Really old Maico on Marks Swapmeet

[firko]

Here's an oldy for anyone wanting to build a pre 65 Maico. I think the seller has got it a bit wrong with his estimation of the model however. I'm guessing that it's a mid fifties model going by the hardtail frame. The oval engines were pretty much the same from the fifties until the square barrel came out in '68 so the engine will fit into pre 60, 65 0r pre 70 if you so wish .
                                                              http://www.vintagemx.us/cgi-bin/largephoto.cgi?C=F3Cbzo8sAM459aPq                                  
                                                              
                                                                        FOR SALE Ad # 3204909 November 9, 2012
                                                                       1964 Maico " KR 250 " For Parts or Restoration
                                                                        Hardtail (no rear suspension)short track racer
                                                                        Only a few hundred made
                                                                        Mostly complete and original with 19" factoy aluminum rims missing carb and coil
                                                                        Motor stuck
                                                                        Original Maico red under black frame paint
                                                                        With CALIFORNIA TITLE!
                                                                         Last date of registration 1976
                                                                                                                            First $995.00
                                                                        Chris Pabian
                                                                         Cave Creek Az. 85331, AZ.
                                                                         Phone: 480-518-4023 | Email
                                                                         Registered Since 1/24/2011 | 57 Posts  

 


 

[firko]

After a bit of Googling I've learned that the bike is a genuine factory KR250 flat tracker. From what I can find, the KR evolved from the 175cc Motoball bike used for that weird sport in Eastern Europe in the sixties. I believe the Motoball bike had a 175cc motor so somebody in the US must have figured that by fitting the 250 oval motor they'd have a fairly decent flat tracker. Apparently only a couple of hundred were made. So, it turns out that this is one very rare little Maico.
  I've contacted the owner for more details .
                                                                                     

[AJ]

Cool looking old bike Firko. The tank & pipe look different on the bike you posted.
Price is good for a rare item.

[paul]

[firko]

It looks like they've taken the Motoball bike and tweaked it a little for American flat track. The only differences between the motoball bike and the KR that we can see seem to be the pipe and lack of "nudge bar''.
 It might make a nice little bike to restore that can be taken out for the occasional skid around Nepean. Looking at the Swapmeet bike, it seems to be mostly all there except for the pipe and carby/filter. I've emailed the seller and I'm waiting on a reply .

                                                                     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-a52gVTJHw&playnext=1&list=PLE037015B2ED5C614&feature=results_main

                                                                     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhn6BG_zQgw&feature=relmfu

[firko]

Well, the KR250 is now mine. I know, I know, I wasn't going to buy any more bikes until I cleared up the project backlog and sold off a few bikes but this is one of those bikes that only come along once or twice in a lifetime. The KR250 would be right up there as probably the rarest of all race Maicos. It's an early Christmas pressy to myself .  Not much has been written about them (in English anyway) but what I do know is that they were originally built for European Motoball in the late 50's/early 60's and that somebody in the US figured that the geometry would make them a pretty good little short tracker so, with a few changes the KR short tracker was born. It's not known exactly how many got to be built for flat track but with only a couple of hundred being built in total (and one would presume the majority were the Motoball model), the seller and I reckon it'd be less than twenty. This bike was bought by the sellers son as a project in 1976 and used briefly before going into storage until last week. The engine and frame numbers are matching (Frame vin# 240065 Motor No.# 240065) and it's all there except for the original pipe and carby. It should be a fairly straightforward restoration and I've got my contact in Sweden already on the lookout for a pipe, decent tank and whatever parts he can find.

Ironically despite my current Yamha fetish and vow not to buy any more bikes for a while, I'd been sniffing around a couple of 501 Maicos that had been uncovered but the owner unfortunately thinks he's sitting on a gold mine and knocked back my generous offer. This Maico more than makes up for the disappointment of not getting the 501's. I'd been quietly looking for a Sonic rigid frame for one of my DT1 engines but this bikes frame is so close to the Sonic style I won't need to build a DT1 to get my rigid frame jollies off now .

                                 
                                                                         
                                                                         
                                                                         
                                                                         
                                                                         

[paul]

good work firko

[firko]

  I'd been quietly looking for a Sonic rigid frame for one of my DT1 engines but this bikes frame is so close to the Sonic style I won't need to build a DT1 to get my rigid frame jollies off now . 

