🤦♂️That's your problem you're in the UK! That place is trash. They are the individuals who created majority of the problems that we are currently going through today if you have to go back to the history of the Vatican then the king and queen of England who oversee all of the legal issues in London then you will see who created majority of these issues in America due to the fact that Spain had the Monopoly on America in the 15th and 16th century so that's when Queen Elizabeth would set out for her the hundred year plan for America for the USAand that was only due to the fact that America had a lot of commodities and everyone wanted to get their hands on these commodities such as "gold" "silver" and "copper" so the kings and queens could feel their greedy needs of their Royal missions and conquest to rule the oceans and all of the lands not only in the UK but all around the world and that's currently being done as we speak! So before you go speaking you need to go learn your history never blame America or United States you have to go back to the original source of the problem and the individuals who created the problem that would be our people your people in the UK and all around the now!👍
Me too. Had the 82 490 when I went in the army. Fast forward to 2020 I picked up an ultra clean 83 IT 250 in amazing condition. Funny they go on about XR600r. I'm putting the finishing touches on a 97 into dualsport bike.
I’m not an expert by any means on the Marvel Characters or the movies, so this is a question; I thought he rode a HD? I must not be thinking of the right thing, or even know about Alpha Flight correctly. Thanks for anyone who can clear this up for me.
I raced the ‘83 YZ490 for a year, almost every weekend, in FL. That sound is so familiar and you’ve done an amazing job with the restoration. I know that bike really well. The 4 speed was fine for motocross. The kick starter was a bad design and I sheared the return spring 3 or 4 times. The motor is very reliable, will rev to the moon, and can crush an ‘83 CR480 to the first turn. But when you get there, you won’t be able to turn, so the Honda will end up going inside you unless you are a pro. The fork was a little undersprung, but not bad otherwise. The rear end, like most Yamahas of that era, will swap occasionally, like it has too little high speed rebound damping. Thanks for sharing. Brought back a lot of memories. Although I won quite a few races in the YZ, it felt like a struggle. Like it was a love/hate relationship. My memory was that the CR480 wasn’t as fast, but easier to ride. It had some head shake, but turned a lot easier. Maybe the most overlooked, but perhaps the best of 83 was the RM. my buddy always brought 2 to the track, and I ended up racing one in Moto 2, when the top triple clamp failed on my YZ. We were young and strong and could break open class 2 strokes. Now they would eat me alive. Anyway, pulled the RM off the trailer, and rode it to the starting gate. Having never ridden one, I could believe how well it handled. Turned like the Honda without the head shake.
All of the 80s era big bores were badass! Loved those years of the 490s 82 and 83! Remember em well, my hands are going numb and growing blisters as I type.
I had the exact same bike when I was fourteen. As good of condition as this one but my tank graphics were gone. I have no idea what was going through my parents minds when they bought that for a fourteen year old kid. I'm 40 now and watching this brings back alot of fun memories.
As a kid, I remember seeing these in the Yamaha dealership showroom back in the day, drooling over them. Those gold rims were over the top! Beautiful bike.
My generation... so love those late 70s- early 80s Yamahas. There was a lot going on in a short period of time. Honda, Kaw, all of them. I want to own one of everything.....🤯🤯
Man I absolutely LOVE your channel! Seeing that beautiful lush green grass and the YZ490 brings back nostalgic memories of growing up in Michigan, when I was around 14 years old my neighbor had a YZ490 that looked exactly like that, so I'm thinking it was probably an 83. I was obsessed with three wheelers and dirt bikes. I got my first dirt bike then when I was 14, in 1986, it was an old 1980 Yamaha IT 175. Now I'm 48 living in Houston and I wanna get a couple of bikes so my son and I can get into riding. God bless!
I had an 82 rode it for 9 yrs. Best bike I owned, when bike is warmed up full throttle it would start. Bosch single platinum plug can't foul it toyota supra plug, forged piston,Barnett Kevlar clutch plates
You're videos are like a time machine for me. My buddy bought the same YZ490 at a rummage sale for $100.00. It was in boxes. One day sitting in the barn I said let's put that thing together. It wasn't the prettiest bike but it sure had balls!!!. He eventually wrecked on the river ice racing. We moved on. CR 500 RULES the ice now!!!
I just bought my first yamaha yz250 2 stroke, and it's crazy fun. I can't wait to work my way up to a 500. The hardest I've ever rode is a 450 atv. And that was crazy fun. This 490 is super sweet. The sound is just iconic!
