After buying this late in 1981, I put enough hours on the bike over the winter that I began to experience some of its shortcomings. My mechanical ability had improved quite a bit over the last few years, but Maicos required special attention. I got into the habit of taking the wheels off, roughing up the brake pads with sandpaper, and greasing everything associated with the wheels, every week. There were a few other areas that needed constant attention. I learned some of these the hard way. There was the race that the compression release came loose from the cylinder, the race that the rear brake seized (I hadn't lubed the brake pedal pivot) and many others. Eventually, I would check almost every nut and bolt at least every week, and some of them every ride.

SME Motocross Park, Dilwyn, Virginia, 1982 photo by Doug Burba
I really liked this picture because I thought I had good form and style. The duct tape visor seal was a pretty common site then. I was ahead of the trend on the boot covers and large bolt-on front numbers. The SME pictures are a bit pinker than the actual colors.

White Oak Motocross Track, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1982 photo by Art Law
The picture is cut off, but I'm going up the White Oak mound. You can see the "Safety Seat" that I installed. No, that's not a piece of wood piercing my eye, it's actually in the background.

SME Motocross Park, Dilwyn, Virginia, 1982 photo by ???
I liked this one so much I bought it from the trackside photographer. Photos were a big luxury for me then. This was a Saturday race and I won both motos in A class for the first time.

White Oak Motocross Track, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1982 photo by Doug Burba
The Maico liked it when you stayed forward on it. Note that the clutch lever looks like it s adjusted almost straight down.

I made this shirt into one of my signature bicycle training shirts.

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