I raced a couple of 250 KTM's back in the day, had forgotten about the kickstart being on the "wrong" side! what a massive pain in the ass that was if if there was a crash on a big hill and you had to high side/ stop crossways........ Great bikes and memories though, Stuck with KTM for a few years and the stock spec was great, White power,Accerbis etc. discs when others still had drums, plenty fast out of the crate. Thanks for the reminder of stuff I had not thought about for 30 yrs, great times racing then.👌
Maico made a Maico 760 back between 1980 to 83 and it was very low on horsepower but had massive amounts of torque! It was built for the infamouse Blackwater 100 in West Virginia. Rick Sieman may he R.I.P. was there when the Maico 760 was at Blackwater.
92.5 X 74 BORE AND STROKE . I HAD A 1983 . FIRST OPEN BIKE . I WEIGHED 135 POUNDS ! THINGS HAPPENED QUICK BUT DIDN'T STOP QUICK ! NEVER BROKE !!! ROCK SOLID OF ALL THE BIKES I HAD I WISH I COULD FIND ONE TO RESTORE
Awesome to see the bike , still running. KTM was a unique manufacturer back then compared to the Japanese offerings. However when you look at this bike , it looks like something from 1979 more than 1981 , with its design.
I had the 250 version when I was in 9th grade. Still the fastest 250 I've owned, new or old. The previous owner used to take it to Sears Point and he said it pulled 11s on the quarter mile with a slick. I believe it
Man, what a machine... Brings back great memories of them old school 70's/80's dirtbikes that I dreamt of owning as a kid... Great video bro and thanks for sharing. Bet it smells sweet too!!.... 🤘 Greetings from the UK..
God really blessed me with being Left-Footed. Back in the 80's I was the only one around that could unseize a Euro bike by left-kick lever or destroy the poor sap's left-kick lever splines. I was considered a god-foot. 😂
My first bike was an 83 xr80. Then a 91 rm80. Then a a 93 rm125. Then I got into road bikes for a few years. Next was downhill MTB. After years of not watching mx I start seeing videos and everyone is racing 4 strokes. So glad to see people keeping the 2str alive.
I came across an KTM 495 years ago, chassis sat outside for 4-5 years, motor was pulled apart due to trans issue, everything was in a plastic tote and all there. guy wouldn't part with it. I also had a can am 400 qualifier for a couple years, wish i could score one, brings back memories, so tall i had to lean it against a picnic table to kick it over, left side kicker didn't make it any easier.
I remember when those came out… DB likened them to too fuel dragsters. There was a local shop, Barry Higgins, in my area that had a KTM 495 and the Maico 490 at the same time. It was an awesome time to be alive!
For everyone saying the bike wasn’t stock is correct. But it wasn’t that modified either. I have all the specs to achieve this Mph. But basically, for gearing, front sprocket change. Rear had yz250g rear wheel to run 44 tooth. 29” tall metzer. Trans 5th gear was swapped out. Ignition adjusted for more RPM. Deck height was changed. But no porting was done. Leaned out the carb and hang on!
Xr628r 123.00 mph radar ran on stock gearing with fcr pumper carb , air box ports , ported polished and trimmed down to 221 lbs I live in Middletown ct 🤘u Remember me I’d love to let u ride this bike to truly bust the two stroke crowd in the nuts lol😆 Sick bike tho brother what a gem that thing is wow
One of those bikes was abandoned because it was difficult to get parts. I bought it in a lot of bikes. I didn't know what it, exactly, was, until recently. It is moderately, rough, in condition and needs a complete engine rebuild. That 495 looks great! Thanks for sharing!
F ing amazing machine my 510cc “left kick” KTM was was often a treat to start 🤫.. once going 👍….. was why faster than anything I ever put ass on. So sad I sold it
I have a KTM 250SX that clocks 112 mph Big bored 80 over port polished blue printed balance , stock sprockets , jetted carbs fmf fatty header , pro circuit shorty silencer ... she's a beast !
God really blessed me with being a Left-Footer. Back in the 80's I was the only one around that could unseize a Euro bike by kick-lever or destroy the poor sap's left-kick lever splines. I was considered a god-foot. 😂
My friend had a late 80's Maico someone had put a kit on it more cc's higher compression, you had to push start it with two people on the back to to get it going, thing absolutely ripped... lol
Came flying off one and knocked the crap out of myself cos I overjumped a big downhill and landed on the flat because I didn't realise how fast I was going cos it didn't rev like my maico.they were expensive and blinding quick in a straight line.
Thats crazy my friends dad had a ktm 490 he got used for like 250 back in 1997 and i always wondered why he was so stoked and braged about it. I could ride it like no problem but never got past like 3rd gear and i remember i never started it either cause i couldnt.
Little bit loaded up my ass , he's got it jetted perfect ....see any oil smoke burning pre-mix and how hot was the engine when he kicked it , what , two times and it fired off mad at the world for being born.....i want it i need it im a highway staaaar
My dad had a real coffin tank Maico only had 3 gears ,2 compression release,I wouldn't stay off it, it was a monster,he bought it off a old friend for 400. He gave it back because he thought I would kill myself on it, might have but still am bummed, back around 1979 or 80
ive had my 690 at 125mph.. but that is it! engine has so much more to go but a dirt bikes body is not made for anything over 100mph.. Dakar style body would help
Think over the years. Company's have realised. Bikes don't need that much speed to get round the track quick. But damn that thing is so nice. Always loved the old school looking dirt bikes.
My buddy had one of these when I was a kid, he offered me to ride it and, of course, I’m going to find out exactly what it does. Took off down our 2 Lane dirt road went for wide open.…. It was everything I could do to keep it between the ditches.😮
Was that timed both directions? Where? Bonneville - with accredited timing instrumentations? Here in New Zealand, back in the day riders rode their Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda ring ding dirt 500's in the road races - on road racing tyres. And won! I always wondered what top speed these powerful KX500's reached with tall gearing, and some judiciuos port filing? LOL
Lol it was fun to watch I'm one of the Stranges from Strange Rd Paeroa we still have the annual ride up Strange Rd but it not a proper race any more just a fun ride but lost the Paeroa street races the truth of the real reason it ended is starting to come out. Good to see dirt bikes still popular amongst the youth here in New Zealand. Just need more places for them to ride that's not around the streets and parks. 🇳🇿
MXA did a lot of work to gear it tall enough to do that speed. Modern bikes can't be geared high enough because the countershaft sprocket is located too close to the swing arm pivot. My 1979 KTM 400 MC5 would take from 13 tooth to 17 tooth countershaft sprockets and was a 6 speed. With the 15 tooth the top speed was in the neighborhood of 95-100mph.......I only found one desert race with a layout that that kind of speed was possible.....it was scary...
The chain is on the wrong side, along with the kickstarter. I'm actually surprised that the throttle is still on the right side and the clutch on the left. Riding bikes like this and the insane, huge displacement Maicos was like wrestling Grizzly Bears. Except the porridge was way too hot and the bed was unbelievably uncomfortable. 😉
Damn that number 916 bike sounds good! Holy shit! That thing is a monster the way it sounds. If some folks haven’t heard what a powerhouse 2 stroke sounds like, this is it👍😄 Yee-haw. That bike will hurt you, I promise.
Dnt know how I missed this ,an old bloke had one off these brand new when I was going bing bashing on my dt 50 .oh how I wanted it , It’s crazy to think you’re saying it was rare .But this bloke lived in a palace compared to my three bed house I was brought up in with my brother 3 sisters n mum n dad ,oh and granny for two year ,.