I’m 56 and always favored Yamaha too. I’m 56 and still have a ‘82 XT 550. 7500 miles. I want to make it a TT 600 but it too has supertrap header and piping
i am glad i saw this i have got a yz 1983 non water cooled 490 i bought in california back in 1984 raced it twice hurt me twice but i never had the heart to get rid of it . but now i would like to put engine in a off road go cart or buggy. thank you for your program.
Living the dream my fellow patriots! My hat is off to you gentlemen,, standing ovation. My MX machines were 1979, 80, 82 KX 250s. They were beautiful as well. The tune “ Rise “ 1979 Herb Alpert . I don’t ever want to come down.
That is one mint, well kept and well restored big bore that barks like one of your big rottweiler guard dogs, I saw in a video, a while back. Gorgeous and sweet, very loyal, and family oriented guard dog. The Germans were genius for breeding rottweilers years ago.
Man I miss my old 86 yz125 red and white with the red seat with white tiger strips my cuzzon had the 87 yz250 red and white we thought we was big dogs back in the 90s with those bikes love the channel been watching for about two weeks and watched a few of your videos and jr he badass on that kx500
I had the 82 yz 125 and I wanted this 490 so so so bad...never got one. But all they ever talk about are the two 500s, the cr and kx, but hardly see stuff on these 490s and I loved them. Awesome video, awesome restoration!
Awesome video man I remember all those old bikes. My first bike was an old RM 80 fat seat. I went all over northern Michigan power line trails with that thing. All my friends had bikes of various sizes. Was fun times back then man.
@@BigDmike24 mine was a 1977/8 model was tiny bike but was quick for a kid my age/size back then. My brother bought an yz for his son long time ago and it was taller and faster then the older bikes of the 70/80s styles. FUN TIMES THEN.
I had the earlier 1977 YZ400 with the early edition mono shock. Sold that open class and bought my first brand new open class in 1983 which was a Honda CR480r. I raced enduro races and mx as well but mostly enduro all through the 80's and will never forget it. I probably miss my old Yamaha 82 model IT250K model the most as I raced it for years in enduro. The good old Yamaha Energy Induction System,,aka,,boost bottle from the factory..lol..It was a great bike. I've owned many and started riding in 1974 on a Honda SL70,,good times and I still ride on/off road to this day on a KTM690 enduro R. So much fun and good times had over the years.
I own the exact model YZ 490, a 83 K model. It hasnt been out of my shed in over 25 years and looks rather sad. I bought it in 1985, it was built for the Finke Desert race. It is THE FASTEST dirt bike ive ever ridden. The motor was sent to the US from here in West Australia to do what was needed to squeeze out every single hp out of it, no expense spared. Mainly port and head work but a whole lot of other stuff as well including a balance and xray of all internals. All the gear set are of an aftermarket brand to handle the extra grunt. When i first rode it, it. Felt really gutless, no bottom end power at all and bugger all mid range. I rode it like that for about two minutes and it fouled the plug. Pushed it back to the owners house and he told me ya gotta let it sing and give it some stick. Cleaned the plug and off i went again. It was in the middle of suburbia so i let it wind out a bit then all of a sudden around six thousand rpm it hopped on the pipe and took off. The front wheel shot skywards and it just about ripped my arms outta their sockets. That happened at around 60 mph. It was geared to do around 120 mph flat out. The back sprocket was about the size of the hub. It had the power delivery characteristics of a little YZ 80 but in the quantities of a 600. I took it back to the owner and gave him the cash. I had to have it hook or by crook. Didnt haggle over the price at all. He wanted to keep both side plates and number plate on the front. No probs, took em off and loaded it on the back of my ute and took off before he changed his mind. When i got it home i started to look closely at what it was all about and what else had been done. It had a set of Marzorchi forks which gave 13 inches of travel, very very plush but unbottomable. And either a Fox or Whitepower back shock on it which gave nearly 14 inches of travel. Again very plush for the first six or seven inches then it would slowly stiffen up. Nothing like the original feel on that model 490. It had some different type of linkage setup than the normal. It was the smoothest riding off rode bike ive ridden. Absolutely no vibration through the bars or pegs at any revs. I had a 250 wheel with a near new 44 tooth alluminium sprocket and a reasonable Pirelli tyre on it from another YZ i had so i swapped them over and had to shim the axle to fit . Started her up and first gear became that low you could pull a loaded semi with it. Second was like a normal first, third was like second and fourth was normal fourth. The aftermarket gearset was matched to the final top speed. Top gear power starts where no prob at all if ya could keep the front wheel down. I wouldnt say it was the best handling bike iv ridden, but it was surely the smoothest. You could hit a series of water ruts and not