1978 Maico 250 MC
2003-feb 03
I bought this Maico
april 2002. (I could not find an OSSA) The plan was to have a running
bike in June for my off-road vacation with my sons.
Almost one year
later the bike is still not finished but soon I will have it running.
I have said to my
self "Never buy a non running machine" but I did anyway and of course....
lotsa troubles.
Kick starter shaft
broken, shifter shaft as well and replaced with a screw and a piece of
metal welded to it as a pedal.
Stupid me didn't
check if the engine turned around. When I opened it up it was full of water
and piston and all bearings were stuck!
Lots of oil and
a big hammer and finally everything came loose but bearing surfaces and
cylinder wall didn't look perfect.
First gear cog wheel
missing and several shims in the gearbox missing and they seem to have
run the bike like this!!
I contacted Mulders
Maico Parts in Holland and they had everything I needed. First I
got the wrong cog wheel but finally after 6 months I got everything and
now the engine is put together.
The 2 engine cases
does not seem to be matched to each other. Cylinderbase surface differed
about 0.5 mm.
A thick gasket was
fitted and hopefully it will work.
Shifter and kickstarter
shaft was welded together with Yamaha 50 parts (cheap and available). The
Yamaha kick starter was rewelded to fit the left hand kick on the Maico.
I was worried about
the Motoplat ignition but with the kickstarter mounted there was a tiny
little spark that I think will do.
2003-march-15
Finally, the engine
fired up at first try!! It sure has got a few more horses than my -69 OSSA!
The bike is almost
all put together missing left foot peg, side panels and seat.
To be continued...
2003-04-27
The bike has now
been ridden and runs really great, rear shocks maybe needs to be replaced.
Front fork has new seals and gaithers fitted. After first ride the kickstart
shaft broke because the weld was not perfect but has now been rewelded.
The Yamaha DT50 spline part and kick are weaker than original but I think
it will work as long as one keeps the splines well tightened.
Shiftershaft has
also been fitted with the shaft part from Yamaha DT50 and is as good as
new.
From the start of
this project I was worried that the bike would never run so I have kept
the spending to a minimun. But now, as it runs so great I will
continue. Primary chain is badly worn and is eating the primary side cover.
Also the cluth basket is worn so I think I will order new parts soon.
2005-march-20
For the 2003 summer
vacation (1 week of riding in the north of Sweden) the Maico ran for a
few ours before the con rod big end seized. It did not really surprise
me since it was stuck by rust when I bought it.
The next winter
I bought a new con rod from Germany. At first I tried to get one from Thomas
Wetzel. Beware if this guy. He sent me the wrong parts several times and
in the end I gave up and order from Köstler. So I ended up with an
extra conrod that I don't need.
Anyway, Åke
Johansson in Uppsala help me to change the con rod and I put the bike together
for my vacation ride 2004. I just started up the bike before the 650 km
trip. Everything worked fine. When we arrived the bike fired up but after
500m the rear wheel locked up. The gearbox would not move! My son was very
disappointed. It is his bike and now he had to ride my OSSA trial.
Back home last fall
I took the engine apart once more. 2 cogwheels kaputt!
I will try get the
bike together for this season.
MAICO PART SUPPLIERS:
*
Mulders Maico Parts,
Holland (Guus&Gerry)
muldersmaicoparts@planet.nl
*
Zweirad Köstler,
Germany (A. Köstler)
http://www.koestler-bikeworld.de
*
Wulfsport, England
(Bill Brown)
http://www.maicomx.com
Mats
Nyberg, Stockholm, Sweden