The History of the Maico 700: Zabel, Maico and the ATK Intimidator (Documentary)

The history of the Maico 700, 685, 620 and the ATK Intimidator models as well as Zabel.
World Championship Sidecar Sidecarcross.
Credits and References
Jim McCabe
• Jim McCabe's 3-cylinde...
Super Hunky's Wildest Maico 490 Ever
dirtbike.off-road.com/dirtbike...
Super Hunky's Maico 760
articles.superhunky.com/4/52
Kawasanya525's Zabel 700
• ZABEL 2т 700сс
dukemeisterflash ATK Intimidator
• ATK 700 Intimidator
World Sidecarcross 1980
• 1980 Scirè sidecarcros...
Sidecar MX GP Beenham Park July 1980
• Sidecar MX GP Beenham...
Motorcycle USA Historic Motorcycle Sidecars
www.motorcycle-usa.com/654/235...
Mystery Science Theatre 3000 Episode 202 - The Sidehackers
Walter Netterscheid 1980 Yamaha XS650
www.mvc-brenig.de/Geschichten/...
WASP
www.waspmotorcycles.com/
EML
www.eml-mxproducts.nl/nl/home.htm
VMC
www.vmc-sidecars.com/
MTH650 Engine picture
www.southbayriders.com/forums/...
MTH 650 sidecar andelside
• SIDECARCROSS - BREZEN ...
Blown Maico 685 piston
www.offroadforen.de/vb/showthr....
Mark Spigolon Maico 700
www.ktm-koestler.de/en/maico-b...
www.maicointernational.com
www.zabel-racing.de/
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Subscribe to Opferman Motors for trail riding, dirt bikes,
motorcycle events, mechanics, rebuilding engines, Maicos,
Hondas, Kawasakis, Suzukis, Yamahas, Husqvarnas, KTMs, and more!
The channel for vintage dirtbikes
****************** Opferman Motors on the Web ******************
Opferman Motors
www.maicowerk.com
Tillamook Singletrack Magazine
www.tillamooksingletrackmagazi...
Opferman Motors on Facebook
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/ tillamooksingletrackma...
Motorcycle and dirtbike restorations Facebook Group
/ motorcyclerebuilds

[@Tide12NC]

Love hearing of all Maico history. My uncle Furman Gray raced factory for Maico from 1977-1979 when a wreck caused him to walk away. Great info.

[@charlesculleton741]

I remember Furman he was a Florida rider no.!

[@Thor555555]

now i know, why the broken piston looked so recognizeable to me, it´s mine from the offroadforum.

[@robertfrancis9439]

I still have the Dirt Bike magazine with the Maico 760 in it. Rick Seiman (Super Hunky) rode it in the Blackwater 100 in Davis WV.

[@deborahchesser7375]

That’s cool I remember that. Couldn’t wait for my subscription of DB to get there every month

[@garneauweld1100]

Great and important bit of dirt history. I want a 700 before I die.

[@bulliongrowernz1975]

Great doco...Keepem coming!!

[@minibikemadman]

Kaplan cycles just bought a maico 700. Its friggin amazing.

[@safetyharborfirearms]

great info on awesome machines

[@VMATT500C]

Thanks for the History lesson.

[@danielbargas3377]

I like this a lot since I saw some of you videos I have been digging for more information about them and ran across this. Wow you are a true enthusiast

[@Maicowerk]

+Daniel Bargas Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@annaleebliss4618]

I grew up riding in the 2 stroke era. Thanks for the video very interesting.🏍️😉

[@sjemmiesjem]

Nice footage...!

[@andyf1271]

I had a Maico 250 basketcase in high school in 1977. My buddy Wally had a Maico 400...he needed some parts and we cobbled together the 400 to ride...she stood up in all 4 gears, what a blast.....would love another one....before Japan, there was Maico!!!

[@casmitherz]

Wow this really is some great knowledge about the brands! Thanks a bunch I'll be sharing this with a few people. I remember coming across the 700 bike and I knew there was a story behind it. I've watched some sidecar races while out racing in some Big 6 (AMA D37) races. What a sight to see. You can tell who has some history racing those bikes when they take off from the start.

[@Maicowerk]

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it. Sidecar racing is very unique indeed!