even feel them or launch off a fifteen foot verticle drop and still not bottom either end out. I owned an 83 RD model CR 480 at the same time which i still have also and they were completely opposite to each other. The 480 would pull like a freight train right from idle but ran outta revs at around 7000. Thats gettin near where the 490 would hit powerband and take off. The 480 was much much more forgiving, the 490 was all or nothing. No inbetween whatsoever. The 480 looked brand new, the 490 looked like it had been flipped many times. Two of my mates rode it and both of them flipped it in the first ten minutes. One of em skinned nearly all of his back when it buck him off at around 65 mph on hard limestone. It snapped all of the back subframe off as well as the seat and mangled the handlebars too. Lol. Might be gettin time to wheel her out and do a rebuild , but itll need alot of work and money. Im nearly done rebuilding the 480 again and it dont take long for the $$$$ to mount up. All the plStics have been sanded and polished to better than new but i wanna put a new set of mains, piston, rings etc just because. Even after hundred of hours hard riding the piston, rings and bore look like new with abso no wear at all. Always ran R 30 in it, maybe thats why. I wish you could still get it. I bought two twenty litre drums of it about 20 years ago and have now run out.😩🤬. Love ya vid once again and that is a beautiful bike id give my left nut to own. If it were mine id never sell it, just pass it on to the next gen of kin when ya ready for the clover. Thanx again for the vid. Id love to see it on the track chewing up those four pokes. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
If you're interested in selling that yz490 I would be interested in buying it call or text me 860-916-9784. This is Ken Senior the guy in the video riding the bike
KAPLAN AMERICA You will have first pick at it mate if i do wanna flog it off. Im on the West coast of Australia though and the shipping or airfreight might sting you a bit. Youd know better than me though. Im nearly done rebiulding m 480, every single bit of alloy has been polished, swingarm,all the shock linkages, shock, forks, kickstart, brake levers front n rear and in between, gearshift, fork clamps,engine mounts and stays. Wish i had a $ for every hour iv spent rubbing with sandpaper then polishing with Purple. Its the best polish ever made for any grade of alluminium. Makes alloy look like chrome. Anyone doing up a bike has to buy a bottle of it. Works like magic. Iv got one of those big red polish balls thatcha stick in the end of a lectric drill. They seem to last forever if you wash em. Polishes plastics to as new condition with Armourall. Thats good stuff too. What do you’s use Ken Seniour on your bikes? You have started a new craze worldwide. Good to see the 70s and 80s 90s bikes getting pulled out of sheds n barns and restored like you have done. Congratulations on how successful your business has become. Nothing i know of anywhere else in the world. Good stuff mate.✌🏻👍
yeh these thing were gr8 till they start to fall apart,id get an alli frame made up if i got this just to save this good one because it won,t last long .
I used to get a ride on the back of my older friend's 490 when I was a kid. Best scary memories ever! He gave me a helmet once with no lining, it span round on my little pea head 😂
Great bikes bring great people together. Beautiful day,awesome scenery. Heaven on earth, what more can we ask for?? Well...more bikes and more vids from Ken of course👍
Nice bike! I had this exact bike bought from original owner back in 86. Was mint! Wish I never sold it. The only thing I hated was that 4 speed transmission. It topped out way too fast.... not enough top end. That wide ratio 5 speed must be nice!
Long live the dinosaurs! Nothing cooler than old school Yamaha! Or any old bike for that matter! I'd love to pick you guy's brains I love restoring old bikes or at least trying too not so worried about cosmetics but everything has to be perfect far as mechanical sound goes! No better feeling than finally getting that bike outside for the first time! Kicking it over and hearing it come to life! All that hard work, time, money, and tears for sure paying off! Dealing with two nightmare bikes now an 2000 a YZ426F! And an 1984 KDX200 nothing but problems one after another none stop nothing going right! Never ever had this kinda trouble b4! I'm a welder and machinist by trade! Went to school for both I use the best of everything snap-on tools Cornwell tools I have a guy for everything if I cant figure it out for help and no luck! These bikes are so old even the YZ it's so difficult to find anyone with any real knowledge about them it's all a shot in the dark for me going by what I e learned over the years and putting that into play hoping for the best! I look forward to seeing f all these videos about these bikes you guys build! Hopefully I'll learn something! Coolest bike I ever had was an 83 IT465 blue and yellow sweet bike nothing I ever rod like it b4! What's even cooler is the reaction people give when they see them running and all in one peace looking good! Or the guys who think there tough and and get scared to ride one it's great all around!! You've got a fan! Here in western Pennsylvania!
