Maico 1986 GM250E Restoration

[K10]

Hi All

I am new to the forum

I thought I would post a link to my blog where I have documented the first stage of restoring my 1986 GM250E

please see the link below

http://k10stuff.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/maico-gm250e-1986-restoration.html

Now that its running the next stage I am going to service the forks and maybe shock and replace some frilly-bits like grips and tyres

Then stage 3 will require me to sort out the electrics / lights /controls to get it re-registered

Any advice would be appreciated

[jerry]

Good stuff K10 loved reading your story. Got to do something about that helmet peak before next outing!!! Cheers Jerry

[vmxcozza]

Great Story K10

I also have one of these puppies. Got it around 1997 after not having a bike for a few years. Great bike but i burnted a hole in the piston and it is currently sitting in the corner awaiting a resto after i finish my 79 RM125 (will be starting a post soon). I also read the post regarding pre production models and got excited at the time as my bike also has a White Power shock. In the mentioned post there is a pic of a bike also fitted with a WP shock so thats three bikes with WP shocks. It mentioned that the pre-production bikes had Marzzochi forks, as the pic had the front of the bike cut off i do not know if they look different to the production maico forks. My bikes forks look the same as yours and they seem to match the owners manual pics you posted. I have the Test in an ADB mag so i will find it during the week and check it out as i recall that bike also having a WP shock.

My bike is a bit different to yours in that it seems mine has an MX frame, no loop over the back guard and no brackets for the centrestand.

For sure these where trick bits of gear in the mid 80,s and i reckon a well set up one now would still go alright in a modern enduro.

Anyway enjoy your bike, you have given me some inspiration to get mine cracking again as you have given some great tips.

[vmxcozza]

gday K10
just found the test in Issue 82 of ADB and bike in test has WP shock, rear frame loop and centre stand. Test states that Ohlins shocks will be fitted to bikes. Also mentions that test bike was airfreighted out for test and was fitted with a single wall pipe as oppessed to production bike which will be fitted with twin wall pipes. My bike has a twin wall pipe. I would assume pre production bikes where brought over for testing buy mags and so on. Did you buy your bike new or had it seen some action before you got it?
cheers
Corey   

[Bruno1969]

Hi,

I will be following this with interest as I too have a (what I think) is an '85 250 Maico. It differs slightly from this one in that it has a disc front brake but the typical, conical hub, drum brake on the back.

It runs an Ohlins shock, there is no evidence of a centre stand or a rear mudguard loop so I assume that makes it a MX'er?. The frame and swing is light blue and the plastics red - which is strange because I seem to remember the plastics being a medium blue.

Its a low priority build for me as I have plenty projects on the plate at the moment but has the makings of an interesting and rarish bike.

Cheers

[Nathan S]

I'm no guru, but I think front disc and rear drum makes it an 85.

I thought the frame number spelled out whether its an MC (motocross) or GS (enduro)?

Frame should be silver, IIRC.
Have a look for an ADR compliance plate and whether the end of the frame (where the rear loop would be) has been cut with a grinder or hacksaw.

[Maicoman]

K10 that blog was a great read. Awesome to see the old girl going again. That front guard widener must have been the order of the day, I have a few Maico guards with them still fitted. What are the plans now for the bike?

Bruno1969 your Maico sounds like an 85 Maico. Some had Maico on the seat which is sky bue while some had M-Star. Also silver frame and yes front disc and rear drum. The frame does not necessarily need a prefix. My frame just has a 7 digit number.
Here is a pic of mine. It's rough but I've slowly managed to get most of the parts needed.

[dkupf]

I have a 85 it has a disc brake front end and drum brake on the back as well as a Ohlin rear shock. The seat was blue with Maico written on it and 250LC written long ways down the radiator shrouds in blue. Think I should have tried to save the stickers . Darcy

[Maicoman]

Here is a link to some new swingarm decals. They look pretty good.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MAICO-1985-1986-SWINGARM-TWINLINK-TWIN-LINK-DECAL-LIKE-NOS-OEM-GRAPHICS-/251155030968?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item3a7a01a3b8#ht_1853wt_1142

[firko]

K10....Sorry to change the thread focus for a moment but in your Royal Enfield blog you show a couple of pictures of a cruiser bicycle. What's the story behind it?
     
I've got a couple of these old bikes including the Phillips shown below. My plan is to eventually restore this one and turn the other (a Shwinn) into a lightly modded cruiser not unlike yours, the difference being that I might use a set of MTB  4" travel Rox Shox forks. 

 

[K10]

Hi Guys

Sorry for not getting back to you, new job and transition to summer sports kept me away from the PC

Thanks for all the comments etc

I'll work backwards

Firko - the Cruiser pushy was me giving up on a project that started by noticing all the bikes chucked out on council cleanups

I wanted to build a chopper, after watching American Chopper and not having 50 grand to build a real customer chopper, I thought about a bicycle chopper. Found some sites that showed plans for springer front ends  and idler gears and fat rear motorcycle tyres etc, also toyed ideas with electric and 2 stroke motors but it all looked too hard and expensive to tool-up.

A local bike shop had some Malvern Star 20" Dragstars for about $1200 ( orginal 1970s) and I also looked at some american cruisers that were around $1500.

Then I went to Big W to buy a scooter for the kid and saw this Repco Bermuda cruiser for $199 and bought it for myself for Xmas(2010).
Scored a Schwin 1970s battery headlamp ( as per photo)  and a dynamo model as well that I havent installed yet - toying with an LED upgrade to the battery model.


Maicoman - I have bought the kids mini bikes so ATM it will be used to fool around with the kids at Pacific Park ( local bike park)
Untill I do the shock and forks etc I dont want to go berserk on it, if that goes OK then I will do the electrics and get it registered so I can go trail riding again one day


vmxcozza - I bought the bike new from the importer and it came in a box

I cant remember the sequence of events as far as what bike was bought when but remember my mate and I taking a bike up to Dargle MX track which had Ohlins i think - I remeber it clearly as the bloody thing started running backwards and we found the magneto had come loose and changed the timing.

I sort of remember being told that the bike we tested was a mule made from 85/86 and MX parts (ohlins and single wall MX pipe) and that my bike was a true 86 production enduro

I'm not sure if it was the one he bought in the end or just a loaner but I know his bike and mine were slightly different  (shocks) and that i waited for the 86 model to come.

I tried some time back before the rebuild to contatc the original importer who was away at the time - I will chase it up again as he would probably recall the sequence of events

Jerry - Yep I looked like a dork  - that was my MTB DH helmet - the peak is like that as you are head down arse up when riding DH and you actually want to see where your'e going ( sometimes) - I just ordered a new Arai  VX pro 3 (Osbourne) to replace my old Arai MX80 Brad Lackey which needs a new foam liner which I might make one day for fun.
On the ride in the blog I started to get brave and opened it up in top and realised shit I'm doing 100ks wearing a push bike helmet !!!!