The Maico Breako Myth

I break down the myth of "Maico Breako" from equal footing, which in the end seems unfounded propaganda.
Video picture is of a new CRF Engine and not a Maico :)
All pictures and videos are used under the "Fair Use Act".
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Special Note: To those who have read "Super Hunky's What Killed Maico 1 and 2" the reason I have not put any information in about those is because the "Maico Breako" is not related to those incidents. It appeared in the 70s way before that ever happened. Secondly, most bikes did not have a problem and there are different accounts of the 83 issues. The shock is also a known issue with 82, the rising rate, however many Japanese bikes do have 1-off year issues and infact, some have many many year issues year after year on the bikes. So it still doesn't constitute saying "Maico Breako".
There's a lot of 82s and 83s still around and in great condition. Plus models following those years are all quite reliable and without any major issues.

[@mowman7777]

Don't see how the Yamaha RD350 was one of the worse bikes, it's always been my favorite.

[@Maicowerk]

Here's the text from that article: 6.) Yamaha RD350 - While not necessarily a “bad bike” as far as its looks or equipment goes, this machine was so light in the front end for the amount of power it had going to the back wheel that it caused countless young men and women to pop their first wheelies - usually coming as a complete surprise to the rider and the RD350 itself, as the riders (and any unlucky passengers) would quickly be thrown off the eager bike and land ass-down on the pavement.

[@artmchugh5644]

Opferman Motors Dirtbiking that's my 83 rd350 in a nutshell !😄😄😄 flipped over right in front of my house😄

[@Antipodean33]

yeah i agree, rode a few RD350's and they were unbeatable on our road racing through the hills

[@RDEnduro]

What how are they going to have the rd350 and the h2 on there! I think my Mom wrote that list.

[@deborahchesser7375]

The RD was kick ass, no 2 ways about it

[@larryfry1310]

I bought a new square-barrel Maico 400 in December of 1970. I motocrossed it for two years. It went through shifter cams like candy, and a dealer who didn't know what he was doing bored the cylinder out-of-square and I could not keep pistons and rings in it for the last year. Interestingly enough, I sold it and bought a new 1973 TM-400. It was dead reliable, but a terrible handling MX'er. Should have kept the Maico.... At 10:00, throw that screwdriver away, my man!

[@theDugonator]

Wait. Wait... Kx420?! Kx is Kawasaki. Kawasaki's are green. It's a 420 engine. A green 420? See where I'm going with this?

[@kevinstearns4198]

i had one

[@miez7893]

LoL no one got it after 4 years😂

[@petergriffin4629]

So here is my story to share. My dad was race mechanic and engineer for a two time German 500 champ named Werner Siegle. I asked both of them about this issue and their comment was the following. Werner was Maico works rider for Germany 1981, 1982 and 1983 riding first twinshock and then monoshock 490s. They both were physically present when maico closed and the companies property was auctioned off. They said that the maico 490 wasn't reliable at all, for one part the lack of a membrane made it very hard to tune, but especially the three shaft gearbox was a major problem. They had three engined in rotation, so that they could swap motors at the track. They disassembled each used engine after races or training. At the GPs with the 40min motos they would swap engines between races. So as far as they are concerned this is definitely true. Werner then went on to be KTM works rider, where just for the curious out there, the engines didn't break as much, but had totally useless power delivery. And the indoor tuner at KTM for the works machines didn't make things better.

[@zuzupetals1999]

I used to call my 250 Magnum "Maico Breako" because every time I let someone ride, they got hurt. Broken collarbones, fingers and an arm. That bike ran forever and I never got hurt, but it love to put the hurt on everyone else.

[@Maicowerk]

+zuzupetals1999 Haha!

[@pres68y]

That's a new one I had not read before! :-)

[@evanjohnson5480]

The tm 400 seems to hit every list. The cannondale also.

[@Silverhand290]

Let's face it, if you ride off road you are going to break things, especially if you don't keep on top of maintenance. Back when I did a lot of dirt biking a friend had a Maico. he loved it and the only issue was that it was a pain to start when it was hot but I think you have explained that. I wish we had known back then to change the carb to a Mikuni. Great vids mate, keep it up.

[@kennethrogers3687]

I love watching four strokes blowing up. What's up with maico exploding break hubs? That's what I read about. Never heard of such a thing and you didn't mention it. I seen a mint 490 going down the highway in the back of the truck. Couldn't believe my eyes. Mint. Haven't seen one in so many years. I miss the 80s. Things suck today. Even the bikes are becoming way to complex. I enjoyed working on my huskys. They are taking that away. I.e. fuel injection and computers. Thumbs up buddy.