You can get castor at Cycle gear yellow bottle. There's additive for when it's cold thins out the castor. Id run it in my KX 500. With race gas. My friends behind me what you using. 727 Maxima smelled that way.
Older Buddy of mine I worked with years ago had a bunch of these old big bore Yamahas. He restores them going as far as making new bolts, he has a mill and lathe to make parts that he can’t find so everything looks like factory. Someone he has had people that know everything about these bikes not be able to tell some parts he made were new
First video I've seen of yours, subbed. I've had Yz125 IT250 DT250 RD350lc still have the yz426f and thats just the Yamahas I can remember. Not to mention other brands but yammies are always my favorite. G'day from Australia.
I'm in the UK, this is the most American video I've seen in a while, love it. God Bless America.
🤦♂️That's your problem you're in the UK! That place is trash. They are the individuals who created majority of the problems that we are currently going through today if you have to go back to the history of the Vatican then the king and queen of England who oversee all of the legal issues in London then you will see who created majority of these issues in America due to the fact that Spain had the Monopoly on America in the 15th and 16th century so that's when Queen Elizabeth would set out for her the hundred year plan for America for the USAand that was only due to the fact that America had a lot of commodities and everyone wanted to get their hands on these commodities such as "gold" "silver" and "copper" so the kings and queens could feel their greedy needs of their Royal missions and conquest to rule the oceans and all of the lands not only in the UK but all around the world and that's currently being done as we speak! So before you go speaking you need to go learn your history never blame America or United States you have to go back to the original source of the problem and the individuals who created the problem that would be our people your people in the UK and all around the now!👍
If only if it was a American motorcycle than its be super American lmao and a few fat guys with beer and shot guns
Thanks, word up.
Thanks word up! Those words sound real nice right now.
@@dangrimes5078 Those people in Britain need to go visit the dentist regularly have you ever seen Their teeth
You CANNOT beat the sound of a big-bore two stroke! 🤘🏻
I got 108mph at 12.2 seconds to the 1/4 mile on a 86 white YZ490.Geared up ,lowered front forks & a old road bike front tire used at the rear.
Had the 490 in high school before I went in the army. Sounds great!
I had a '87 yz490 too when i was in high school. Kinda miss it a little along with my '86 xr600.
Sound crispy
had 490 465 a 360 and 500sc before going in the Marines
Ding....Ding.....Ding.....Ding!❤
Me too. Had the 82 490 when I went in the army. Fast forward to 2020 I picked up an ultra clean 83 IT 250 in amazing condition. Funny they go on about XR600r. I'm putting the finishing touches on a 97 into dualsport bike.
Wolverine's motorcycle choice is 1983 yz490 than he used when he was part of alpha flight the matched uniform perfectly🤘🤘👍👍💯
I’m not an expert by any means on the Marvel Characters or the movies, so this is a question; I thought he rode a HD? I must not be thinking of the right thing, or even know about Alpha Flight correctly.
Thanks for anyone who can clear this up for me.
I don’t remember him ever riding a dirt bike harleys and road bikes I think he rode a ninja in one of the comics
What a beauty this bike is.
@@badvibesnly1993 In the movies Wolverine is more into Harley’s and those type of style of bikes.
that 490 had a CRACK to it, amazing and properly tuned for sure.. you can hear it at 1:03
Air cooled 2 strokes; love the simplicity, power and ease of maintenance!
I raced the ‘83 YZ490 for a year, almost every weekend, in FL. That sound is so familiar and you’ve done an amazing job with the restoration. I know that bike really well. The 4 speed was fine for motocross. The kick starter was a bad design and I sheared the return spring 3 or 4 times. The motor is very reliable, will rev to the moon, and can crush an ‘83 CR480 to the first turn. But when you get there, you won’t be able to turn, so the Honda will end up going inside you unless you are a pro. The fork was a little undersprung, but not bad otherwise. The rear end, like most Yamahas of that era, will swap occasionally, like it has too little high speed rebound damping. Thanks for sharing. Brought back a lot of memories. Although I won quite a few races in the YZ, it felt like a struggle. Like it was a love/hate relationship. My memory was that the CR480 wasn’t as fast, but easier to ride. It had some head shake, but turned a lot easier. Maybe the most overlooked, but perhaps the best of 83 was the RM. my buddy always brought 2 to the track, and I ended up racing one in Moto 2, when the top triple clamp failed on my YZ. We were young and strong and could break open class 2 strokes. Now they would eat me alive. Anyway, pulled the RM off the trailer, and rode it to the starting gate. Having never ridden one, I could believe how well it handled. Turned like the Honda without the head shake.