[@petergriffin4629]

It might be interesting for you and the viewers to know that the Zabel engine has been absolutely dominant in the Sidecar Worldchampionship also propelling this years world champion team, however it appears that the time of the twostroke even in sidecar is also coming to an end. Last years world champion Etienne Bax and a host of other teams run 640 KTM engines that are made from 450s and they have been slowly and steadily taking over the top ten. I personally don't really know why this is, they are more expensive to run and Sidecar teams definitely don't have too much money to spend.

[@Bigbam001]

Zabel sells a 750 big bore two stroke. It's not on their site you have to ask for it through their email it'll cost about 1600 more and the stock 700 has 85 horsepower. The horsepower on the 750 two stroke is still unknown.

[@tomwilliams4885]

Good stuff.

[@andrewSUN17]

Very cool vid!

[@flanders172]

Thanks toby most interesting.

[@Maicowerk]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jorda.2412]

thanks, ride on.

[@robrich8294]

Yeah I recalled reading a old Dirt Rider or Dirt Bike magazine mentioned having up to a handful of the 760’s. It was a brief article about them. So were these like a prototype they were going to possibly have? Like you said it was a freak show style. Recalled they had Porsche pistons in them. I regret selling my (2) Maico 490 Mega 2’s 20 years ago.

[@Gasrullen]

why havent anyone made like a 2x700 snowmobile yet? Would love that. Nice vid

[@PaulWBeal]

I rode in the chair on practice laps wth MX outfit World Champion Chris Etheridge on a 650cc EML Zabel Maico outfit with chrome frame at Wakes Colne circuit near London, U.K. in about 1984. In the chair it was like riding a Nazi V1 pulse rocket. Legs went to jelly.

[@Stranglerxx77]

Saw some Gr8 old classic singles, Twins and also some good old wasps outfits at Mortimer classic scramble ( uk ) last week Gr8 sounds and smells 😃😃😄🌛🌈🏍🏍🏍

[@vlajkozr]

Nice! Shame it doesn't have more 2-stroke soundtrack :D

[@StonyG85]

hi lads! ive raced sidecars for 14 years here in england and europe have a look at some of my go pro vids if your interested... there's a few vids of me on my mth and i think 1 on a zabel zm29... the latest and greatest 2 stroke engine ever... the zm29 is coz it was released in 2009 but still change every year with new improvements

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

Cool 😎

[@Queloqueloco]

Not one video have i seen one of the 700 2 strokes full throttle

[@jimmysparks315]

They should have incorporated a balance shaft..

[@eyalcr500]

Hi ! thanks for that most interseting vid ! i enjoyed it very much ! many times i wondered why those beasty engines were created...now, when are you bringing those 700 beauties to Israel ??? many nutcases here love strong bikes! :) :) :)

[@Maicowerk]

They are only sold in Germany but you can import them, you'd have to find out your import laws. I was able to import to the US.

[@shwderborgerf1227]

Ese motor REAL , sin adornos . 🤖

[@ericlakota6512]

Old atk are awsome they made 490 or something like that they are still awsom 30 years later the chain and rear swing arm hade some great engenaring that went into them of corse a bike bilt in usa had to be best and they where awsome erly 2000 their was a atk dealer in palmer and they were more of a enduro id love to have one now back then they were more not my style i wanted mx and they werent they where probly perfect the looked like a on off road with 2 stroke with over head cams and suck kinda like a kdx not full racer just a great bike to hit trails and at that time i just wanted fast mx style place closed havent seen one sense i think the ones on floor where electric start never looked into them the atk was great place to buy parts only hade few bikes at a time most kids and all rest on off but they where awsome for a parts store i dought they sold varry meny bikes it was closed not long after it opend

[@clarkblount7788]

Sweet

[@NBM3]

Go pro laps please !!! Preferably in a race !

[@Thor555555]

some small faults, there are not only 3 frame making companys, not much but a few more like BSU, AYR, NMP... at 12:50 there is not a WASP (Britain, Rob (Charles)Rhind-tutt) Frame it´s a WSP (Netherland, Willemsen Sidecar Production). The Maico 620 and 685 arn´t really Maico engines, they are built by Zabel with the original Maico 500 block. later Zabel produced his own blocks with up to 700ccm or the newes ZM30 will get up to 749ccm. The Maico company don´t built motorcycles or engines any more the new one are custom made by Köstler who have bought the trademark Maico and uses the old 620 and 685 Zabel engines till today.

[@TheJoesmoe1987]

Opferman great video again My new favorite channel love the bigbore 2strokes!