[@kennethrogers3687]

I have only ridden one brand new dirt bike in my life. It was a mstar. The dealer was so cool to let me ride it. I felt like a king. What a nice dealer to do that for a kid. Wish I could thank him. It meant alot. What a thrill.

[@tomwilliams4885]

It's just a rhyme that jealous Bultaco riders used to say while they pushed their bikes back to the pits.

[@richsmith8035]

I think (it's been a while) my Montesa had a Bing, with that little thingy you had to 'tickle' until the carb vent hose drooled fuel. Out of the twenty four or so (could be more, I'm old) bikes I've owned, I've never ridden a Maico, yet I consider myself a big fan of the brand. It's on my 'bucket list' to at least ride one. Also love the mid to late seventies KTM/Pentons. GOD those were beautiful bikes. My club (well, not REALLY mine) is having an event at 212 Land, a mere forty miles east of me. That's the closest track since they stopped racing at Barona, so I simply MUST attend. My last bike was a CRF450, and although I love riding, the 'new' bikes just don't 'do it' for me any more. I love the old school bikes. Well, take it easy and have a good one:)

[@Avongax]

All those "worst bikes" are in no way compairable to a maico.

[@MichaelForrestChnl]

from ultimatemotorcycling.com/2011/01/18/1973-maico-400/: “the primary chains wore out quickly and frequently failed due to excessive wear and were the root cause of a lot of DNFs (as well as a lot of expense, as the thrown chain often ruptured the engine case). Primary chains weren’t the only problem. Maico motorcycles had a tendency to vibrate themselves apart. A rider had to be vigilant with the wrenches to ensure everything was staying tight. The number of nuts and bolts that vibrated loose and bounced off, never to be found again, was incalculable. There were also electrical issues. Motocross bikes back then used points to create spark. The cam worked off the crank and would invariably wear down rather rapidly, the point gap (as it was known) would gradually shrink until the opposing points would get welded together. Another DNF. Another common disaster was when a chain was thrown it often shattered the magneto case cover (yet another expensive motorcycle part). Naturally, as a result of all this, the humor-minded nature of motocrossers dubbed the German bikes, "Maico-Breako." The Bing carburetors occasionally drew small pieces of dirt from the less then perfect airbox, which had a tendency to cause the slide to stick-usually at full throttle. At that point the kill switch was often overridden by the heightened electrical pulse created by the high RPM and all you could do was step off the thing.

[@Maicowerk]

As pointed out, a lot of it could be avoided by routine maintaince. Also, all manufacturers have had issues with bikes being unreliable and breaking yet have not gotten any reputation for it and people are more than happy to make excuses for them. Maicos over time became even more reliable and modern. However, look at how often honda crfs blow up in the modern age! Back in the 70s, there were even more unreliable bikes than Maico even! Again, its not a deserved nickname given other manufacturers in simmilar boats.

[@markbaleri8981]

I think Maico's are great. I'd get 6mo old to a year old bikes from Scott Davis (dist. 36 #1 plate)as he was a factory sponsered rider & would get "crate bikes" I often assembled at a Porsche repair shop he co owned. Since I worked there, I got screaming deals for my friends as well (mine were about free). Yah, primary chains got changed every 2 -3 races, I think twice he damaged a trans gear , but he also full throttle shifted w/no clutch on open class bikes! He raced X country, so these were 2 maybe 3 stops for refueling, so bikes were used HARD. NOTHING ever broke so he couldn't finish, one time bike stopped about 100 yards from finish, he kicked it a couple times, then pushed it across to finish 1st! The best one I got was a 440 magnum he'd ridden hard for weeks ( @ ISDE qualifiers Maico asked him to attend ) back east. Even though un-crated & assembled just before he left, it came back with narrowed(by hacksaw after 1st day) bars, "narrow f'n trees" tight woods riding took its tole on plastic, but it never let him down. The only mod we had time for was the slide mod (enlarging cutout a little) & smaller pilot for better throttle response, otherwise stock! I got it soon after his return, replacing plastic & putting some Renthals on it served me a couple years of 2 maybe three times a year of Baja Mexico, riding 1000s of miles each trip, + all the riding done @ home. All this and I replaced ring once only, you gotta love those Mahle pistons! Sold it as Husky dealer gave me a crate 430 XC @ cost to X-country in dealers name. The only thing I liked about that bike was 6speed, and the brand new mt. bike & training video Husky sent me! I thought 6 speed would be a Baja +, but it needed Maico power to carry 6th in sand! Loved 440, have had many bikes since, but I remember it as if not the best, very close as power, lightness & reliability unmatched. Maico Breako, not out of this lifetime riders mouth!!