These are my favorite vintages of bikes. I was 10 years old in 83 and I would pour over magazines and brochures for hours looking at these bikes.
All of the 80s era big bores were badass! Loved those years of the 490s 82 and 83! Remember em well, my hands are going numb and growing blisters as I type.
I had the exact same bike when I was fourteen. As good of condition as this one but my tank graphics were gone. I have no idea what was going through my parents minds when they bought that for a fourteen year old kid. I'm 40 now and watching this brings back alot of fun memories.
I have no idea how you are alive right now.
@@ZSmith-yy4lv I had some close calls but I was pretty good on that bike. I would love to know where it ended up.
As a kid, I remember seeing these in the Yamaha dealership showroom back in the day, drooling over them. Those gold rims were over the top! Beautiful bike.
My generation... so love those late 70s- early 80s Yamahas. There was a lot going on in a short period of time. Honda, Kaw, all of them.
I want to own one of everything.....🤯🤯
Man I absolutely LOVE your channel! Seeing that beautiful lush green grass and the YZ490 brings back nostalgic memories of growing up in Michigan, when I was around 14 years old my neighbor had a YZ490 that looked exactly like that, so I'm thinking it was probably an 83. I was obsessed with three wheelers and dirt bikes. I got my first dirt bike then when I was 14, in 1986, it was an old 1980 Yamaha IT 175. Now I'm 48 living in Houston and I wanna get a couple of bikes so my son and I can get into riding. God bless!
I had an 82 rode it for 9 yrs. Best bike I owned, when bike is warmed up full throttle it would start. Bosch single platinum plug can't foul it toyota supra plug, forged piston,Barnett Kevlar clutch plates
You’re jacked Mr. Kaplan !!! You and your son and the Kaplan crew are the bomb. Ohh mint you just started her up can’t wait to see you ride !!! ✊🤝🙏
My my, another fantastic find. Just love these big two strokes,,, from when I was younger and flying around on several 490,500s✌️😜god bless england😇
Daaaang! Best sounding 490 I've ever herd! ✌🇺🇸
You're videos are like a time machine for me. My buddy bought the same YZ490 at a rummage sale for $100.00. It was in boxes. One day sitting in the barn I said let's put that thing together. It wasn't the prettiest bike but it sure had balls!!!. He eventually wrecked on the river ice racing. We moved on. CR 500 RULES the ice now!!!
I just bought my first yamaha yz250 2 stroke, and it's crazy fun. I can't wait to work my way up to a 500. The hardest I've ever rode is a 450 atv. And that was crazy fun. This 490 is super sweet. The sound is just iconic!
This is very inspiring 83 was my most memorable year for Yamaha I went from 80 cc to 125 It felt like a huge leap
I was 1000% Yamaha YZ 490,The ultimate bike back in the day! Man that brings back memories
amen i stil start once or twce a month just to hear it i'm 53 now and ride a little , nabors think i'm nuts but okay the bike came first
I’m 56 and always favored Yamaha too. I’m 56 and still have a ‘82 XT 550. 7500 miles. I want to make it a TT 600 but it too has supertrap header and piping
i am glad i saw this i have got a yz 1983 non water cooled 490 i bought in california back in 1984 raced it twice hurt me twice but i never had the heart to get rid of it . but now i would like to put engine in a off road go cart or buggy. thank you for your program.
Living the dream my fellow patriots!
My hat is off to you gentlemen,, standing ovation.
My MX machines were 1979, 80, 82 KX 250s. They were beautiful as well.
The tune “ Rise “ 1979 Herb Alpert . I don’t ever want to come down.
That is one mint, well kept and well restored big bore that barks like one of your big rottweiler guard dogs, I saw in a video, a while back. Gorgeous and sweet, very loyal, and family oriented guard dog. The Germans were genius for breeding rottweilers years ago.
Social distancing goes right out the window when yz490's are involved lol🤣
Actually it works quite well. If your behind that bike as the throttle cracked open.
@@brianjacobsen5762 Very true...and when that happens....DUCK!!!!!
@@yamaharaptor01able especially when it sporting a 8-10 paddle tire. Had more than few rocks bouncing off the top my helmet.😁
I ran the big terra flex radial 7 psi. It threw boulders.
