I bought a 1980 YZ465 from a guy who ordered it a year in advance and rode it three times and his wife made him sell it after he looped it and had to go to the ER. It had only been through a quart of oil out of the case he got with it new. It was one of the first off the assembly line that was headed to the United States.I ran mine in a desert race set up for top speed and was radared over 125 mph in Nevada during the morning when it was cool out still. I got a third in the class i was in.
Yes sir.. Mine is a 1987, they totally redesigned the yz490 a few times in its history. This one has the exhaust out the side of the head to clear the straight down tube of the frame. What a beautiful bike. Mine is almost that clean( almost.) It is my weekly rider so it gets scuffed up every year. Thanks for the video. Gotta love the old big bore 2 strokes...
I had a 86 yz490.Rode it for 4 years.Never missed a beat.I geared it up & lowered it & put a old road bike tire on the rear end to do some drag racing.I got 108 mph at 12.2 seconds on the 1/4 mile.
First open class bike I ever rode. I was 14 or 15. Pretty well versed in riding and a big teenager. Still. I had no clue just how VIOLENT the throttle would be lol. Thank you to my long time neighbor Mark for always pushing me to go faster.
Ah, the memories, I know that big bore air cooled 2T sound well. Back in the 90s. I had a '92 WR500 which was a YZ490 motor stuffed in a YZ250 chassis. To be honest, as delivered the bike was a terrible blubbering pinging mess, but being a modder/fixer type I set to fixing it. The big fix was to match the transfer ports in the iron liner to the aluminum casting to get rid of a slight step in that area which really messed with the high speed airflow. While at it, my SoCal based tuner, who was a 490 guru, put a mild arch on the exhaust port so it would rev out a little more. Another thing to attend to was the head. The head got welded and the squish band was widened and made closer to the piston. After doing these mods and adding Boysen reeds, I was able to drop the main jet 3 sizes. It no longer pinged and it ran perfectly on point. People that heard it couldn't believe an old school air cooled big bore 2T could run that crisp. The stock 13/50 gearing was far too low and rendered the bike uncontrollable, so I geared it way up to 15/42 as it was used as a District 37 desert racer and trail bike. That engine loved to pull a load and man did it cover ground with the tall gearing, which didn't blunt it's ability to climb monster hills. Shifting up into 3rd at the base of hills so it could lug and find traction was the usual routine out in the Dez. The final touch was an FMF pipe, I found the step onto the powerband was better with the long stock silencer mated to the FMF. I also fully sprung and valved the suspension, it was stable and worked great at speed in the desert. Engine RPM dictated it's ability to turn - low RPM it would turn, forget it at high RPM, but it was freight train stable at speed with the revs up. The one thing that couldn't be fixed was the vibration, that engine shook biblically hard at higher RPM, which really was a problem. Shifting early and often was the rule! What a rude dog burly ass machine that was. KX and CR500s had nothing power wise on the tuned "air hammer". I won a few open class D37 races on that bike, and never wanted for power, that's for sure. It was reliable as the proverbial anvil too, with many hours of trouble free running. Like any 500, ya had to kick it like a man too. Kick it half ass and it would kick back, driving the right knee into the bar, which hurt like Hell, so I only made that mistake once. When I sold it I warned the buyer about the aggressive nature of the power. He rode it down the street, hit the powerband, spun the tire and involuntarily pulled a wheelie. He came back, visibly shaken, no haggling, gave me full asking price. Riding a 300 XC and a modded Husky 701 Enduro these days and life is better now. Had a lot of fun with it and glad I didn't die on my WR 500. I also have no interest in ever owning another 490 powered Yamaha, cuz I truly know what that evil thing is 😆
I had an ‘82 for a long time. Right as I saw the guy who bought it from me load it up to take it home I knew I made a big mistake. The bike was museum quality.
I had a 76 RM-250 in 29 Palms back in 82, let a guy from my platoon ride it. He came back from a screamer ride with water in his eyes and a big smile on his face and thanked me...the next day he went out and bought a brand new YZ-490!
The first big bore I rode as a kid! I was small and it was a thrill! I prob had been riding a PE 250 also around that time, but, being able to manage that monster as a kid gave me huge confidence! Wheelies were par for the course!
It was really pretty powerful! esp when it came on the pipe. I rode in fields, trails, dirt and pavement roads and cornfields also, through, water, streams, mud and up and down huge hills, never got into trouble! Sounded awesome with the old pitpes and small silencers from the era!@@577buttfan
@@577buttfanWild power for sure and ridiculous wheelies! Had to be very careful with the throttle hand! Loved how it sounded...those days w the small mufflers and nice pipes.
