Bench
racing
racing
| Don't let a good story die the slow death of silence. |
| Don Mathews' MaZee 1981Maico Rollback Chassis with Gullwing double pinch tripple trees and a Reed Valved CenterPort CZ engine |
| Okay, we've all all heard of the "Legendary Maico Handling". For years I would say to myself. How could any bike be "that much better" than the rest. Last year I posted in a chat room for Motocross, that I had never raced a Maico after all these, 52 years stalking the earth. |
| Then a bike builder from Oregon named (CZ Don) Mathews, says He's going to Washougal for the big Hammer & Tongs,USVMX, Vintage Motocross on the famous Pro MX track near Washougal Washington. He graciously offered to sponsor me, on his Hybrid Mai-Zee. Arrangments were made and we hooked up at the race. I was racing Evo 250 Intermediate class. This is where I learned about Hondas and "The Maico Thing". Hondas are faster into the corners but Maicos are faster out of the corners. I never understood what the BIG DEAL was with a Maico until, that day, June 21st 2009. Riding the Mai-Zee, a Reed valved, center port, hopped up CZ 250 engine, in a beautifully prepaired and set up 1981 Maico Chassis. The track was bermy in places. I really didn't get to practice on the bike before my race. Starts are a challenge for me , so I was coming up through the pack, in Evo 250 class trying to pass as many as I could. I drop in behind this guy on a Honda 250 He is hooking on to berms right and left, usually the center or second berm. I decide the only way I'm going to pass him, is to go for that really scarry FIRST BERM!!! So we come into a sharp right hand turn, he is 4-5 bike lenths in front of me, I see 4 options. 1. Outside coushony loam. 2. a 3rd berm 3. follow him around 2nd berm. 4. Go under him, trying not to shut the door too hard by maintaning enough corner speed as to pass him, without interfering with his corner speed. I pick #4. As I enter the corner I keep what I feel is enough speed up to, pivot, hit First berm and clear his front wheel by a few feet, as I exit the turn. So here I am on a borrowed bike, totally over-commited (with my meager skills) going what I felt to be 10-15 mph too fast, saying to myself "Well, Maicos are supossed to corner" when I go for the cut, I'm up on the tank, outside footpeg weighted, I cut a tighter arc than the berm is on, so (I thought) I could drift into the berm. To my complete suprise the Mai-Zee holds this tighter arc. Not just a slippy,drifty kind of hold, but a confidence inspireing (invisible berm) kind of hold. It was right then and there I got it. (THE MAICO THING) I never knew what it was, that was so special about the way Maicos handled. Every corner after that, I didn't wait for the berm' I cut to the extreme inside. Talking to myself in my helmet saying "who needs berms, I'm on a Maico" At last my moto was over and I had to turn the Mai-Zee back over to Don Mathews, first I thanked him for his kindness in sponsoring me on it, then I cursed him for making me want to go hunt for a Maico to race. Darn that "MAICO THING" |
| vintagemxracer.com |
| The Maico Thing................ |
Above Left to Right : SuperHunky on a 501 and
George Marshall on a 490
George Marshall on a 490
#10 Nor/Cal MX Legend
Dave Coupe' on his vintage
Maico, at Tulare in 2008.
Dave Coupe' on his vintage
Maico, at Tulare in 2008.
Me and the Honda rider at
Washougal 6/21/09.
This photo was taken just
before I learned.......
"The Maico Thing"
Washougal 6/21/09.
This photo was taken just
before I learned.......
"The Maico Thing"
Jon Evans on his Maico