[@salisburyplain998]

your Maico is bomb proof compared to my Freeride ,I spend more time on maintenance than riding the dam thing.

[@stevetag6572]

I was there. We called them Maico Breako not due to unreliability. The real reason: kick starting this bike could break your leg. Believe it.

[@richsmith8035]

I ALMOST got a Maico AW in Dec '76, but settled on an RM 250B. Still regret not getting the Maico. I always heard 'Maico breako', but my understanding was that they simply did things a little different, and took a bit more work/maintenance, which was fine. But the Suzuki dealership cheated by running those videos of people riding their brand, with a bit of De Coster thrown in. Maico was probably more dependable than my 250VR in '75:)

[@Maicowerk]

+rich smith Haha, cool. The 70s Maicos were pretty finicky, the main issue with them is the kick start mechanism and the other was no choke on the bing carb. They dropped that design after 1982 and moved to more modern design.

[@whalesong999]

It seems like flip negative phrases have been around for lots of things. Ford: Fix Or Repair Daily an example. BSA: Bastard Stopped Again. About the same time as the TM 400s were confusing and tossing off riders, there was also the Kawasaki F-5 350cc "Bighorn" dual purpose/enduro type. While it's durability was decent, it was the clunkiest, most uncomfortable of the type around. I serviced many of them along with Suzukis of the period which were much more refined feeling.

[@wdw3007]

The term Maico Breako came from early four speed transmissions. They were hard to get shimmed right and even then a rider could screw one up by short shifting under power. Beyond that there was no issues, brakes would need cleaning weekly, and if they got wet, well, just don't slow down... Think they got rid of the points in 78, but if your points were dirty or pitted of off timing the bing seemed bad, but really the bings worked fine. Tested a Lectron once and it was okay, but the bing was really better. Frames would work harden, but so would all dirt bikes. Plus idiots would not keep their motor mounts tight and then the holes would hog out. All maintenance stuff. Would kill to ride one again. Even better build the same design with some of the modern advantages in manufacturing today. People have no idea what kind of magic dirt bikes have.

[@MrTolemo]

Yes the 490 has been called the greatest mx bike of all time but Maico had some serious issues with other models. I had a 440AW with a destroyed magnesium rear hub which if not a common problem, was a well known problem. The problem of the wrongly designed first monoshock Maico destroying shocks put the company in bankruptcy..From Super Hunky:..." But when the average rider/racer out there bought the bike, the fan started getting pelted with dung. Shocks broke on almost every 1982 bike sold. In 1983, transmissions started shredding gears like popcorn, and even bizarre things like rear hubs exploded."....That said, a twin shock Maico in good shape will bring a very good price on the market now.

[@Maicowerk]

+MrTolemo Ya, I have an article from 1984 that talks about the transmission fixes that were done.

[@Maicowerk]

+MrTolemo I believe I put it in the video on transmissions

[@mrpantur7280]

My dad got a brand new maico enduro and he said it never started or ran properly and things kept going wrong with it. Why's that ???

[@Maicowerk]

Maicos weren't turn key bikes. You basically got the same bike as the factory racers but it meant you needed to set and tune the bike, etc. You had to know everything you needed to do to get the bike going great. This did change over time, by 1983 the bikes were pretty much turn key by then. All of my Maicos from 83 and up never have any issues. It's the 82 and prior that are finicky and you really need to keep up on maintenance and know what to do to keep them going.

[@mrpantur7280]

@@Maicowerk to much maintenance basically ahah also as your replayed and i got your attention. 1st Thanks for replying ahah and 2nd I love your bikes and your vids keep up the good work.... i hope one day you take apart the 700 engine aha Thanks:).

[@gogochico2112]

I think people say that just because it rhymes...

[@Peter-V_00]

People say it because they're stupid, just like all the urban legends of TM400 injuries, if those bikes were half as dangerous as claimed the government would have stepped in.......................just like the 3 wheelers.