John Murner I hear ya but the yz stayed true to the air cooled and always seemed to have more torque off the line. Granted I was a teenager and could have been perception. I rode all of them and the rm500 scared me more than any. But it's awesome all us ol schoolers get to still enjoy these bikes as we did as kids. wait we are still kids :)
@@erikbreaman9124 did the RM 500 not have the lowest hp of all the big bores . or was it just an animal to ride cos that's what most people say about the yz490
Love the 82 YZ's. In 1982/83 I owned and raced a 1982 YZ100J here in Australia (Victoria) which won me quite a few titles. Here in Oz they were white though. My mate had a 1983 YZ250K which was a killer. But, one of my favourite riders of the time was Stephen Gall here in Oz who won just about everything there was on a ZY490. Beautiful bikes... wish I still had my 100J.
I miss my yz 490 so much man, nothing like the freedom I had riding in the desert 🏜, score 400 was right in my back yard man it was beautiful watching those desert races best part/experience of my life living in Bouse Az,85325 1996 to 2003
This guy from Kaplan must be the luckiest man on the planet. He has bikes in his hands that I adore! Please let me know if there is any vacancy to work with this company and to work on these fantastic motocross bikes! I am in! Greetings from a Dutch guy Robert.
Had several YZ, IT`s and always wanted something in the middle. A more ridable YZ for dirt play. So I built it 15 years ago. 82 IT465 bottom end, 83 YZ490 chassis and 81 YZ465 top end. Mudmobile extrordinaire. Fresh resto garage candy now. Almost hate to get it dirty, almost. Super reliable bikes.
03:13 - that’s what she said those bikes are still exciting to rip around. I had its 100cc little sister (born in ‘78). the tone the 490 makes reminds me of her sound, too
That’s my brand had 3 YZ 80 first one was 1975 thin 79 thin 95 year. Best of the best. The 125 riders would freak. Love your bikes videos. When I take my dream ride that from coast to coast I’m gonna go ride check your place out. Lived in England I’d like to see New England be a trip. Y’all look Kool I’m hip But I’m all Saints 👍🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🙏🙏 God Bless everybody
Ken i want that yamaha jersey. That is the time when i rode a 1979 yz125. I had the yellow bell moto helmet. With the hannah lightning boltz on my bike and helmet haha. Good memories
One of my all time favorite bikes👍👍👍 i has an 82 YZ 250 but never seemed to get it running 100%, I think it may have been problems with the YPVS power valve system. The 82 490 is my favorite.
1982 was a very bad year for Yamaha moto-crossers . The 125 's were snapping crankshafts … The 250 's were very overweight as was the 490 . The 490 also suffered from a very narrow powerband requiring more shifting than the competition. There were a couple of brothers that would come down from Northern Ontario a few times a year to race on our circuit. Bloody fast . The fastest of the 2 rode a 1982 Yz 250 with a 1981 air-cooled engine installed . The bike was a killer . The other brother rode a modified 1982 250 with the water cooled engine , but he told me it was a real bear to ride .
@@paulpatriot1776 Yes. Dirt bike magazine said the 82 rm 250 was the closest thing to a works bike . The engine was amazing . In 82 I was racing a new 1981 yz 125 H .. It was down on power compared to the 82 but it was very reliable and I won my share of races with it. The power issue ( very peaky ) only hurt me on the starts so it let me practice my passing skills through the races.
I just traded a beat up 98 rm250 i got for 700 bucks to ride as a ranch/yard rippper for a for a mint 82 490, i just thad to clean the carb and it started second kick.
I rode the yellow 480 these bikes don't have a power valve but they still pack that raw torque punch and had me fish tailing thru intersections in one gear ( 4th at that) Edit:y(e)
I just got a weird bike it is this exact frame but with a 1976ish wr360 Husky ported to shit lmao and about a 4 foot swing arm idk what was going on with it but I hope to rebuild mine. I also though that shock reservoir wasn’t stock... good to know.
Funny how MX Action and Dirt Bike managed negative reviews back then. I did well on the 490, it’s still got more power than anyone other than Broc Glover could use !
bo engel : haven't herd that one for years. Is that with the silver swing arm ? Dad bought me a 1974 yz 80 for my first real bike. My starter scooter was a Rupp mini bike pretty cool for a 8 yr. Old
That's my old bike how much is it. I used to ride 3 of my friends on one burn rubber in every gear on pavement smoke the tire off beautiful locked one up at 100 on a 9p degree sunny day soon as I got to where the pavement changed to bubbling hot tar I let off the air box used to come separated from the carburetor 44 mm my buddy was on the back it locked up when I skidded side to side to I got to gripping pavement she came un seesed and the forces of my buddy not knowing he thought he was dead he hit me in the back from his chest I let go off the hand not thinking he was going to push me off the throttle hand and the skid was about 100 feet the back tire skid was side to side. When it fires back yo it was like it never locked up. She was a beast.
