I’m Rick Sieman, and Sieman says, Don’t Ask!
Go ahead, but if your question is stupid, you’ve been warned…
If you choose to email a question to this forum, then you must conduct yourself accordingly. Therefore, the following rules are in order:
1. Do not write your email to me IN CAPS. If you do so, I will print out your question and do terrible things to it.
2. Do not request a personal e-mail response. Since I get thousands of questions each month, trying to answer them all would cut deeply into my leisure time, which I value more than your current state of confusion.
3. Try to spell at least in a semi-correct fashion. If you choose to mangle the English language, expect no mercy from this quarter. You might be mocked severely.
4. Do not ask for me to send you copies of my many manuals and literature. I am not in the library business, nor do I want to spend the bulk of my day at the copy machine just because you’re too lazy to ask your dealer, or look around a bit.
5. Don’t bother me with truly stupid questions, like how to get 50 more horsepower for a buck and a half
6. Now that you know the rules, think carefully and have at it!
SUBJECT: AGE DOES THAT TO YOU
For the many years of amusement, entertainment, and info. The day I found Dirt Bike magazine was like the day that uber nerds found comic books. Never thought I would be as old as you, but now I am a 58-year-old super hunky myself. So many marques that I never got the chance to swing a leg over, yet I feel like I knew what they were like through you and others words.
My limited experience has been, starting on or about 1970, a Honda trail 70, Suzuki 50, Suzuki 125 duster, ’71 or ’72 Penton 125, ’72 or ’73 Husky CR125, ’73 Kawasaki H2 750, ’75 Husky CR360, (then life and marraige until that was over). Holy shit… disc brakes, water cooling…. ’90 Honda CR250, ’74 Husky CR250 Mag for AHRMA, ’96 Honda CR250R that I still own, and most recently a tagged Yammy WR250R to get back to my roots. (and another H2 750 and Maico 400 basket case that I never got running).
I watch that American Pickers show, and other than seeing the Beno Rodi episode, I wonder just who exactly, ended up with all of the dealer and promo signs for AJS, BSA, CZ, DKWw, Husky, Montesa, Ossa, Ppenton, Bultaco, etc., to Zundapp. I have never even seen a Carabela sign in real life.
Well enough of that. Just found your email at your sight, and wanted you to know how much I enjoyed your work back in the day. Take care, peace out, and Maico Breako!
Kind regards,
Hal Jarvis
Cleveland, Georgia
Thanks amigo. It is truly amazing how your mind keeps those old details alive.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: OLD STUFF FROM MODERN CYCLE
Rick,
You should run the old article: “Desert Daze” from page 28 of Modern Cycle magazine, April, 1976, pictures and all in Don’t Ask! Let those kids of today learn what real riding was!
I’m going through all the Mod Psycho discs (again) and just love them! I’m almost to the 1976 Yamaha TT500 test issue. Imagine, a “thumper” with a lifespan of decades instead of 30 to 40 hours!
Take it easy, Bro.
David “TT500” Fruhling
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SUBJECT: MAX HP FOR THE 501 MAICO
Rick,
Please could you help? What porting did you use on the 52hp 501, please? Or is the person still around that knew the porting, please?
Gary J. Gwillam
When I heard about the 501, I had to have one! After parting with about $1100, I picked up a brand-new, bright yellow 501 at Cooper Motors. After a brief break-in ride, I hammered the throttle hard and was rewarded with ho-hum power. The average 400 Maico would pull it through the gears and was much snappier on the hit.
After moaning long and loud about the disappointing performance, Brian Fabre (the manager at Cooper Motors) told me to bring the 501 over and we would correct the problem. It was there that I found out about the reason for the forgettable power.
However, fixing the problem was simple. First, we removed the wimpy big clutch and installed the stout small clutch, using the three-row chain for maximum strength. Then the barrel came off and we raised and widened the exhaust port to the original specs. The intake port got a pair of L-shaped slots ground in, and matching holes were drilled in the piston.
While we were fiddling with the piston, Fabre cut 1.5mm off the intake side of the piston skirt. We also cut a few millimeters out of the head pipe and shortened the stinger a full inch. The engine was then bolted to an accurate water-brake dyno and registered a whopping 52 horsepower on the first pass! We had to back the ignition timing off to 1.25mm before Top Dead Center to cool the big engine down.
Happy as a clam (assuming, of course, that clams are happy), I rode the bike and was delighted! Naturally, the clutch was almost impossible to use, but there was so much torque that I ignored it except for starting. Gearing was setup for desert. The largest countershaft sprocket available was put on the front and a tiny one was bolted to the rear wheel.
We checked the speed of the bike by running it alongside a car on an empty desert road, and as close as we could figure, it ran about 105 miles per hour! Not too shabby.
The bike was raced for a few months, and I actually won a bunch of trophies with it. It was almost like cheating! The 501 tracked straight as a rifle shot, pulled like a freight train and had suspension superior to every other bike on the track.
Then one day the Maico team came into town and Brian Fabre gave me another phone call: “Bring your bike over to the shop we’ll get some real horsepower out of it!”
I showed up that night and met the legendary Adolph Weil and the rest of the Maico team. They were busy setting up their bikes for the upcoming Trans-AMA Series. Since I was nice enough to make a bunch of beer and fried-chicken runs, Adolph and his mechanic decided to share some horsepower secrets.