[@BIGTAZ351]

Piaggio = Pee ah Gee O. Moto-Guzzi = Moto- Goot See. You mispronounced them to the point of loosing cred. Now with that said, I would love a custom quad frame w/700 Maico running a Direct/and Throttle body dual stage EFI... the throttle response would be killer!

[@RickRezac-kj3sd]

Had an AW250, best bike I ever owned, never a DNF!

[@wesfrazier5822]

who don't like a two stroke 350cc street bike? musta fell off it, they were a blast!

[@shoominati23]

I would prefer to have one of the last (up to '03) KX500s , with the powervalve over the CR anyday. Infact a KX500AF is an awesome bike .. I just dont know why they dont make a 350cc 2 stroke nowadays for the open class? it would suit a hell of lot more peoples weight ranges and be good in enduros

[@Maicowerk]

The thing about Kawasaki was a few things. The first was that, at least where I grew up, they had a bad rap at least in the larger displacements. The other issue was that honestly, they aren't attractive looking bikes at all. They're down right ugly. Compare the KX to an 80s CR500 (the CR got ugly in the 90s IMHO), the CR looks a lot nicer and Honda had the best reputation. However, I've ridden the CR 500s and some of the last years KX 500s. As a woods bike, the KX 500 beats the CR 500 hands down. The bike is much more tractable than the CR 500. It seems like an overall quicker bike as well on top, the CR seemed to have less on top.

[@golfscotland]

Tiny screwdriver on the clutch screw. haha It works though.

[@caveman4570490]

I guess you guys were not around in the 60s , that is were Maico breako came from mainly the clutch was horrible .

[@brandonquenneville7330]

Aw shop is mint! Pls show u your tools! Or me at least! I want to learn from guys like you! This guy knows All! Guarantee

[@chuynunez8617]

1978 maico , how much would it sell for?

[@Maicowerk]

+Chuy Nunez Depends on the condition. they can go for 4k restored.

[@ScottRidesHonda]

So far the stupidest bikes that i'd say could get that kind of title are all Chinese.

[@Maicowerk]

+ScottRidesHonda Ya, Chinese bikes fall apart if you look at them wrong.

[@spymaine89]

human ego hear a slogan , aren't I clever , i can parrot.

[@SKUNKPROOF]

ps had a 77 250,78'400,80'450 all wonderful machines.

[@Suzuk1r1der]

Im not brand loyal i now want a Maico

[@Maicowerk]

KD Mxer (Robert Gregory) Let's see who to believe. Random idiot on the internet talking bullshit (you) OR someone who actually rode and raced Maicos back in the day and is one of the greatest legends in Australian Enduro (who last won the 2009 Enduro). Geoff Ballard. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4W6lIWXmtFrq5o In his own words "They were a reliable bike you just had to know what to keep on top of".

[@kevinstearns4198]

Opferman Motors Dirtbiking germans are awesome machinists and mechanics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wish they would make a 2 stroke

[@flynbrian529]

i think people just like the ryming sound of it everyone tryed to copy maicos motors ,very fast

[@fastandthefuriouslover3826]

What about husqvarna? ?

[@larrypestes2205]

Well here is the real deal. You sound very young. I was there in the late '60s and early '70s when the desert race courses were just littered with broken Maicos. It was rare that one finished. the only reason that people bought them is because they handled so well. So instead of having a fantasy favorite and getting the support for your wishful idea from Google, listen to the old timers. We saw them breaking by the dozen in real life.

[@Maicowerk]

Most bikes of the 60s and early 70s were breaking. I own 15 more modern Maicos and they are as reliable if not more than any other bike.

[@kevinstearns4198]

i have an 87 kx 250 best fukin one yet and ive had a lot of them.

[@gabrielhartung8801]

All dirt bikes break. Every Brando breako.

[@josephfiorenzo1268]

Lighten up Francis dont take it personal people have a habit of jumping on the band wagon. Its probably mostly our of jealousy. Maicos are awesome bikes.

[@eddiecaplan1908]

Yep! Boss hoss haha!!, you might as well get a hat with ^i have no penis!^😀

[@shoominati23]

Nice Maygo's ;)

[@VegasKJV]

The new 450s are time bombs. And a fortune to rebuild.

[@Maicowerk]

+VegasKJV Ya, and people don't seem to care?

