moving the drive sprocket backwards assisted in keeping the chain tension constant throughout the rear suspension movement and eliminated the need for sprung chain tensioners. Definitely a one small step for man and one giant step for mankind moments.
Yep. Same theory behind those atk's......and that bmw from the early 2000s. The bmw....it seems....the countershaft and swingarm pivot were at the same place somehow
Man this bike shows how far ahead Maico was ahead of everyone else, I’m not sure what the advance is but everyone was moving the counter sprocket closer to the swingarm, look at the modern bikes now the sprocket is right up to the swingarm, what a piece of history
Remember when I think Honda put a sprocket ON THE SWINGARM with a short chain to the engine sprocket and the chain on the SWINGARM went to the wheel sprocket?? Never went anywhere but it was a good idea
@@minibikemafia the issue was the huge variation in chain slack once suspensions travel got yo the 7inch and more range The problem was very pronounced on maicos and bultacos maico corrected it even while still using a primary chain by adding a 3rd shaft to be the countershaft or output shaft Maico finally modernized the gearbox with gear drive primary in 83 Bultaco never did update yo address this issue When maico put into production the update they also used a new case design that haf the swimgarm pivot spindle pass thru the cases and become the rear engine mounting in one fell swoop The magnum was born Rotax canam motors from day one had this superior design as well as gear drive primary The were the first to.have it Yamaha adopted the rotax design in 78 yz modelhonda in 78 as well
Having a Grandfather that moved to Minnesota from Germany and his son (my Dad) a very skilled metal worker helped me keep my Euro dirt bike s welded up and going! I appreciate simple strong part s like the rear brake pedal! Good job presenting this rare Maico! At that time suspension was growing , shocks getting big and innovation moving faster. Love these vids!
Just so, I moved over from Bultaco in 1978 and bought my first Maico, a 440cc. One of the stated improvements was the relocated primary drive sprocket to minimise chain sag as it moves through an arc close to the swinging arm. A beautiful bike, excellent handling for a twin shock and so fast. It gated in 3rd gear, not 2nd as all my other scramblers did. So, rapid off the start line. The 440 was a long stroke engine which gave it more torque than the square 400 Maico of the time.
As the others have said, Chain Deflection. The reason that you move the countershaft sprocket as close the the swingarm pivot as you can is to reduce chain deflection for long travel suspensions . Which makes it a pain to make gearing changes for different tracks. The fun of being a MX racer and mechanic in the mid 70s .
Rear shock geometry was in a flux in ‘77. Standard swing arms were beefed up so shock travel cold be increased by moving them forward and the line through primary drive, swing arm pivot, and axel was a point of concern.
I had a 1974 maico 250 that was a Beast! it blew away every bike and race car. If it had a 5th gear I might not have made it. The only bike back then that came close was the Suzuki 400 the Wheely King bike of the day..
@@Bitterstone3849 yes those were the good old days I remember getting air with a guy on his 400 his front wheel fell off I was like oh shit that was a nasty spill.
, yeah that's a great great show on that 250 Maico with the rare engine the definitive reason the countershaft sprocket moved close to the swingarm pivot is to minimize chain slack variation during suspension travel along suspension travel before long all manufacturers have changed even their street bikes to this design the way the makers were previous to this and many others the chain tension worth slack rather the variation in slack is huge and basically a very big problem in and not easily controlled The Simple Solution being having the countershaft sprocket as close as possible to the pivot for example if the countershaft sprocket was coaxial IE sharing the same Centerline with the swingarm pivot there would be zero change in slack of the drive chain during full suspension travel
64maxpower Well 64Maxpower I’ve never heard it described as that before because as I am Scottish and hail from Fife my local tongue is much worst than your listening too so I tried to posh it up a bit to enable international viewers to try and understand what I’m saying. Although thanks for your comments and for watching my material.
@@monticlassictv I want to be clear Chris, I was sincerely giving a compliment. You do a great job giving these bikes the respect they should have in mx history
@@64maxpower Absolutely no offence taken 64Maxpower It's my local dialect and there's not much I can do about it really, although thanks again for your comment its very much appreciated.
moving the drive sprocket backwards assisted in keeping the chain tension constant throughout the rear suspension movement and eliminated the need for sprung chain tensioners. Definitely a one small step for man and one giant step for mankind moments.