They yanked the barrel off the 501 and Adolph scribed some marks on the barrel to show the correct “maximum” porting. Meanwhile, his mechanic took 0.125 off the head, jacking the compression ratio sky-high. A 40mm carb was installed, jetted in the ballpark, then the engine was bolted firmly to the dyno.
The first run yielded a monstrous gain, showing almost 58 horsepower at the countershaft sprocket! After correcting the jetting, we reached 61 horsepower. A few more cuts on the exhaust pipe had the engine peaking at 63 magnificent ponies!
I was afraid that the engine would turn into a hard-to-ride monster after this, but it was flexible, with a smooth power delivery and, best of all, it started up easier than a 125! I could actually start the bike with my hand once the engine was warmed up. The only trade-off was that it inhaled gas! With a four-gallon PMC tank, it could get a bit over 50 miles under hard racing conditions.
Racing the bike was a pure joy! We rechecked the top speed and registered about 112 miles per hour—and it would still chug through rocky canyons in low gear without slipping the clutch. The speed was so awesome that I was actually able to notch about a dozen overall wins at the Sand Sailors desert races held at the Ponderosa in the Mojave Desert.
Bear in mind, not much skill was involved. The course was a mixture of deep, sandy whoops, with a wide-open dry lakebed and fast fire roads tossed in. If ever a course was made for a particular bike, it was that one. All you had to do was hang on, try to keep your forearms from pumping up and gas it as hard as you dared.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: OLD PENNA RIDER
I’m just making contact to thank ya and hope someday to drop by from Southeast Pennsylvania to meet you. Your writing style and bike passions and knowledge were the fuel and inspiration for my local guru-ish reverie by those who portray the local been there/done that young crowd. I would never put them down, but ya gotta pay dues before the talk bears reverence. I’m a broad spectrum equipment tech in my 50s, retired trials competitor, district 6. Now I am amusing myself with local ADV riding and trying to take in all nature has for me as an off-roader and respectful biker.
Trials skills help when exploring with the camping gear. I have always liked your wit, and myself find it hard to make it through the day without laying a zinger on someone who might understand it! To validate myself, I don’t own a KTM 1290 Adventure and a KLIM riding outfit. Just a Japanese dual sport of mid size, and sensible gear for the times I can get away. No fashion show here, bro. Peace and Love my friend, and roost the guy behind you like it’s a verticross!
Lawrence The Cat
Having any sort of a trials like background can be a real value when it comes other forms of dirt bikes. Some of the best riders I have ever seen and ridden with have been trials people.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: I’M GLAD I’M STILL AROUND TOO.
Hello, I’m glad you’re still around, contributing to my knowledge… I’ve been a fan since I was 12 years old… 45 years or so…
I have an old 1979 Yamaha IT175 I’m restoring in my retirement and am wondering if there are any good places to send my Monoshock off for restoring/re-valving for my 220lb riding weight. I went with a 175 because I want a light bike to carry on an old VW Campervan. Feel free to use this on your Q & A on Dirtbikes’ website. Thanks for your help.
Eric Brandt
Sent from my iPhone
Since I don’t have any idea where you live, I can only give you a recommendation for a local shop. In this case I’ve heard good things about Steve’s Cycles, located at 2217 E. Main St., Mesa, AZ. Phone 480-964-4754.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: GREEN TRIALS BIKES
Hi, Rick:
We have just taken into stock a green OSSA, engine and frame number B700001. We bought it in the UK, but could have been an import from sometime ago. We can’t find this on any list, and ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Will
Direct Classic Imports LTD
You are looking at a trials bike. These are the only OSSA bikes made that had green on them. There was only one bike ever made that was completely green, cases and all, and that was the Italjet 350.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: 2001 KTM E-XC 300
Hey, sir:
I’m doing a build and I can’t find a cdi for this bike. Do you know any alternatives I heard a newer one would work?
Raymond Savary
Sent from my iPhone
Try KTM in the West at one of these two phone numbers for your parts: 480-985-3553 or 951-600-8007.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: YAMAHA 360
Rick:
I read your article on the 360, I had one if I remember right it was a 1973. It had fallible plugs–just pull the spark plug wires, pull it off one and stick it on the other side. You didn’t mention that so maybe I’m mistaken about the year. But I do remember very well the kick starter. That thing hurt if you didn’t do it just right. Had a female friend who could ride most anything. It broke one of the bones in her lower leg. I rode from Tucson to Phoenix on mine. I was just dreaming of owning one again and found your piece. I had to laugh when you mentioned the way it would kick you back. I loved that bike.
Thanks for the memories.
Joel
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SHAMELESS PLUG
My new book, THE LAST RIDE, is at now out. It’s fiction and starts in 1969, when an 18-year-old kid just out of high school gets a chance to ride his Yamaha 250 DT1 from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles … all off-road. His adventures are truly amazing. The book then jumps 40+ years where the same person, now in his 60s, wants to get that old Yamaha back in his possession and return it home by riding it all off-road across the country again. The book is $15 plus $2.75 for mail anywhere in the US and for more information.–Rick Sieman
Email address: superhunky@gmail.com
Paypal address: superhunky@gmail.com
Website: www.superhunky.com
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