caguyinaustin

Member
Oct 10, 2006
4
0
I am interested in buying a guy's 76 Maico 400 - mint. I always thought this was one of the baddest looking and sounding beasts since I was a kid and I'm thinking of picking it up. Any comments about this year model and what is it worth?

Thanks!!
 

THill

Member
Oct 24, 2007
31
1
Im no expert but i did own & race a 76 400 Maico for 1 season back in 79..
With Works Performance rear shocks and alittle bit stiffer front forks this thing handled better than anything i had rode up untill then, alot better than my YZ's i had been racing....
BUT like the above post said be prepared. For me it was some type of motor problem most of the time. I DNF more that one season on the Maico than the 5 years i was on
76 to 78 YZ's 125's and 250's. In the Maico's defense i will say i did buy it used,
if that had anything to do with it i don't know but when it stayed together most of the time i finished pretty well .....
OH..if you think you are going to buy it drain the gear oil first in it and see if any metal shavings are on the magnet drain plug, if there are i'd pass on it..good luck....
 

Enduro_Nut

~SPONSOR~
Feb 7, 2002
1,155
0
I've got a '77, this was the last year before the small cases came out. I own a few from '74-'81 and I think the '76/'77 are the best... long travel suspension, good power and great handling. The 74 1/2 has a good motor... no suspension, '78 are better suspension, good handling but they lack the power the 490 has.

In the end the '76/'77 is stuck in the middle and in the AHRMA class, it can be competitive. '75-'77 are in the same class hence the reason the '78 gets lost against the '80-'81 longer travel bikes.

Regarding reliabilty, I've only had 1 dnf in the last few years due to being a Maico. The only bikes that have faired better are my Husky's. Keep in the mind my bikes are stripped to the frame and FULLY rebuilt prior to racing... and keep in mind, it's a 30~yr. old bike!
Parts... all makes can be VERY expensive to replace parts, not always but if you build it correctly it's not cheap.
I rode Yamaha through the 70's so I can't relate to what they were like new.

If you don't buy in send me an email -
ernz@wt.net

PS>> Where in Texas?
 
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