« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2011, 11:05:06 am »
The frame looks to be a 1973 produced LTR (
Long Travel Rear)frame. Reportedly when the Yanks (
Wheelsmith & another shop almost simultaneously) developed the forward mounted rear end and the decision was made to release it to the public in late '73, the Maico factory had a large stock of 'old school' frames that had become instantly obsolete. The decision was made to re-engineer those frames and air boxes in house to use up the backlog. These LTR bikes hit the streets at the end of 1973 and according to Blair Harley, he had them on the floor in early '74.
The so-called 74 1/2 model used the first of the purpose built LTR frames with a slightly different rear subframe, different gusseting and a totally different airbox and came out in the latter part of '74. My dough is on the bike being a late '73 MC250 (but sold as a '74)
Note different airbox, shock mount gusseting on this '74.5 Maico.
Genuine '73 era Wheelsmith forward mount modification
« Last Edit: September 07, 2011, 03:31:06 pm by firko »
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'68 Yamaha DT1 enduro, '69 Yamaha 'DT1 from Hell' '69 DT1'Dunger from Hell, '69 Cheney Yamaha 360, 70 Maico 350 (2 off), '68 Hindall Ducati 250, Hindall RT2MX, Hindall YZ250a , Cycle Factory RT2MX flat tracker, Yamaha 1T250J, Maico 250 trials, '71, Boyd and Stellings TM400, Shell OW72,750 Yamaha
