I am LOVING your channel! Your collection is simply amazing. Mid 70's to mid 80's I used to bug the crap out of the local motorcycle dealerships. Like, every week I would show up to each one, just to be around the dirt bikes. Your collection is simply outstanding! Thank you SO much for allowing us all to live vicariously. And yes. I luckily had local dealers who sold Husqvarna's and Maico's as well as the big four.
Two really nice looking bikes . The first one your decomp lever needs moved above the handlebar as you may engage it with your knee in tight lefthand corners , also there is a split pin missing from your front brake clevis , this stops the front brake cable becoming disconnected when riding ,be warned it can happen . The second bike has a front pipe mounting missing which will not help front pipe security , could end with a DNF.
You have the best year and model right in front of you my friend. They are gorgeous. I had a 490 when I lived in Scotland back when I was young. I had a 1982 490 Alpha 1 and it was also an exceptional bike.
That is what I have been told...the 1981 490 is the one to have. They are beautiful bikes indeed. What in your eyes were different in riding the 1981 compared to the 1982? The handling?
Geraint Jones was Enduro World Champion and said the 81 was the best bike. (It's surprising how approachable he was) I remember him asking me why I stopped to help people at a particularly difficult section of course? I remembered being a noob enduro rider and how frustrating getting stuck was on what were 'clubman' events I didn't know at the time I was in first place for open class clubman (took about 9 months to get trophy as I was 45 minutes into hour and was only finisher in class so organizers didn't want to give it to me.) I had an 82 Alpha 1 with mono-shock which apparently had several issues first year but luckily mine had been built for the Le Touquet beach race in France so shock had been re-valved and I never had the problems I had read about. For a piston port motor the torque is pretty amazing. It only tried to kill me twice which wasn't bad for a modified bike I had for 8 years (dyno'd at 63 bhp)
The 1981 Maico 490 Mega 2 twin shock is the most collectible. They went to Mono shock the following year. Didn’t work out as well as the twin shock . Some frames are 400 frames as they had 400 frames left over. Check your vin either is ok. But I’d say a 490 stamped frame is even better. Thanks for posting awesome vids!
Once you have raced the Maico, Im guessing you will never want to ride the CR 480 again. I raced CR 450's and 480's back in the day. While the 480 was an improvement over the 450, it doesnt come close to the Maico's IMO. Love your bikes mate. They are AWESOME.
The 81 490 was arguably the greatest Maico to buy. I have 2 x 490 both reed valve and a 440 (1979). I race the 490s but the 440 is just a collection piece. Some vids on my channel but not much
I had one of those was sponsored when they were new then got a single shock 490 until I had a bad crash on Easter Sunday and ended in hospital for 3 months and couldn’t use my left arm for 9 months.
Just noticed at end of film on close ups second bike with more trick parts also has split pin missing from front brake clevis , super important it is in .
@@CharlieFerer Tore mine up about 10 years ago. Spent what felt like all winter sitting around my house in my underwear with a foam triangle under my arm & a sling. Lol They did a good job though. Was good as new after PT & time.
@@keithpeterson3447 yes, I have some friends that had a full thickness tear and took them a year before feeling good enough to to workouts for their prior fitness level.
Kaplan is a bigbore fanatic , I race a 92cr 500 , I've owned a 81 cr450 , 82 cr480 , 83 Husqvarna 500cr which was flippers cross country bike , and the bike that bit me in 93 is the bike I still have today the 92 cr500
Hi James! The all original 490 was done years ago and purchased it that way. The other 490 with the aftermarket goodies that is for racing was done by a friend named Brian. He built it for himself to race and went a different route for a vintage track bike so purchased it from him. I was going to race it but feel I am more comfortable on the CR 480. Brian does not do work on other people's bikes. What work do you need done on yours and I can give you some suggestions.
My bike always ran great started up good maybe 4-5 kicks I always ran race fuel but one weekend I didn’t have any so I ran pump gas and my piston ring gummed up and I lost compression so I sent my cylinder out and had it boarded out 2 over with a new piston and it ran great for 2 races then it stopped, I couldn’t get it started for anything, I dragged it around with a 4 wheeler and nothing so i started checking it out I think my moto plat ignition finally went , I’m getting spark but very weak so I’m just guessing a new ignition, I just can’t get any help with this
hi did you ride the maico i only race 5 ha 2 in the states and 3 at home in the uk .if you get chance watch alan bott mx on you tube .best regards alan
Those bikes are rockets I had a buddy had one in 1985 never forget the snap it had. Charlie try bar hanging before you do that shoulder surgery I have had incredible results in matters of couple weeks doctor told me I was looking at total replacement I have no pain and almost full movement but I warn you first week it's gonna be painful try it bother
I have nothing g to do with RU-vid ads. If you are a RU-vid subscriber it is ad free watching fyi for like $10 a month for all videos on RU-vid. If you like RU-vid I highly recommend it. No more ads.
