Additional photos of this Maico MC 501 are available here for your perusal.
MC stood for Moto Cross, and 501 told you what the displacement was – when it was released, the Maico 501 featured the largest two-stroke single cylinder engine ever stuffed into a production bike.
The press ate it up, even though racers were actually able to go faster on the 400s and 450s. But for pure ‘shock and awe’ purposes, it was just about impossible to topple the 501. For a wonderful history on this fascinating machine, check out this story by Vintage Motor Company.
This Maico (VIN: 501220) was restored by Jim Martin of Phoenix Precision Restoration in late 2012 and was then delivered straight to the seller to be put on display in his collection.
The restoration presents well, and we’ve included additional photos in the album up top for you to investigate closer. We note some surface rust on the upper right fork leg.
Please feel free to let us know if you would like additional photos of a specific area. This machine has not been started since the work was performed.
