When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yes we combine shipping for multiple purchases.Add multiple items to your cart and the combined shipping total will automatically be calculated.
1963 Maico Trailster Motorcycle Trail Test - 2-Page Vintage Article
Original, vintage magazine advertisement / articlePage Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm)Condition: Good
Trail Test:MAICOTRAILSTERI ack white, of White Motors, Maico Distributors inCosta Mesa, California, has come up with what wethink is one of the most interesting approaches to the trailbike scene we have found. The Maico Trailster is theresult of a recipe White created in answer to the growingtrailing enthusiasm that is composed of several fascinatingelements. Take one Maico flattrack racer, add a full sizemuffler with a spark arrestor, trim with a pair of carryingracks for camping, hunting, fishing, etc., gear, top offwith special, very low gearing, and serve.The basic ingredient, the flattrack bike, is in realitya Maico scrambler sans its rear suspension, and thoughit rides quite rough the traction and light weight help tocompensate for it. The engine is a robust 250 cubic cen-timeter, single-cylinder, long stroke (67mm bore, 70mmstroke), two-stroke with over 20 horsepower; needless tosay this is more than sufficient for trail riding and is oc-casionally almost too much power, if there can be suchan instance.Other features not usually found on trail scooters arethe close ratio, 4-specd gearbox, 19" wheels, telescopicforks, and a host of other features usually associatedwith motorcycles, rather than trail scooters. Of course theMaico Trailster is indeed just that; a motorcycle. Whiterecommends the bike for the advanced devotee of trailing,and we concur.We found the Maico Trailster an interesting approachand, after all, this is precisely what we have been sayingin our trail tests and features on trailing; a motorcyclewith selective gear ratios, large wheels, and all of the otherattributes normally found on full size bikes, makes thebest trail vehicle. Readers who have followed the transi-tion of events in CYCLE WORLD will understand thekind of hot water we have gotten into making statementslike that, but we stand by our guns to the end.Several gear ratios are available, initiated by changingthe countershaft, or transmission, sprocket. Our test bikewas furnished with a 16-tooth sprocket which turned outto be just about ideal for average riding conditions. Wewould recommend the 15-tooth variety for really steepgoing. Top speed, as tested, was around 50 mph, morethan enough for most requirements.One thing we all liked when flogging the Maico aroundthe mountains in our favorite test area was the perform-ance. Though this is not normally a requirement for atrail bike it certainly adds to the fun. It was somewhatlike riding a trail drag bike, if there were such a thing.The acceleration is fantastic, up to the point where theengine runs out of power with the extremely low gearing.We digressed from the trail testing long enough to take afew wild laps on a large flat area of loose surface, slidingall the way around in fourth gear with our feet on thepegs. Truly a remarkably stable bike.The Maico Trailster is available in limited quantityfrom your nearest Maico dealer; the price is $595.00, alot for a trail machine, but it has a lot to offer the seriousenthusiast.17571-bxn