Here's the Sonic framed DT1 owned by the bloke who owns Metro clothing. Note the similarity in design and geometry to the Maico KR.
                                                                             
                                                                             
 
                                                                                also similar to the Sonic BSA B44 below                                                                   
                                                                             

[suzuki59]

Great work "Uncle Firko"-Merry Xmas mate!

[Freakshow]

Interesting it has alloy wheels surely there not original in that profile?

[Freakshow]

That little cap on the top of the case is usually for a gear indicator on the 53' maicoletta so I'd say they. Are prity much the same motors

[firko]

That little cap on the top of the case is usually for a gear indicator on the 53' maicoletta so I'd say they. Are prity much the same motors

Now that I've started to get into these oval Maicos I've found that Maico used the same basic bottom end design from the early fifties through to 1971 and then, with only minor changes for the radial, through to 1975.I've got a fifties 250 motor, '64 360 and now this bike and they're all interchangable with my squarie stuff.

Interesting it has alloy wheels surely there not original in that profile?

The photos of the Motoball and KR that Paul posted show alloy mudcatcher rims on them. I'll check the date code on the KR rims when it arrives. If they're the wrong type I'll replace them.

[TM BILL]

That little cap on the top of the case is usually for a gear indicator on the 53' maicoletta so I'd say they. Are prity much the same motors

Now that I've started to get into these oval Maicos I've found that Maico used the same basic bottom end design from the early fifties through to 1971 and then, with only minor changes for the radial, through to 1975.I've got a fifties 250 motor, '64 360 and now this bike and they're all interchangable with my squarie stuff.

Interesting it has alloy wheels surely there not original in that profile?

The photos of the Motoball and KR that Paul posted show alloy mudcatcher rims on them. I'll check the date code on the KR rims when it arrives. If they're the wrong type I'll replace them.

Leave em be Mark they look ok and it would be a shame to mess with it to much .

It really is a cool score 

[firko]

Leave em be Mark they look ok and it would be a shame to mess with it to much .

Thanks Bill,  I think it's a cool score as well. The more I look into it, the more I realise what a holy grail find this bike is. The seller's told me that he's had a few enquiries from Europe and even more from the USA so it seems I'm not the only one who spotted it. It was actually Jonesy who spotted it first and told me that if I didn't get it he'd have to buy it. I figured that he's got way too much stuff already so I bought it to save him the heartache of finding somewhere to store it .

I'm intending on doing a concourse correct resto on this bike so if the rims prove to be wrong it'll be easy to replace them. The wheels will have to come apart for a rebuild anyway. It looks from the photos that they probably had Akront mudcatchers and I've got a pair of 19 inchers that were earmarked for my DT1 flat tracker that will fit the bill.

[firko]

Well punters, I've finally got my KR Maico home and let me tell ya, it's an interesting little bike. Unfortunately my plans to "just get it going" and use it as is, Patina and all were a little ambitious. For a start the engine's locked rock solid and I have a feeling it's going to take a bit more than a can of WD40 to unlock it. Luckily I have a spare bottom end so with a bit of luck I may be able to put two together and make a decent motor out of it. The forks will need to be pulled apart and rechromed and I'll need a new seat base as this one's rusted almost to nothing. In a nutshell the bike's pretty toasted but the good news is that the frame's in perfect condition with no welded on extras or hacksawed off bits missing. The tank is in good nick but it's the wrong one, I don't even think it's off a Maico. Luckily I think I've located a tank from a mid 50's 175 which looks like it'll be correct or at least pretty close. The 19" wheels are in good nick with alloy rims but I don't think they're correct so I'll fit steelies. The hubs and brakes are like new. The rooted old tyres are strange, the front is a Heidenau ribbed roady and the rear is a Mitsubishi knobby. Has anyone else ever seen a Mitsubishi tyre?

Any thoughts of a quick turnover are now out the window. I'm going to put it in storage in Jonesy's warehouse until I can give it my full attention. I've got plenty to keep me busy including my new 750 Yamaha flat tracker but after Easter and the current three builds are over (Cheney, Flat tracker and RT2MX/Hindall) I'll set up for the 360 Maico pre 65 project and the big flat tracker....one motocrosser and one dirt tracker at a time is how I'm going to do it from here on. No more of this four bikies on the go nonsense . I'm too old for the pressure involved.

Was the KR Maico worth getting? Well, I thought it'd be in a better shape but considering its rarity and the fact that it didn't exactly break the bank to buy it I'm glad I got it. I hope to have it up and running for CD12  in 2015.