[@andelside]

Good from MTH 650 sideAndel :-)

[@anthonyxyy9663]

Yes i raced 500 or bigger no mx class for them would put us in 250 we would alwAys get hole shot by far tho . I miss them

[@fatsocurrywurst3139]

"Aprillia maico in Augusta ( MV ) Opferman," hehe sorry thanks for the Story ...

[@jontebakhjul.aka.jkstuntman]

I have. A 1997-98 tm racing 84cm 85cc. And i can't finde any thing about it

[@cosmopolie]

Is this novelty Item ever going to be available for sale? How many of the 2009 intimidators are out there? I'm willing to go into hock for the "American made" version. PS: Isnt ATK suspension or power transfer different?

[@Maicowerk]

Zabel 700 engines have been for sale for over 20 years now and you can buy a new one today from their website or a refurbished one. The Maico 685 is also for sale from Germany on Koestler's website for the past 15 years and you can also order it today. ATK on their website has the ability to order a 2014 Intimidator (which is just a Koestler 685 re-branded) today. So, the answer is it's currently for sale and it's been for sale for a long time.

[@Maicowerk]

www.atkusa.com/atk/(S(dbtcte45yztbal45jhsrxzb5))/documents/2014-ATK-700-620cc-2Stroke.pdf ATK from ATK's website you can email them.

[@Maicowerk]

Koestler bikes or just the engine. www.ktm-koestler.de/en/maico-bikes/maico-shop/maico-models-2014.html

[@Maicowerk]

Zabel motors for sale from Zabel www.zabel-racing.de/zabel-motoren No one has any excuse not to get one!

[@cosmopolie]

Opferman Motors (tobyeo) Thank you for the insight. I will look into logistic in Washington State. could you offer an opinion on choice and value to include service or parts. I'm liable to break something if it doesn't kill me. ATK said I was "on the list"

[@geraldestes2470]

thnx amigo; the 760 in the mega frame?...shoulda put it in an '74.5 aw frame with 'factory pro-tech' reworked stock sized boingers front & rear; ive always entertained the idea of fitting either an xr650 or atk / adb rotax 620 into that same frame...1) because im short 2) because the dumb shits i worked construction with didnt know / didnt care a friggin' thing first aid, which, when you got your boots on but are on the ground @ the jobsite, foot pointing backwards @ the ankle... and so 3) not only short but one leg is a bit shorter than the other - im still riding. if i ever make it back stateside, it would sure be a treat to lease , test, or just plain go for a ride on any one of the large bore maicos ya got there....probably not gonna happen, keep the faith, m there in spirit.

[@gasman5697]

would love to see the 700 in a quad frame for racing

[@gagacrazy10]

mitchell hurst 😳 yes!

[@dylanh4657]

They made/make them in Europe under a brand called "EML", Im not sure what country they are from. But they had Zabel 500 and 700 models.

[@metalkingforever420]

Good vid not shur about the dudes on the sidecar bmx bike though

[@Maicowerk]

That's the same guys who were side car racing. That's a training bike or something, but looks funny ya.

[@jeffsnider3588]

Did you say DeCoster made as in Roger DeCoster? -at point 3:33....

[@Maicowerk]

Koestler

[@Solid1991]

WSP and Wasp are not the same... 2 totally different sidecar manufacturers 😉

[@Maicowerk]

Thanks, I think that confused me back then.

[@Schallrausch]

3:35 lol made in USA

[@gtisid]

jim mcabe needs to get his head tested

[@leea5123]

Too bad they don't make these anymore

[@Maicowerk]

They do

[@leea5123]

@@Maicowerk got a link ? I didn't find anything in production

[@Maicowerk]

@@leea5123 What are you looking for, a Maico, a Zabel, a sidecar frame?

[@leea5123]

@@Maicowerk An ATK 605 engine

[@Maicowerk]

@@leea5123 ATK 605? Thats some old 4 stroke, no idea if that is still sold. If you mean ATK 620 2 stroke that was just a rebadged Maico. Search for Maico Koestler and you can get them there.

[@jukkakukkonen477]

Horrubul beast

[@jukkakukkonen477]

Pleace,dont,drive,those beasts,if, your friend ,tell you,its terrubul ..bele him.

[@sjemmiesjem]

kope! kope! kope...!!!

[@sjemmiesjem]

hebbe...

[@MitzvosGolem1]

My cR500 smokes them

[@Maicowerk]

Crack? lol

[@catdaddy3302]

Too much about sidecars.