CONCERNED DEALER AND ATV RIDER
#71
#72
Summer of '72. I went backpacking in Europe. I went to every motorcycle factory I could find, plus Porsche and Ferrari. The Bultaco factory in Barcelona was amazing. Dirt floors, (maybe they were just dirty) "Chickens flyin' everywhere around the plant", it was like Tijuana. So primitive. Montesa, also in Barcelona was a sweet operation, very clean, high tech. Maico was built in a big tin barn, near Stuttgart, Tubingen, also very low tech. KTM was just emerging as their own brand. Very cool factory outside Salzburg. They had been using Sachs motors (POS) in their "Pentons" and had just come out with their own new 175. I saw the gears, and the guts of their new motor. It was very impressive. First time I had ever seen a wire feed welder too. It is obvious why they are the only survivors against the Japanese onslaught that was about to take over the serious dirtbike market.
......I hear there was a Maico 490 4-stroke with a KTM engine before Maico went under. That would be sweet. Nothing handles as good as a Maico. Absolutely Nothing.
......I hear there was a Maico 490 4-stroke with a KTM engine before Maico went under. That would be sweet. Nothing handles as good as a Maico. Absolutely Nothing.
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