Yep. Same theory behind those atk's......and that bmw from the early 2000s. The bmw....it seems....the countershaft and swingarm pivot were at the same place somehow
The question in my mind was, 'how did they do that?' (move the output shaft back)
Man this bike shows how far ahead Maico was ahead of everyone else, I’m not sure what the advance is but everyone was moving the counter sprocket closer to the swingarm, look at the modern bikes now the sprocket is right up to the swingarm, what a piece of history
Less chain torque on the rear suspension
Remember when I think Honda put a sprocket ON THE SWINGARM with a short chain to the engine sprocket and the chain on the SWINGARM went to the wheel sprocket?? Never went anywhere but it was a good idea
@@minibikemafia the issue was the huge variation in chain slack once suspensions travel got yo the 7inch and more range
The problem was very pronounced on maicos and bultacos maico corrected it even while still using a primary chain by adding a 3rd shaft to be the countershaft or output shaft
Maico finally modernized the gearbox with gear drive primary in 83
Bultaco never did update yo address this issue
When maico put into production the update they also used a new case design that haf the swimgarm pivot spindle pass thru the cases and become the rear engine mounting in one fell swoop
The magnum was born
Rotax canam motors from day one had this superior design as well as gear drive primary
The were the first to.have it
Yamaha adopted the rotax design in 78 yz modelhonda in 78 as well
Having a Grandfather that moved to Minnesota from Germany and his son (my Dad) a very skilled metal worker helped me keep my Euro dirt bike s welded up and going! I appreciate simple strong part s like the rear brake pedal! Good job presenting this rare Maico! At that time suspension was growing , shocks getting big and innovation moving faster. Love these vids!
WOW ! A twin cylinder Maico. The holy grail of dirt bike's. 🔥
Another great upload Chris.
The sprocket is moved close to the swing arm pivot to minimize chain slack variation. That design came on production bikes starting 78
Just so, I moved over from Bultaco in 1978 and bought my first Maico, a 440cc. One of the stated improvements was the relocated primary drive sprocket to minimise chain sag as it moves through an arc close to the swinging arm. A beautiful bike, excellent handling for a twin shock and so fast. It gated in 3rd gear, not 2nd as all my other scramblers did. So, rapid off the start line. The 440 was a long stroke engine which gave it more torque than the square 400 Maico of the time.
R i p Danny Magoo Chandler craziest man to ever ride a Mako
As the others have said, Chain Deflection. The reason that you move the countershaft sprocket as close the the swingarm pivot as you can is to reduce chain deflection for long travel suspensions . Which makes it a pain to make gearing changes for different tracks.
The fun of being a MX racer and mechanic in the mid 70s .
Gorgeous bike.
Rear shock geometry was in a flux in ‘77. Standard swing arms were beefed up so shock travel cold be increased by moving them forward and the line through primary drive, swing arm pivot, and axel was a point of concern.
That pipe is T TOTALLY awesome.....it has really k00l patina.........Great all together.........
I had a 1974 maico 250 that was a Beast! it blew away every bike and race car. If it had a 5th gear I might not have made it. The only bike back then that came close was the Suzuki 400 the Wheely King bike of the day..
CYCLONE 400 🤣🤣🤣🤣🍺🍺
TM 400s WERE fast. But even harder to ride from a hospital bed. The good old days. When men were men.
@@Bitterstone3849 yes those were the good old days I remember getting air with a guy on his 400 his front wheel fell off I was like oh shit that was a nasty spill.
@@arthurmchugh5184 👍👍
@@johnkolinoff8591 my YZ 360B MONOSHOCK WAS A BEAST ALSO!!!
The closer the coutershaft sprocket is to the swingarm pivot puts less chain torque on the rear suspension
This engine is what the factory built for me the last 600cc ever built by the factory
, yeah that's a great great show on that 250 Maico with the rare engine the definitive reason the countershaft sprocket moved close to the swingarm pivot is to minimize chain slack variation during suspension travel along suspension travel before long all manufacturers have changed even their street bikes to this design the way the makers were previous to this and many others the chain tension worth slack rather the variation in slack is huge and basically a very big problem in and not easily controlled The Simple Solution being having the countershaft sprocket as close as possible to the pivot for example if the countershaft sprocket was coaxial IE sharing the same Centerline with the swingarm pivot there would be zero change in slack of the drive chain during full suspension travel
The reason for the sprocket is to move the chain closer to the swing arm pivot eliminating slack from the tensioner.
They move the sprocket back so the chain decent cut into swing arm with longer travel suspension
they also moved the drive sprocket back to better accommodate for the different swing arm pivot point on the 125 frame.....
You have a cool.accent
64maxpower Well 64Maxpower I’ve never heard it described as that before because as I am Scottish and hail from Fife my local tongue is much worst than your listening too so I tried to posh it up a bit to enable international viewers to try and understand what I’m saying. Although thanks for your comments and for watching my material.
@@monticlassictv I want to be clear Chris, I was sincerely giving a compliment. You do a great job giving these bikes the respect they should have in mx history
@@64maxpower Absolutely no offence taken 64Maxpower It's my local dialect and there's not much I can do about it really, although thanks again for your comment its very much appreciated.
I guess I’ve been pronouncing Maico wrong all these years
I didn’t know it was pronounced
Mikeo 😁