Maico 360 X4 Motocross
MAICO 360 X4 MOTOCROSS
CYCLE WORLD ROAD TEST
European-Built, It’s All-American
WHAT A difference a year has made to Maico's 360-cc motocross model. In a little over 12 months, the West German factory has transformed the bike from a competitive but unsensational mount, to one of the fastest and toughest scramblers available.
Even more interesting to American riders is that the West Coast Maico distributor has played a part in this development program by sending a continual flow of suggestions and ideas across the Atlantic.
The result is a machine manufactured in Europe, the world center of motocross, that also contains improvements suggested by American riders, and built after tests on American terrain.
The basic Maico package is a 354-cc two-stroke singlecylinder engine, with almost “square” bore and stroke dimensions of 77 x 76 mm, carried in a double cradle frame, with a single top tube.
The engine dimensions are the same as those used on Maico’s previous 360, the X3. Similarity between the power units, however, is slight. Most obvious difference is that the new engine displays massive square finning instead of the previous circular fins. The number of fins also has been increased by one, to a total of 11. The result is a huge gain in cooling area.
The entire cylinder head is new, and contains larger and repositioned ports, and a reshaped combustion chamber. A new expansion chamber contributes significantly to the boost in power, so that Maico now claims a peak power output of 40 bhp--an increase of 6 bhp over the X3.
The new expansion chamber alone is responsible for approximately half the power improvement.
Maico has also fitted heavier flywheels, a larger diameter crankpin, and a needle roller bearing on the connecting rod small end, in place of the bush previously used.
The crankshaft is carried by a roller bearing on the drive side, and a ball bearing on the timing side. The lubrication system on the 360 is unusual. The cylinder barrel and piston are served by oil mist, while main bearings are positively fed by oil from the gearbox reservoir.
This is achieved by a pump which draws oil from the gearbox. The oil lubricates first the drive side bearing, then the timing side bearing, and is gravity fed back to the gearbox.
Additional strength has been engineered into the transmission. The gears now are 50 percent wider, and the quality of the grade of steel used in their manufacture has been increased by 40 percent. Primary drive is by a Reynolds duplex chain, in place of a single row chain, and the rear chain has been increased in pitch from 0.5 in. to 0.625 in.
Maico continues to use the frame introduced for the X3, but has lengthened it by moving the steering head forward 1 in., and has lowered the engine by a similar amount. This frame is superb. It might be termed “massive,” and certainly appears as if it could handle a 500 class four-stroke engine with little difficulty.
The twin down tubes spread wide to pass under the engine, and sweep up behind the dual air cleaners to rejoin the top tube. Two more sturdy tubes reach from the swing arm pivot area to the rear of the top tubes. The swinging arms are of large diameter oval tubing, and are cross-braced by a tube near their pivot.
Front fork travel has been increased from 6 to 7 in., and the swing arms have been lengthened by 2 in.
After noting this long list of improvements, a rider is entitled to expect a high performance package of speed and handling when he wheels the Maico onto the track. He will not be disappointed.
The outstanding impression the Maico gives is one of explosive torque that starts well down in the rpm range. This is as important as all-out power in a motocross machine, but the engine has that, too, so the Maico rider rarely will lose races through lack of speed. Novices will find the Maico fairly easy to ride because of its lowand mid-range torque characteristics.
Handling combines with these engine attributes to create a beautifully predictable racing machine. The Maico is easy and safe to slide, and the rider feels that it will never pull any sudden nasty tricks. The sturdy frame keeps everything in place, and the front wheel can be picked up and put down afi will. Brakes are good, and suspension damping, both front and rear, is excellent. Increased travel on the front fork is a noticeable improvement.
The Maico is supplied with a choice of two gearboxes, wide ratio or close ratio. The majority of competition riders naturally will choose the close ratio box.
CYCLE WORLD’S test machine had the wide ratio box, with a 2.78:1 bottom gear. The gap between low and second is wide, but the other ratios are well matched. The close ratio box has a 2.0:1 bottom gear.
Two front wheel sizes are available, 21-in. or 19-in. West German-made Metzeler tires provide plenty of grip. The Maico can be leaned well over with confidence, for the Metzelers offer good traction even at extreme angles. The factory considers that these tires offer more grip, and are more durable, than the tires used with previous Maico scramblers.
Large displacement two-stroke Singles can be difficult to start. Not so, the 360 Maico. The maker has ensured that it is a willing starter by installing a compression release in the barrel.
This release is located within half an inch of the top of the barrel, and is operated by a small nylon lever on the left side of the handlebar. It also allows the rider to restart a stalled engine by running the machine down hill with the release lever pulled in, and suddenly “dropping” it.
Twin plugs are used in the head, as on the X3. The advantage of this system is that if one plug is fouled or whiskered, the plug cap can be quickly switched to a hotter second plug.
The huge seat must set a record for size on motocross bikes. The rider sits in it, rather than on it, and it has almost the same feel as a bucket seat in a sports car. The rider is held firmly while the bike leaps over the biggest of bumps, and the seat is so comfortable that in a long race, a rider’s wrists, arms and legs will wear out before his back end.
The controls are excellent. Handlebars are high and wide, and the foot pedals are larger than those on many race machines. Consequently they are easier to find when the rider has to brake or change gear in a hurry.
Handlebar levers are by Magura. Equally pleasing are the large dual air cleaners, with Fram washable paper elements, the prop stand—a useful item missing on many competition machines—and wide front and rear fenders. Despite the ample width of the rear fender, Maico has given the air cleaners additional protection from flying grit and mud by lacing a nylon cover between the rearmost frame legs.
Folding, spring-loaded footrests, high level exhaust pipe tucked away from the rider’s legs, and a crash plate to protect the crankcase are other motocross necessities found on the X4.
So many items on the Maico are generous in size that the bike has a heavy, almost stodgy appearance. The big black seat, massive engine finning, and black frame tubing all give the Maico a rather ponderous mien.
In fact, it weighs 235 lb., with a half tank of fuel. This is about halfway between the heaviest and lightest of the current range of 360-cc scramblers. Thus the sturdy, thoughtful construction used throughout the Maico has not resulted in a weight handicap.
The $998 price tag applies to “qualified competition riders,” says the Maico distributor. The price is $100 more to other buyers. But this does not mean that a customer must be in the Joel Robert class to “qualify.” Most riders will find it comparatively easy to buy the X4 at the lower price.
A 350-cc version of the machine, with the stroke shortened to 74 mm, soon will be available, at a price identical to the 360.
The army of the West German Republic already has taken delivery of 5000 X4s, and has ordered an additional 5000 to American specifications. When an army shows confidence like that, the product must be good. ■
MAICO 360 X4 MOTOCROSS
$998
