Maico Mega 490

In 1981, Maico made one of the fastest open-class bikes in the world. They did this by boring out the 440cc engine to a massive 490cc, changing the spoke pattern in the wheels, and flattening out the seat and tank design. The new seat and tank design made it so that you sat more on top of the bike, giving you better handling and control. The front of the seat was also raised some, creating a more comfortable and ergonomic ride.

While the Japanese bikes were using reed valves and water cooling, the Maico was an air cooled, piston port single-cylinder two-stroke with a 40mm Bing carburetor. At 7000 RPMs, the 490 put out an awesome 53hp. It had a five-speed gearbox and used a wet multi disk clutch with twelve plates. A Motoplat electronic ignition was also used. The bike’s frame was a double loop backbone box made from chrome moly steel. The Maico Mega 490 2 came standard with 12.2 inch Corte Cosso rear shocks. The dry weight of this machine was 244 pounds.

The legendary 81 Maico Mega 2 490 is still considered by many the best open-class motocross bike ever made. The 490 has superior handling, suspension, balance, and of course power! Anyone who has ever had the privilege of riding one of these beauties soon realizes the almost perfect balance between massive torque and power, and precision handling. Maico sold more 490’s in 1981 than Honda did in their entire motocross lineup in the United States.