After World War II, Maico built a series of motorcycles with their own engine designs – the biggest was the Taifun (Typhoon), a two-stroke twin that you could get with a 350cc or 400cc engine. It was unveiled to the world at the 1953 Frankfurt show.
Features included a leading link front fork (check out the styling of the front fender below), gear position indicator, automatic clutch, flip out passenger pegs, and an enclosed chain final drive. The 400cc version put out 22.5 horsepower, and it was designed (like many German bikes of the day) to accept a sidecar to carry the whole family. But by the late 50s, Germans were moving towards cars and this bike never caught on. Production ended in 1958.
This example was stored for over 30 years after a gear stripped in the kickstart mechanism. The bike was mechanically fixed (except for a broken gear indicator in the speedo) and cosmetically restored 10 years ago, then ridden for 50 miles and put on display. The seller says the chrome and paint is flawless but the mufflers are incorrect. The seller will also include “about 70% of a parts bike” with the sale. You’ll need to clean the carb and throw in a new battery, but here’s your chance for a bike that’s rarely seen nowadays. The asking price is a little insane but the seller specifically mentions that he put it at a high number and is looking for offers because he doesn’t know how to value it.
Find this Maico Taifun for sale in Lincoln, Nebraska with a BIN of $15,000 or best offer