Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125815
.. 1 ..... . '" .- Right: The front suspension works so well you can't remember feeling it work after you've finished riding the bike. Ake Jonsson put • Maico forks on his Yamaha prototype. > :; .., lI.I ~ w Z w -' (J > (J Far right: The still air box is well designed to keep out water and dirt, along with allowing a large volume of air to pass through. MAleo 250 RADIAL Engine 25Occ Single Cylinder 9 Ports with Spun Ceot Sleeve Bore 67mm Stroke 70mm Horsepo_r 36 bhp Compression 12: 1 Carburetor 36mm Bing Center Float Ignition Magneto Weight 220 Ibs. (dry) Suspension Front .. Telescopic Forks wn" Tr_1 Rear Girlings with 60/90 Springs Front Broke Conial Alloy Rear Brake Conical Tires 3.00 x 21 Front, 4.00 x 18 Rear WheMb 56in~ Transmission Cross Country Moto Cross '. - progressive and don't try to lock up unless you get on them really hard. Now Maico riders won't have to do any explaining about why they put a Yamaha front brake on their bike as they had to do in the past. The rear brake pedal is now aluminum alloy. ft looks pretty strong, but the first drop in a slow turn caused it to bend up while our tester's leg bent down. A pair of channel locks from the combination CN tool box and trick goodie kit had the pedal straigh tened down again in no time. The tester just limped around for a little while before straightening up. Nobody can say Maico doesn't pass on to their production bikes what has evolved from their racing; so, in keeping with this policy the new radial 250 also comes with a new air filter box that is smaller and ligh ter. Some of the bikes are coming to the dealers with paper elements and others with foam. Needless to say any paper elements should be replaced with one of the Filtron foam types. Also new is a plastic Magura quick throttle, Akront alloy rims and frames that are painted silver ·.uJl.· just like on the factory GP machines. ~n. The silver frames really do a lot for the looks of the bike. The only racing improvement we didn't like was the Ake Jonsson replica seat. Unless you're a six footer like Ake there is no way you can ride the bike as A New Nine Port lltulia' CrJ'inder Makes This Maico St• rer Than Dirt 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 1.99 to 1 1.52 1.23 1.0 well as possible while sitting down: The saddle is just too tall Sitting on it is not uncomfortable--just the contrary-but the seat being so high makes it difficult to control the bike properly when you're sitting down and going through a tum because your weight is just too high over the bike. Last year's saddle was low enough, while still 'being comfortable, to give the impression to the rider that he was part of the bike and not just sitting atop it. Changing back to the old saddle would be a definite improvement for the majority of riders. The 250 radial is definitely the easiest and most predictable motocross bike we've ever. ridden. The tractorlike powerband lets you play lazy with the transmission, which is almost a . disappoin trnent because it shifts so easily without the clutch that changing gears is actually fun. The bike is at home on rough courses with lots of turns where the suspension and torque can really work out. The front. forks work so well that you hardly feel them working; they're that smooth. The dampening on the Girling rear shock units seemed a little stiff, possibly because they were new, but the progressive 60/90 pound springs really functioned well. Turns are the most fun with the Maico and it seemingly doesn't matter if there's a berm there or not. If there is a 2.78 to 1 1.79 1.29 1.0 berm it's alright because you'll only have to slow down enough to get yourself set up on it before you can crank the throttle on aga.in and zip around it. When there isn't a berm there the bike is the most fun. Clamping on the brakes as you head into the corner the rear end of the bike has an inherent tendency to drift out very predictably and set you up for a shot at the apex of the corner. It's really neat the way the bike will allow you to get back on the throttle as soon as you've completed braking and you can use the power to steer yourself the rest of the way around and out of the corner. It seems all too simple because the bike does everything almost by itself. The steering geometry and the 56 inch wheelbase help to make the Maico a bike that feels built to your riding style. Other than the tall saddle, the only other change we would like to see made to the 250 radial is the installation of a built in silencer in the expansion chamber from the factory. SOmething like the new Husqvarna pipe would be really nice. The super long stinger on the end Of the'Maico chamber makes any of the accessory type silencer units very vulnerable to a fall or vibration from the engine. At $1495.00 the new radial 250 Maico is definitely priced high. It's probably the most expensive bike in its class, but then also it's one of the best.