[@mikelyons7511]

Some of the finest bikes ever made. Mako's will smoke any Jewish bike that lines up next to them.😯

[@chayes954r]

Excelent video. I'll tell you my story. I was working in drilling and blasting back in 1987. At this particular job site I saw a 1981 490 mega 2 in many pieces in the weeds behind a barn. I found the owner and I bought the bike for $150. found an ex Maico dealer called "Bellstone cycles" in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He was great. He had most of the parts I needed, the rest he was able to order for me. The bike was mostly in great condition, but the crank was toast. The owner of Bellstone completely rebuilt the crank for me. I rebuilt the rest of the bike myself in my garage. I completely restored this bike. New top end, clutch, every nut and bolt was removed and replated, new decals, factory seat cover, and a fresh coat of factory red Maico paint. When I was done I was astounded at how beautiful this bike was. It looked and ran like a brand new bike. It got top ten bike of the year in I believe "Cycle World" Magazine that year and I had this beast sitting in my garage. I rode it only once, because i didnt want to damage all my hard work. I wanted to keep my 490 in pristine condition. But that one ride was awesome! That bike was amazing. The power was so smooth and usable. Not crazy and uncontrollable like my 84 Honda CR500R. At that time I didn't realize just how legendary and collectible this bike would become. I was young, times got tough and I needed money. I sold it for I believe $1200 that same year in 1987 to a kid that tragically got killed in a car accident 2 weeks after I sold him the bike. I heard a rumor that his father still has the bike, kept it in his sons memory, all these years later, but it's not confirmed. I was stupid. I let this magnificent machine slip through my fingers. To me, and many other dirt bike fanatics, it truly is the greatest motocross bike of all time. I've had more than 40 bikes in my time, and that's the one bike that I wish I still had in my possession. It was, in my opinion, one of most iconic dirt bikes of all time. A beautiful example of German engineering and beauty at its finest, from a company with such rich history in off road competition. The demise of Maico, and all the notoriety of this small German motorcycle manufacturer in the final years of the original founders, was disheartening to say the least. Maico's were, and always will be, some of the greatest bikes in off road history. Period.

[@RDEnduro]

Hey man, it's not your fault. Bike therapy haha

[@roncanzler7726]

Also consider the other Maico slogan "If you can't win on a Maico, you can't win".

[@Maicowerk]

+Ron Canzler Ya, they are very easy to ride bikes

[@eyalcr500]

Mr. Opferman, i don't believe a word of what they said about it, i WISH i could own a 700 Maico ...! and i hope you'll keep on making those machines

[@johnJones-tf4nq]

The 490 was a monster

[@Antipodean33]

The 750 kwaka 2 stroke was really quick but handled like a shopping trolly

[@deborahchesser7375]

Antipodean33 way more motor than chassis and on skinny moped tires.

[@deborahchesser7375]

I like a lot of these so called worst bikes LOL

[@thomasburns2557]

Good in a strait line. Maybe that’s all.

[@Half.Throttle.adventures.]

It's just a good nickname I can think of 10 names for Ktm. Don't name your brand with anything bad that can rhyme with it . But I see keep the money bike everywhere

[@JETZcorp]

That first list is some bullshit. The RD350 was a fantastic motorcycle, with best in class power, handling, and brakes. And this is coming from a guy who owns it's competitor, the Kawasaki S3. The also list the Kawasaki 750 triple, which is said now to be wobbly and have terrible brakes, but in 1973 had the shortest braking distance, fastest road course lap time, quickest quarter mile time, and lowest price, against the six highest-performing street bikes made.

[@Maicowerk]

Haha, well, you'll have to complain to xmotorcycle.com!

[@ravanderveur]

JETZcorp I agree I cant imagine how the RD 350 made the list.......... most of the others absolutely.

[@josephwinkler4863]

I rode motocross from 1975 to 1988 I drooled over the Maico I could never afford one I rode Yamaha YZs

[@deborahchesser7375]

Joseph Winkler nothing wrong with that, Yamaha makes damn good bikes.

[@josephwinkler4863]

I always liked Yamaha back in those days the only bike I ever had problems with were the Suzuki RM’s fouling plugs

[@fernandobiondi1256]

Google "What killed Maico" to get an idea where does the Maico-Breako term comes from

[@Maicowerk]

The term was around before the family feud.