I had that exact bike when I was 14! It was a lot of bike for me, but damn I had fun!
Man I miss my old 86 yz125 red and white with the red seat with white tiger strips my cuzzon had the 87 yz250 red and white we thought we was big dogs back in the 90s with those bikes love the channel been watching for about two weeks and watched a few of your videos and jr he badass on that kx500
I had the 82 yz 125 and I wanted this 490 so so so bad...never got one. But all they ever talk about are the two 500s, the cr and kx, but hardly see stuff on these 490s and I loved them. Awesome video, awesome restoration!
No disc brakes back then gotta love the old school takes me back .
Man that's a hard hitting Bing Bing love watching the back fender bounce. 🏁🇺🇸
Awesome video man I remember all those old bikes. My first bike was an old RM 80 fat seat. I went all over northern Michigan power line trails with that thing. All my friends had bikes of various sizes. Was fun times back then man.
I had a 1985 RM80 I was the man till my buddy got a KX125. We had so much fun
@@BigDmike24 mine was a 1977/8 model was tiny bike but was quick for a kid my age/size back then. My brother bought an yz for his son long time ago and it was taller and faster then the older bikes of the 70/80s styles. FUN TIMES THEN.
@@marknowakowski6590 you know it!!
I had that same '83 490 YZ bike, back in '87.
Bought it used from a chiropractor , no lie !
Man I miss that thing !
love the video, made my day !!!
20yrs from Now that 490 will still be a Beast of a Bike...
I had the earlier 1977 YZ400 with the early edition mono shock. Sold that open class and bought my first brand new open class in 1983 which was a Honda CR480r. I raced enduro races and mx as well but mostly enduro all through the 80's and will never forget it. I probably miss my old Yamaha 82 model IT250K model the most as I raced it for years in enduro. The good old Yamaha Energy Induction System,,aka,,boost bottle from the factory..lol..It was a great bike. I've owned many and started riding in 1974 on a Honda SL70,,good times and I still ride on/off road to this day on a KTM690 enduro R. So much fun and good times had over the years.
That’s one magnificent 490! Awesome work
*I'm a Yamaha MX Fan Boy, and the Vintage 2-Strokes are some of the best sounding engines of their type, ever*
Those chops are a force to be reckoned with.
Sweet big bore two stroke action!😀 That's a very nice, tight bike. Can't wait to see more!😀👍🇱🇷
Love your video's ...hope to see Dave on your team in the next few years ...GOD BLESS .
Had an 82 yz 490 and it was a beast! Excellent video 👍
I just bought one! Has great compression, it’s complete, looks exactly like this one but sat outside for a long time. Clutch doesn’t seem to engage.
Great videos me and my boy watched 100s since lock down came into effect and were hooked
I had 3 of them & absolutely loved them! @Kaplan America keep keeping the memories alive!
Excellent restoration Dave.
Love that 2 stroke exhaust. Funnest smell on earth.
Camera work was excellent 💪🏾 Never seen a bike gone over in such detail with a camera 🔥
Saludos de Costa Rica mi para hace 20 años tenía una de esas excelente video
Had one in the UK they were red and white,, now they are a lot more expensive to purchase,, brilliant video from Northern Ireland,, ☘️☘️☘️
How ironic.. I just got to ride one of those a few weeks ago … Rattled my eyeballs and my hands and feet went numb.. but what a treat...
