Company Killer – 1982 Maico Alpha 1

In Blog by AbhiLeave a Comment

Arguably the bike that killed off Maico, the Alpha 1 was the successor to the much-loved Mega 2. As you might expect, riders had high hopes. Unfortunately, a new suspension system called “Alpha Control” was an absolute disaster, and Maico couldn’t survivie the onslaught of lawsuits.

Maico Alpha 1 - Engine

Two main flaws killed this bike. First, the Alpha Control rear suspension, which was supposed to be a copy of Honda’s Pro-Link system. Maico’s version stressed the rear shock to the point that riders were bending and breaking shock shafts all over the place. On top of that, there was a manufacturing defect of the wheel hubs, and they would shatter when put through large forces, like landing from a big jump. Maico tried to offer consumers replacement Ohlins for all the broken stock items, but it was too late. At least it still has the jewel of an engine, I guess. For more on the Alpha 1 and what did it in, check out the end of this article about the Mega 2 from PulpMX.

Maico Alpha 1 - Front

This speific Maico Alpha 1 (VIN: 354-2971) has been parked since 2003 and is being offered by the third owner. The last time this numbers-matching bike was started was three years ago, and while it “sounded strong”, the next owner will have to take care of a few things including the left fork seal, kick start gear-catch mechanism, and the other things you can expect from a bike that has sat for a decade. Still, this is a rare find for someone who wants to complete their Maico collection (or maybe you want to start a collection of vehicles that caused financial ruin for their manufacturers?)

Maico Alpha 1 - Right Side

Find this Maico Alpha 1 for sale in Colorado Springs, Colorado with bidding up to $2,225