[@63turbo]

I think "Maico Breako" came only from it rhyming... not from any actual real "reliability" problems endemic to Maicos, as that expression had been around a really long time! I heard it sometime in the early 70's, when most bikes had problems compared Maico's… The Yamaha SC500 Scrambler had a nasty problem with eating pistons quickly, Sach's seemed to have as many neutrals as gears, anything with a down pipe got dents in it shortly, some had flexy frames and swing arms, my XR75 broke it's frame a few times, My Suzuki RM100 broke the lugs off of the rear hub where the rear sprocket mounts to, broke the center case at the frame mount... ect. Bultaco's seemed to have fragile transmission's it goes on and on with bikes of that era.

[@chriscatarcio2983]

Kinda like the VEGAS. I had both. Good luck with mine MAICO and Vega. It's all group think.

[@mrbillmacneill]

Hey man How is it going? we both know they were very reliable for RACE bikes. the myth got its legs at the time of the companies demise. up to that point Maicos were the way a privateer raced against the factory Japanese mx bikes .Maicos had to be maintained. the 490 shook . you tightened bolts . if you didnt bad things happened. I know from personal experience on a Maico 490 which I think I mentioned to you.suffice to say I wish I had given those carb bolts a bit of a tighten last time I went out on it..... as for the list of crap bikes ... pretty weird in my opinion.funny...not one british bike say a BSA 441 victor [ I have one word to say about british bikes...LUCAS] or Harley Davidson surely the amf years would be represented?] - the bikes I noticed getting richly deserved bad press were the suzuki 400 and the yamaha 500sc. the Yamaha didnt like running very much which was probably a good thing. the Suzuki did run and consequently was a source of great hilarity for the experienced dirtbikers at the gravel pit. inevitably a Suzuki 400 was bought by a complete neophyte who had not a clue as to what he had just bought for so cheap -and nearly new !! -and then spend an entire afternoon either stalling it or rocketing off at very high speed utterly out of control. predictably it would all end in tears... a power band - so narrow as to be unridable by anyone insured a quick sale to the next fool as for rd and kawasaki triples? -at westwood in the production class the fastest bikes were all japanese and went something like this in line of battle so to speak: the fastest and critically with brakes that faded less than the other big bikes was the Kawasaki 900. they were followed very closely by a pack of 750 triple Kawasakis [h1 and h2 ] , the 500 Kawasakis running with the Honda 750's roughly and a swarm of rd 350 snapping at their heels. and last but by no means least Phil Funnel on his BMW twin. phil was gaining in the end as his bmw wasnt having near as much brake fade as the others....to bad it wasnt a 24 hour race. this particular day I seem to recall saw Steve Baker set a lap record on a 700-750 yamaha. cant remember. now that was a flexy flyer for sure and it set the out right lap record at that time. the guy I bought my maico 490 off was a very serious pro racer who competed all over the west coast his competition was not joe blow out on his honda mx bike for the weekend . it was factory riders on factory bikes from all the Japanese manufacturers left and right of him. these are all 'front row bikes' they got there because they dont break.and they are very fast, to paraphrase ron canzlers comment if you cant win on one of these bikes...its not the bike. and Maicos were right there back in the day. small budget privateer bikes that would win. if your good enough.

[@markr5132]

I have to disagree, Maico Breako was a slogan I would hear back as far as 1976, their trannies were not as strong as many bikes of the area. In fact this was probably more apparent, as they were commonly compared to their closest rival CZ. CZ's engines and trannies are thought by many in the vintage racing world to be the most durable any vintage bike, however they have a really long travel throw to shift which is cumbersome. From that era, I'll take a 1974 models 120/121, I.E. 197LB Bultaco Pursang 250 model 120 or 204 pound 360 Pursang model 121 for relatively tight tracks Bultaco's are also very reliable and didn't/don't deserve the reputation they had/have for being not durable or reliable.

[@mrbillmacneill]

@@markr5132 CZ are reliable for sure but were not competitive in our neck of the woods.. A friend had the CZ 400 which was quite fast but was primitive and to be honest it was difficult to start ( points...I hate em) -the durability of them and their fellow Czech bike Jawa is legendary and the ease of working on is also a strong point hence their popularity in vintage racing. it was not the most difficult big bore to start that honour goes to a 450 Ducati mx bike.... desmo no less. motocrossactionmag.com/classic-motocross-iron-1971-ducati-450-rt-desmo/ This bike was very hard to start. I never started it scared me after seeing what happened to the other guys but I did ride it for a bit. note the exhaust pipe. it had the throaty roar of a single unimpeded by any form of silencer... the torque was considerable and started right off the bottom. it easily plucked the spokes from the magnesium rims so stainless steel was the replacement making it even heavier and harder to turn...but it made a nice noise. in my opinion the Spanish bikes suffered from parts availability and they were not cheap on the west coast . I recall a Mick Andrews Ossa 250 out at the pit that was very cool. it was a full on trials bike back in the day.