I own the exact model YZ 490, a 83 K model. It hasnt been out of my shed in over 25 years and looks rather sad. I bought it in 1985, it was built for the Finke Desert race. It is THE FASTEST dirt bike ive ever ridden. The motor was sent to the US from here in West Australia to do what was needed to squeeze out every single hp out of it, no expense spared. Mainly port and head work but a whole lot of other stuff as well including a balance and xray of all internals. All the gear set are of an aftermarket brand to handle the extra grunt. When i first rode it, it. Felt really gutless, no bottom end power at all and bugger all mid range. I rode it like that for about two minutes and it fouled the plug. Pushed it back to the owners house and he told me ya gotta let it sing and give it some stick. Cleaned the plug and off i went again. It was in the middle of suburbia so i let it wind out a bit then all of a sudden around six thousand rpm it hopped on the pipe and took off. The front wheel shot skywards and it just about ripped my arms outta their sockets. That happened at around 60 mph. It was geared to do around 120 mph flat out. The back sprocket was about the size of the hub. It had the power delivery characteristics of a little YZ 80 but in the quantities of a 600. I took it back to the owner and gave him the cash. I had to have it hook or by crook. Didnt haggle over the price at all. He wanted to keep both side plates and number plate on the front. No probs, took em off and loaded it on the back of my ute and took off before he changed his mind. When i got it home i started to look closely at what it was all about and what else had been done. It had a set of Marzorchi forks which gave 13 inches of travel, very very plush but unbottomable. And either a Fox or Whitepower back shock on it which gave nearly 14 inches of travel. Again very plush for the first six or seven inches then it would slowly stiffen up. Nothing like the original feel on that model 490. It had some different type of linkage setup than the normal. It was the smoothest riding off rode bike ive ridden. Absolutely no vibration through the bars or pegs at any revs. I had a 250 wheel with a near new 44 tooth alluminium sprocket and a reasonable Pirelli tyre on it from another YZ i had so i swapped them over and had to shim the axle to fit . Started her up and first gear became that low you could pull a loaded semi with it. Second was like a normal first, third was like second and fourth was normal fourth. The aftermarket gearset was matched to the final top speed. Top gear power starts where no prob at all if ya could keep the front wheel down. I wouldnt say it was the best handling bike iv ridden, but it was surely the smoothest. You could hit a series of water ruts and not even feel them or launch off a fifteen foot verticle drop and still not bottom either end out. I owned an 83 RD model CR 480 at the same time which i still have also and they were completely opposite to each other. The 480 would pull like a freight train right from idle but ran outta revs at around 7000. Thats gettin near where the 490 would hit powerband and take off. The 480 was much much more forgiving, the 490 was all or nothing. No inbetween whatsoever. The 480 looked brand new, the 490 looked like it had been flipped many times. Two of my mates rode it and both of them flipped it in the first ten minutes. One of em skinned nearly all of his back when it buck him off at around 65 mph on hard limestone. It snapped all of the back subframe off as well as the seat and mangled the handlebars too. Lol. Might be gettin time to wheel her out and do a rebuild , but itll need alot of work and money. Im nearly done rebuilding the 480 again and it dont take long for the $$$$ to mount up. All the plStics have been sanded and polished to better than new but i wanna put a new set of mains, piston, rings etc just because. Even after hundred of hours hard riding the piston, rings and bore look like new with abso no wear at all. Always ran R 30 in it, maybe thats why. I wish you could still get it. I bought two twenty litre drums of it about 20 years ago and have now run out.😩🤬. Love ya vid once again and that is a beautiful bike id give my left nut to own. If it were mine id never sell it, just pass it on to the next gen of kin when ya ready for the clover. Thanx again for the vid. Id love to see it on the track chewing up those four pokes. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
If you're interested in selling that yz490 I would be interested in buying it call or text me 860-916-9784. This is Ken Senior the guy in the video riding the bike
KAPLAN AMERICA You will have first pick at it mate if i do wanna flog it off. Im on the West coast of Australia though and the shipping or airfreight might sting you a bit. Youd know better than me though. Im nearly done rebiulding m 480, every single bit of alloy has been polished, swingarm,all the shock linkages, shock, forks, kickstart, brake levers front n rear and in between, gearshift, fork clamps,engine mounts and stays. Wish i had a $ for every hour iv spent rubbing with sandpaper then polishing with Purple. Its the best polish ever made for any grade of alluminium. Makes alloy look like chrome. Anyone doing up a bike has to buy a bottle of it. Works like magic. Iv got one of those big red polish balls thatcha stick in the end of a lectric drill. They seem to last forever if you wash em. Polishes plastics to as new condition with Armourall. Thats good stuff too. What do you’s use Ken Seniour on your bikes? You have started a new craze worldwide. Good to see the 70s and 80s 90s bikes getting pulled out of sheds n barns and restored like you have done. Congratulations on how successful your business has become. Nothing i know of anywhere else in the world. Good stuff mate.✌🏻👍
People like Dave are worth their weight in gold!!!
Picking my 83 up today! Completely identical! Even has the IT490 5 speed trans 👍🏻
i can't handle the energy this video gives off
That sound on idle,just awesome,
So much torque the chassie twisted coming up that hill :)
yeh these thing were gr8 till they start to fall apart,id get an alli frame made up if i got this just to save this good one because it won,t last long .
4sp. Tractor of motocross.
Gorgeous bike big hats off to this guy
A very nice resto 💯👍
Brings back memories of the 80s
This man did a GREAT job on both bikes .
What a beast of a bike they were! Love it!
Damn that bike looks tight!
