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/126029
.-il that endsWeil , hand-wrenching old . style con trols. everythin g else on the AW Replicas works better t han it ever has. The engine cases are shortened and streamlined. The engine is wider to hold more and b igger gear s for a five-speed box that was overdue for this b ike . The Maico chassis m agic has worked again. The bike turns faster and better yet still feel s stable in straiglitline ch arges at speed. The engine is actually a full inch farther forward. There are new tubular be adstays , just like on the works b ike and a case-mounted chain tensioner that is be tter than the ones seen on the '75 works b ikes. It is a very nifty and necessary ite m with over eigh t inc hes of rear axle . travel. The German Fal k plas ti c is good, if m aybe one notch below Preston's product. There were no cr acks or din gs apparen t at the end of the test. Ther e is a slightly larger pl astic with improved anti-water air bo x features that holds the latest model T win Air foam filt er, a filt er which see m s to keep changing in its configurations and works better all the time, ' Most of the old Maicii bu gaboos have also disappeared. Ther e was no leakage from the he ad gask et; no drool from the sh ift lever. It was generally an easy starting b ike , firing off by the third kick; often , the first kick. The gearbox was more like an old CZ gearbo x with an extra speed than the Maico boxes we remember . .. nice. The brakes are first class. The rear stopper is now ac tua ted by a straight pull rod wh ich increases both feel and stopping power. The front conical-hubbed brake is as good as any for motocross. Both are progressive and we never felt 'any fade. It 's like the fa ctory got their ac t together in all fu n ction al parts of this racing machine. It still has the character of a Maico , Adolf Wei! wouldn't have it any other way. The AW-440 still looks . big and angular but it · also . looks . m ean . and intimidating. There is , all that space between tire and fender I an d t hat tall, massive collection of cylinder .fin s .th at grab the eye and translate into : I ) susp ension travel and, 2) power.. . W hen a ri der sum s up his first day of testing with the single sen tenc e, " I wa n t o ne ," there 's not a whole lo t more to be sai d abo u t ho w a racin g mo torcycle af fec ts you. But there is one inescap able aspect of th e Maico AW-44 0 th at you, the rider-owner , must be prepared to deal with. When you show up at a motocross tr ack with this b ike, you are automatically labele d "King o f the Hill" and everybody who imagines they can even co me close will ch oose you off. You may not be r ead y for this sor t of ego involvement. Then, yo u reall y may not be ready for the surp rise w hen you 'd iscover the 440 has pre pared you to deal with just th is sort of challenge, either in practice o r on race day . Anyb ody even vaguely at th e same level o f rid er skill fi ds they can ' t ca tc h the n 440. • Specifications Engine . . . . . . • • • . • . . 2-stroke p isto n port/ 438cc displacement Bore X St ro ke B2mm X 83mm Compression ratio 12:1 Carburetion Bing 54 series 36mm centerfloat Air Filtrat ion Tw in Air foam filter Transmission . . .. • . . •Down 1·N-2 ·3-4-5 Up Internal gear ratios.2.98.2 .17 ,1.65,1 .25 ,1.00:1 Ignit ion . • . .Flywheel magneto Iwith po ints) Suspension : Front Maieo fork /travel 8 .7" Rear . .. • • • • . •• Girl ing n itrogen/ travel 8 .4" Brakes Conical alum inum with single lead ing sho e drums WheelslTires .. • . • . . . •. • Akront alloy rims/ Metzeler 3.00 X 21 ,4.50 X 1B 2.1 gallons of pl'lHTlix Fuel capacity Wheelbase . . . . . . . . ... . •. . . .. .. 56 inches Ground Clearance • • •. • •• .• • •.•• 8.5 inches Seat height . .. .. . . . . .• . .•.... • 34 inches Dry Weight . .. . . . . .. ... . • .. .. . . 220 Ibs. Price (West Coast! $1 B58 7