[@zoranbilbiloski652]

Men you are so totally right!!!Love the video so much,breaking down the myth!!!

[@Maicowerk]

Thanks, good to know you enjoyed watching it!

[@Kevin_747]

I loved my 1974 Maico 250. I never broke it hard. Repaired crash damage and one piston overbore and brake maintenance. Normal moto cross stuff. I won on my Maico and it was the best handling motorcycle I ever raced. All my mx stuff was sold when I enlisted in the Navy in 1975. Great times.

[@shoominati23]

I dont know who wrote that list you read out at 2:00 , but thats BS 90% . Those yamaha and kawasaki models are well sought afterhave many dedicated riding clubs and are known to be solid bikes. don't know who wrote it, but I think they were on a heavy dose of Spite that night, for whatever reason...

[@Maicowerk]

xmotorcycle dot com, doesn't look like that website it up anymore.

[@VegasKJV]

I thrashed my 81 490 daily and had zero problems. And it was four years old to begin with.

[@Maicowerk]

+VegasKJV Ya, they last forever these bikes. Most of the big bores I have gotten were still on original bore 20-30 years later.

[@VegasKJV]

Mine was an ex-Wheelsmith bike ridden by their own Tom Whitfield. So it already had some serious hard time on it.

[@ravanderveur]

Anyone who rides a Maico is over compensating for a shortcoming elsewhere, But I love your Video!!!!! Maico Breako made of tin ride it out and push it in....... -The YZ Kid 3w PS. just kidding they are fine.

[@hankschrader149]

Penton mud lark! 😂

[@husabutt]

Great job dispelling the Maico Breako myth !

[@Maicowerk]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@joegreene777]

I would love to own a Maico.

[@thomasbraun5602]

With 16 years i bought my First maico 250 Mc! That was in 1981, later in 1986 i bought my Second maico a 250 gs than called gmstar. I had a good Dealer in Heilbronn Jürgen Zimmermann. He told me how to take care about the bike and i had never any Problems with the bikes...only a lot of Racing and fun. In my case nothing broke because i Check the bike before and after every Ride like my Dealer told me. A good Service after and before Racing was the key to have good Racing day on a maico...these days i Ride ktm but only because there are no modern maicos availiable...and ktm is the last European Brand with good Progress. In the Eigthties we sayed Keine Tausend Meter to translate KTM (not even thousand miles) to these bikes from Austria.

[@wade8443]

The only thing I remember about a Maico breaking was motor mount bolts on the 501 but the Hunk wrote a detailed article on the prevention of that phenomenon. Of course me being from Northern California I saw Danny Chandler ride 250 Maicos into the ground while lapping most of the field. Dan got his Honda ride off a Maico, Ake got his Yamaha ride off a Maico , Darrel Schultz got his Suzuki ride off a Maico. Steve Stackable could have gotten a ride off a Maico , 'till he discovered the Playboy mansion.

[@thomasburns2557]

I used to drive a Maico 125. Handled like a dream. Gear box was a problem. They used a sliding key to get gears engaged. Would occasionally break a key and take you out of a race. Key easy to replace. But would sideline you. The engine and gear box were initially designed for a road racer.

[@davidlloyd5161]

great film. well done on standing up for the brand. please remember that dirt bikes were made to race and not to last for ever. they should never have broken straight away but years down the road is another thing. I specialise in Husabergs and we have a similar issue but not for fragging - just stopping. It's all about the R & D. a small company can create the first time test and make something better but a vehicle's longetivity is very difficult to get right as in those days it was down to guys thrashing the tits off them to see what might break and doesn't necassarily give you the 4 seasons and all the temperatures, all the types of owners and all the scenarios. that is why, in the long run, small factories go to the wall first.

[@josephwinkler4863]

All performance engines come apart or wear out faster because of higher compression and close tolerances

[@apx5777]

I agree its down to lack of maintenance (on any bike) at the correct intervals. At least with two strokes there are no valves to hit the piston, and if you check and replace rings, pistons, bearings when the workshop manual says then they can be very reliable. I have had trouble with starting my1987 KX500 but that was my lack of experience, oh and the air jet screw loosening itself. It seams to be a constant battle checking bolts are torqued up, but that's probably my fault as well.

