A History of Maico Motorcycles and American
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The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School School of Humanities A HISTORY OF MAICO MOTORCYCLES AND AMERICAN SPORT MOTORCYCLE CULTURE, 1955-1983 A Dissertation in American Studies by David Wayne Russell Copyright 2015 David Wayne Russell Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2015 The dissertation of David W. Russell was reviewed and approved* by the following: Charles D. Kupfer Associate Professor of American Studies and History Dissertation Advisor Chair of Committee Anne A. Verplanck Associate Professor of American Studies and Heritage Studies Simon J. Bronner Distinguished Professor of American Studies and Folklore Director, Doctoral Program in American Studies Coordinator, American Studies Program Seth Wolpert Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School ii ABSTRACT Within American motorcycling, sport riders—the skilled enthusiasts who compete on motorcycles in a variety of venues—are often overlooked. This dissertation explains the practices and characteristics of a unique group of these American sport riders who embraced off- road motorcycle competition in the 1960s and 1970s. It reveals a cultural entity vastly different from the more flamboyant “biker” and “outlaw” groups, investigated by scholars over the past few decades. These enthusiasts relied on a close-knit group of fellow riders and dealers, and usually maintained and modified their bikes themselves. This group continued an American racing subculture far removed from that of the on-road motorcyclists. The freedom to try new things, expressed in early 1970s world culture, further propelled off-road riding and racing, contributing to the “motorcycle boom” and the 1973 high point of motorcycle sales in the United States. One of the several high-quality racing motorcycles available to these sport riders was the German Maico. Maico developed a particularly exceptional motorcycle that attracted many of the most committed riders in the United States in the 1950s through 1981. While several other motorcycle brands attracted similar followings, and could perhaps provide an equally good material culture object from which to assess the men who rode them, Maico’s status as the finest of the brands and its very unique rise and fall, lend the story special appeal and make Maico a optimal touchstone for the culture. The young men who embraced this culture came from varied backgrounds, but were largely working class and, despite long hair and their devotion to motorcycles, conservative in outlook. These socio-economic markers will each be analyzed. Many of the young men structured their lives in order to be able to race. Maico, in turn, sponsored these racers on a limited basis and used images of their successes to promote their motorcycles. Some period photographs of young men on Maicos have become iconic, and these will be analyzed. The successes and ultimate failure of the Maico Company are important in themselves, revealing a complex transnational relationship with the United States that at times flourished, but on other occasions hastened the company’s downfall. As Maico management displaced their American distributers in the mid-1970s and roiled with family infighting at home, the company’s fortunes declined. Examination also reveals a unique and sometimes contentious relationship among American consumers and the German manufacturer. The peculiarities of Maico motorcycles, combined with internal struggles and competition from around the world, further pressured Maico. In 1983, two years after introducing the off-road motorcycle considered by many to be the single best ever made, Maico collapsed. Maico devotees left the field as better motorcycles were available and as age, injuries, and life events pressured them. Many discovered after joining professional life late, that their adventure had been purchased at a cost. Yet the memories of exhilaration, freedom, and joy remain, and these memories prod men today to collect, restore, and ride Maico motorcycles. This work chronicles the object’s origins in Germany and especially its use in the United States. My methodology comprises four approaches, including: examining the motorcycle/artifact through the lens of material culture; ethnography of individuals and examination of the group’s practices (largely derived from oral histories); the rhetorical and visual analysis of personal letters, advertisements, and articles; and photographic analysis. Texts by prominent motorcycling writers and American Studies scholars are used to support my thesis. iii This work is hoped to be of use to those examining American leisure activities and middle/working-class life in the period surrounding the 1970s, as well as anyone desiring insights into American motorcycle racing and off-road riding culture of the late 1900s. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS List of illustrations......................................................................................................................vii List of Abbreviations and Spelling………................................................................................xiv Preface........................................................................................................................................xv Acknowledgements and Photographic Credits...........................................................................xl Dedication................................................................................................................................xliii Chapter 1: BEGINNINGS 1.1 Definitions, Historiography, and the Maico as Material Culture..............................1 1.2 The Motorcycle and Man: A Social History............................................................27 1.3 The German Side: A History of Maico Fahrzeugfabrik..........................................48 1.4 Early Maicos in the United States...........................................................................70 Chapter 2: ANALYSIS OF THE OBJECT 2.1 Form and Function: Engineering Analysis...............................................................93 2.2 Like Nothing Before: The 501...............................................................................122 2.3 Small Maicos: The 125s.........................................................................................143 Chapter 3: MODIFYING THE OBJECT 3.1 Change is Good: Personalization, Modification, and Performance Upgrades.......165 Chapter 4: THE MOTORCYCLE BUSINESS IN AMERICA 4.1 Eastern Maico and Dennie Moore, Part 1...............................................................208 4.2 Eastern Maico and Dennie Moore, Part 2...............................................................230 4.3 The Shop Owner: Gig Hamilton..............................................................................254 4.4 A Season of Invention: Greg Smith.........................................................................277 Chapter 5: RACING: HOPE, IMAGE, REALITY 5.1 The Success Years: Ake Jonsson.............................................................................300 5.2 Motocross Looked Like This: Tim Hart..................................................................330 5.3 The Factory Rider: Denny Swartz...........................................................................357 5.4 Racer and Race: Brian Thompson............................................................................378 5.5 Innocents Abroad: The American Motocross Team in Europe................................401 Chapter 6: A BIG BUSINESS 6.1 Living a Dream: Selvaraj Narayana.........................................................................427 6.2 Management.............................................................................................................446 6.3 We Trust God Will Help Maico...............................................................................472 Chapter 7: FINAL HISTORY, CONCLUSIONS, EPILOGUE 7.1 Maico’s End.............................................................................................................485 7.2 Conclusions..............................................................................................................505 7.3 Epilogue: Maico Preservation and Restoration........................................................522 Bibliography...............................................................................................................................542 v Appendix A: Identification and Dating of Maico Motorcycles................................................551 Appendix B: Maico Distribution in North America.................................................................570 Appendix C: Trans-AMA & InterAm Results.........................................................................572 Appendix D: Engine and Frame Numbers by Year.................................................................578 vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1 The author’s handwritten plea for a Maico 501, 1986. xxv 2 Ad, Hemming’s Motor News, 1986. xxvi 3 Discarded racing engine, from the remains of the Eastern Maico warehouse. 22 4 Yonkers, New York motorcycle club, 1938. 34 5 Marlon Brando as The Wild One’s Johnny Stabler. 38 6 American scrambles racing, circa 1970. 41 7 The 1981 Maico 490, the basis for all modern off-road motorcycles. 46 8 Early Maico logo. 48 9 1956 English-language brochure. 51 10 1956 Maico 500 car. 51 11 The Maico works, Pfeffingen, Germany, circa 1960s. 53 12 Tim Hart on a 250 Maico,