The Maicoletta motor scooter of the 1950s was one of the largest motor scooters produced by any manufacturer until the modern era. The engine was a single cylinder 247cc piston port 2-stroke (an export version featuring a 277cc engine was also produced for use with a sidecar), with four foot-operated gears, enclosed chain drive, centrifugal fan cooling and electric start. This was fitted to a tubular frame built on motorcycle principles with long travel telescopic forks and 14 inch wheels. The Maicoletta had a top speed of greater than 70mph, comparable with most 250cc motorcycles of the time. In the 1950s most scooters such as Vespa, Lambretta, were 125cc to 200cc with 8-10 inch wheels and a top speed of 55 to 60mph, so the expensive but fast and comfortable Maicoletta developed a following amongst scooter club enthusiasts.
This intriguing and unique machine was built during 1973 by Horst Seel and Gert Bender for the 1974 Grand Prix season for use by Horst Seel. At the heart of this machine is an engine that is one of a very small batch built by the factory to a design that was different to the ôstandardö Maico racers of the period. The crankcases are sand cast items with separate oil compartments for the six speed gearbox and primary drive. A dry clutch is employed as are special crankshaft flywheels. Horst Seel designed and built special sand cast cylinders with nickasil bores increasing the power produced and special sand cast heads were fitted.
It is understood that two or three other machines were built by Seel and Bender but they are known not to have been fitted with the highly developed and specialised engine found in this example making this machine unique.
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