammed between the swingarm and the engine at full noise in third gear. My fault, not the bike. I do however agree with your take on Yamahas. They're amazingly reliable and beautifully finished.

[TonyB]

One thing that really annoyed me with my 490 maico was the blubbering if the throttle was cracked open at lower revs, I would have to quickly down shift to get the carb to suck the mess clean again and she'd take again, but it was annoying, other than that mine did'nt give many problems other than the normal lack of attention to detail, My mates Yamaha IT490 and YZ465 on the other hand were severely neglected and looked like shit as a result but when we went riding they'd fire up religiously and he'd give me a good run for my money. I still think Maico's look great and are like exotics and should cost more to buy than a Yamaha but as I have said in other threads the media hype and spouting from the opinionated magazine people who were utterly believed in anything they said caused a frenzy and the frenzy has reached what i recon are silly proportions, charging $10K-$12k for a Maico is strange,,

[Maico31]

Tony it sounds like your Maico was running too rich, may have had worn needle and needle jet, common problem with bing carby's. Mine runs pretty clean if i crack the throttle open at lower revs. If people are willing to pay $10k-$12k for a 490 Maico then that's what the price becomes, if no one paid that much then the seller would be forced to drop the price to make a sale. I was at DDR motorcycles in Brisbane last saturday and there was a guy picking up an unrestored '78 390 Husky that he just paid $8k for..I was stunned! He could've bought 2 for that money and had cash left over.

[paul]

i have always wanted o a maico 490 and there arnt to many for sale in australia ive only seen 3 in the lastyear or so and there is another one for sale at the moment but thats another story .   who know what they will cost in 10 years if you can find one at all 

[Maicojames]

I really got into the Maicos when a buddy's dad -who was a really keen tuner on Jap mxers straightened me out. I was complaining about waiting on the line for another two racers to push their Maicos...anyway bib Bob looked right at me and said-they wouldn't be like that if you or I owned it. Of course, I had to bump mine off ( to find the intermitent air leak was torn intake boot.LOL). I have learned more, and love the simplicity, as for fit and finish, well I do the finish part to my own standards anyway.
Most reliable bike was 74 250 KTM-a tank, never broke anything on it-owned in my 20s when manitenence was something done 20 min before race.

I think 10-12 k for a 490 will keep many from racing them. :'( :'(

[lyle2212]

As Maico31 said, the value of the bike is what the buyer is prepared to pay.  I just bought an engine from the USA ,on Ebay, and was prepared to pay double of what it cost me if the Seller negotiated a price then and there. But he said no, "I want the bidding to run it,s course, as many people have been waiting for this engine to show up". In the last 30 seconds of bidding I threw in $700 Aus. , and could,nt believe it when I got it for $290 U.S. Anyway his loss is my gain.  If you think the price of a Maico is overvalued now ,just wait for a few more years . The cost of these European VMX bikes is like real estate prices,they only go up.

[TonyB]

Lyle2212, I recon the prices are getting pushed up by people who have a lot of money and just must have ( at any cost) what most think is the best, sound familiar??