MAICO Pictures 1981

1981 MAICO 490 & 250. Technical specifications at the bottom of page

Since MAICO had the best machinery in 1980, their task to build the best open classer for the 1981 season was pretty simple. Flatten out the seating area, bore it out to a full sized 490 and fix the spokes. The 490 was by far the best in it's time and is still considered the best open class bike ever.

Note the redesigned side panels, the -81 also had the Corte Cosso rear shocks but most riders equipped their irons with Ohlin piggybacks or FOX air-shocks. The other obvious change is that the front of the seat is raised sacrificing the lower seat height for greater ergonomics.

The rough casting on the engine, forward mounted rear shocks and bulky fork made the 490 look mean. Even though the breaks looks fragile they provided good stopping power compared to most bikes. The swingarm was streched compared to the 1980 model

The 250cc model was identical except the cylinder, head, piston and the gears. It had the same balance and remarkable suspension but lacked a few horsepowers compared to the fastest japanese bikes. It was still a competitive package with smooth tractable power and maicos famous slick shifting. Note that from 1981 the 250cc model got a reed intake valve. One popular fix was to use the Honda CR250 intake. It was shorter and offered a better response.