In 1981, Maico made one of the fastest open-class bikes in the world. They did this by boring out the 440cc engine to a massive 490cc, changing the spoke pattern in the wheels, and flattening out the seat and tank design. The new seat and tank design made it so that you sat more on top of the bike, giving you better handling and control. The front of the seat was also raised some, creating a more comfortable and ergonomic ride.
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Many vintage motocross enthusiasts consider the Honda Elsinore CR250M one of the most influential motocross bikes of all time. Not only was it the first dirt bike that Honda built from the ground up instead of using a street bike as a model, but the Elsinore was also Honda’s first two-stroke machine.
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Produced from 1969 to 1974, the AJS Stormer Y5, or AJS Stormer 370 was a motocrosser powered by a two-stroke engine with a 368cc displacement. Based off of the Villiers Starmaker, the Y5 was also called the Stormer 370. The Stormer Y5’s powerful engine was fed by a 2.4 gallon gas tank and had a compression ratio of 11:1, a bore/stroke of 83x68mm, and used an Amal Mk1 34mm “1034” carburetor.
The build of the AJS Stormer Y5 was just as impressive as the engine. A large-diameter, single-backbone frame was used with side rails of smaller diameters, and an innovative spindle gave the swing arm adjustability, and therefore great handling. A tuned expansion chamber was theoretically placed so that it was hidden from the heat of the engine. The build and layout of the Y5 made it pretty easy to work on. Something any rider can appreciate!
To this day the AJS Stormer Y5 is still a very stylish looking bike that stands out from the flood of Japanese mx bikes. In 1971, the Stormer 370 landed in the mid range for pricing of similar models of mx’ers at the time, typically selling for about $1245. Wouldn’t you love to find a fully restored AJS 370 for that price now?!