[@Maicowerk]

Ya, the older Maicos just had different special care that was needed mainly on the three parts I listed which if you're not used to them can be a problem!

[@Kamwi_003]

Great video. Any idea where I can get a list of common preventative maintenance to do on my 83 490 SS? I'm not a dirt bike guy so assume I know nothing. (Spend my time on boats and trucks. I can rebuild Chevy and Ford engines all day)

[@Maicowerk]

The 83 is pretty solid and has nothing Maico-Specific that needs to be done, i.e., there's no primary chain and even the bing has a choke. So just a standard list that applies to any dirt bike would do fine, for example www.onallcylinders.com/2012/05/09/12-routine-maintenance-tips-for-dirt-bikes/ The main thing is make sure your fluids are good, chain's good, things are greased and oiled (like the chain) and no bolts are loose.

[@SKUNKPROOF]

I believe stupid ppl just said it so much everyone believed it it's the rhyme thing.

[@jeffx-xr7qd]

they were so good , they went bankrupt

[@Maicowerk]

Due to sabotage from an internal takeover. They sold more 1981 Maico 490s than honda did in their ENTIRE motorcycle line. So you're an idiot.

[@jamespolucha6911]

Don’t forget ( Maico your either racing one or chasing one )

[@robertfeddeler5508]

What about CZeasy! I had a 69 CZ360 that I bought from the original owner in 71. I rode it on the original piston chain of course sprockets until I sold it in 84. I always started and ran good and only had the throttle stick open one time while I was sitting side saddle and the front wheel up in the air. lol

[@Maicowerk]

Good bikes

[@Longshoremansf]

I understood that thay called it that because thay would brake your leg/ankle lol thair for mako brake o your leg my grandfather worked in a motorcycle store for 20 years Honda two guys broke thair ankles in the same night with the new mako in the 80s

[@Maicowerk]

+daniel quevedo Haha!

[@Augis3de]

Kawiekaplowie and Just KT was savage AF

[@richsmith8035]

I noticed the KX420 was absent.

[@danielbargas3377]

Take note all liquid cooled 4 strokes are crap especially Kawasaki

[@Maicowerk]

+Daniel Bargas Haha!

[@danielbargas3377]

+Opferman Motors Dirtbiking seriously my kx was the biggest piece of shit ever

[@mackiehughes7982]

forgot about suzuki yesss

[@jezatkinson7243]

The Maico breako myth is pretty much centred on the first monoshoks. The Twin shock Maicos are fine. Do the research before posting

[@Maicowerk]

You should do the research before posting. The Maico Breako myth started in the 1970s, WAY before the sabotage happened in 82/83. Secondly, even modern bikes have a year or two where components easily break and are known to break yet they do not get a name-stigma to last decades and infact, they don't get any flack at all. In fact, CURRENT YEAR YZF450s frames are breaking as per this article: motocrossactionmag.com/more-stuff/ask-mxperts/ask-the-mxperts-are-yamaha-yz450f-frames-breaking So, what were you saying about doing research?

[@jezatkinson7243]

Yeah but it was pretty much a myth till the first monoshocks. Then we got unhardened componants and rear suspension that broke.

[@leovasquez5501]

Kawikaplowi! Lmao!!

[@nick39691]

kawasucky

[@magriff500]

I owned a Maico 490 Spider 20 years ago. It ran when I bought it, but the original pipe was long gone and someone had jammed a pipe from a KTM on it. I was able to track down a guy in California who used to hand fabricated pipes for Maico race teams. He was nice enough to fab one for me for a nice price of course. The bike was very fast, braking left you guessing and handling the bike flexed more than Arnold Schwarzenegger. Reliability was very predictable. You could always predict it was going to break and you'd be pushing it out of the woods. I stalled it one day while riding a tight trail. A couple kicks of the starter and boom! A huge backfire that sounded like an explosion and I saw something flying from the side through the trees. Somehow it shot the stator through the side cover and it all ended up about 30 feet away. All the threads and mounts that held the stator in place were gone. After that so was the Maico. I can see how people like these bikes. Sometimes the crazier things are the more fun they are. To me that's what made it great. I liked mine, I just couldn't do much with it after. I can also see how they got the reputation, because mine literally did break every time I took it out for a day of riding.

[@FixItStupid]

oh THE 490 SO Good .... Thank You Maico