Awesome torque at lower rev is something special from the beast. Thanks for the vid
First time Ken Kaplan has to be careful on someone else's grass. 😂 😂
I used to get a ride on the back of my older friend's 490 when I was a kid. Best scary memories ever! He gave me a helmet once with no lining, it span round on my little pea head 😂
Thank you for another great video. Well done.
I had a 1982 490. New $1800 out the door. Later same year had a demo ride on a 1983 490. Way better bike then 1982 j model
Great bikes bring great people together. Beautiful day,awesome scenery. Heaven on earth, what more can we ask for?? Well...more bikes and more vids from Ken of course👍
Thank you brother I appreciate that
@@KaplanCycles Thank you too,man. For all you do✌
Hey Ken you need to have a show on the discovery channel !!!
..and here we are!
Once again. Perfection. Mr Kaplan.
Nice bike! I had this exact bike bought from original owner back in 86. Was mint! Wish I never sold it. The only thing I hated was that 4 speed transmission. It topped out way too fast.... not enough top end. That wide ratio 5 speed must be nice!
Man that sounds great! When you start up a big bore you know bad things can happen fast😀
amen
Long live the dinosaurs! Nothing cooler than old school Yamaha! Or any old bike for that matter! I'd love to pick you guy's brains I love restoring old bikes or at least trying too not so worried about cosmetics but everything has to be perfect far as mechanical sound goes! No better feeling than finally getting that bike outside for the first time! Kicking it over and hearing it come to life! All that hard work, time, money, and tears for sure paying off! Dealing with two nightmare bikes now an 2000 a YZ426F! And an 1984 KDX200 nothing but problems one after another none stop nothing going right! Never ever had this kinda trouble b4! I'm a welder and machinist by trade! Went to school for both I use the best of everything snap-on tools Cornwell tools I have a guy for everything if I cant figure it out for help and no luck! These bikes are so old even the YZ it's so difficult to find anyone with any real knowledge about them it's all a shot in the dark for me going by what I e learned over the years and putting that into play hoping for the best! I look forward to seeing f all these videos about these bikes you guys build! Hopefully I'll learn something! Coolest bike I ever had was an 83 IT465 blue and yellow sweet bike nothing I ever rod like it b4! What's even cooler is the reaction people give when they see them running and all in one peace looking good! Or the guys who think there tough and and get scared to ride one it's great all around!! You've got a fan! Here in western Pennsylvania!
I have a 1990 yz490. This is a monster i love it!
Dude your jacked holy shit
Old man strength!!
Beautiful bike...I remember those when they were new..
Sounds nice and tight. Very crisp.
What I would give... you are a lucky man. Thanks for all the videos
That thing seems pretty strong & sounds great ...
I want to be like this guy when I grow up.
Man that's a clean bike love the 490!
I love the old yz 400 I used to have.
That thing sounds amazing wow
Love all your content. You've got a great style too. Definitely rocking a bad ass look, and an awesome rider to boot!
Thank you brother
YZ 490 when it passes you, it smells like victory . Wish the old castrol R was still around ,Nice bike .
.... it’s called benol now same same but different
Yeah, I swear to god when it started and he took off I smelt castrol R.
You can get castor at Cycle gear yellow bottle. There's additive for when it's cold thins out the castor. Id run it in my KX 500. With race gas. My friends behind me what you using. 727 Maxima smelled that way.
Older Buddy of mine I worked with years ago had a bunch of these old big bore Yamahas. He restores them going as far as making new bolts, he has a mill and lathe to make parts that he can’t find so everything looks like factory. Someone he has had people that know everything about these bikes not be able to tell some parts he made were new
Beautiful machine 👍🤠
Beautiful motorcycle 🏍
Classic 2 stroke 👍🏍
Yes sir! God bless America!! 💯🇺🇸💪👍
i rode an sc500 yammie. mucho fun in the 70,s
My friend owned one scary fast I love your video's bud
I have a 1983 yz250 and its an amazing looking bike, me and my freind restored it.
That guy could work on my bikes in a heart beat.Super skilled.
Kenny Kaplan is an amazing bloke, i was so jealous of Americans having Yellow YZs Cos our Euro tanks Faded with fuel. Beautiful 490.
That sound is just music to my ears
Amazing. One of a kind.
That thing is awesome sir 👏
Love that 490!!!
First video I've seen of yours, subbed. I've had Yz125 IT250 DT250 RD350lc still have the yz426f and thats just the Yamahas I can remember. Not to mention other brands but yammies are always my favorite. G'day from Australia.
Good vid ken I wish I was in usa I'd love to work on the old bikes