More tame and controllable than the psycho 465YZ 5 speed of a year or two earlier and mine only had 4 speeds and was white with a red seat here in Australia..
I bought a new83 on 1/7/83 off of Paul Clark Yamaha in Brockton, mass. The bike cost 2449 bucks and I was gonna buy a KX250 at Brockton cycle center down the street, so I go in and say how much for a KX250? The guy says 18 and change , I said look it's January and if I buy one will you throw in a pair of boots? He says f you boots cost money what's your size I will sell you a USED pair of mine. I said, ;see that Yamaha dealer? Watch this, and over I go to Clark's, and a salesman, Joe Gardina, who became a good friend, even ended up living in my neighborhood and became a riding buddy says I will not only give you a pair of boots but also a spiffy new helmet! so I took my new YZ over to the KX store, asked to see the owner told him about his sales mans abilities to sell Yamahas and after watching the boss fire this jerk, home I went. but that was the sweetest, most ridable power house that rode like a 125 . You could throw it around all day. An awesome bike that nobody could touch.
His love for frame rails is like no other
Bahahaha
True
He’s got a good point though
Life was better when Yamahas were still yellow.
Them and the RM’s! I raced 250 expert class up to 1981 and was surrounded by yellow. 🤘🤘🤘
Red and white was best
@@TheFykle Love the red and white for sure.
I don't think the yellow with black bar scheme will ever be topped in my book.
I automatically thought nice Suzuki
Absolute rolling art. I owned an 82 YZ 250, but always wanted a 490! Takes me back to my high school years!
The more I watch this channel the more respect I get for you Ken. Pretty smart guy thanks for being a positive role model.
@@seandaugherty2033 to each is there own. Ig
Sending my frame out for powdercoat soon. Cant wait to start the reassembly of my 1983 YZ490 restoration.
I bought a 1980 YZ465 from a guy who ordered it a year in advance and rode it three times and his wife made him sell it after he looped it and had to go to the ER. It had only been through a quart of oil out of the case he got with it new.
It was one of the first off the assembly line that was headed to the United States.I ran mine in a desert race set up for top speed and was radared over 125 mph in Nevada during the morning when it was cool out still. I got a third in the class i was in.
Yes sir.. Mine is a 1987, they totally redesigned the yz490 a few times in its history. This one has the exhaust out the side of the head to clear the straight down tube of the frame. What a beautiful bike. Mine is almost that clean( almost.) It is my weekly rider so it gets scuffed up every year. Thanks for the video. Gotta love the old big bore 2 strokes...
I had a 86 yz490.Rode it for 4 years.Never missed a beat.I geared it up & lowered it & put a old road bike tire on the rear end to do some drag racing.I got 108 mph at 12.2 seconds on the 1/4 mile.
Nope.
One of my favorite bikes. Had a 87 yz490, wiseco big bore kit, chamber, ran with everything modern..
😂😂😂
Agreed 👊
A 490cc 2-stroke in 1982 you gotta love YAMAHA !!!
High VisiOn
Gotta 💘 All 2 strokers 👍
Unfortunately it was a turd. Detonated like Hell and had 4 gears, the mid to late 80’s were not Yamahas better days for open class bikes
Kx made a 500 2 stroke and my dad had one
@@rednecklivesmatter344 🤷🏼♂️
@@jcobra09 my dad had a kx 500 and crashed it on tar and chip
Love the simplicity of big air cooled no power valves to worry about. Easy to work on. Awesome, my dream bike in a Enduro
First open class bike I ever rode. I was 14 or 15. Pretty well versed in riding and a big teenager. Still. I had no clue just how VIOLENT the throttle would be lol. Thank you to my long time neighbor Mark for always pushing me to go faster.
Similar experience 😉 .. I Feeeel ya 👊 OLD G
We had one of these.... for a short time. Too much bike for us..... a BEAST!
This one is missing the "YIPS" under the tank.
Ah, the memories, I know that big bore air cooled 2T sound well.
Back in the 90s. I had a '92 WR500 which was a YZ490 motor stuffed in a YZ250 chassis. To be honest, as delivered the bike was a terrible blubbering pinging mess, but being a modder/fixer type I set to fixing it.
The big fix was to match the transfer ports in the iron liner to the aluminum casting to get rid of a slight step in that area which really messed with the high speed airflow. While at it, my SoCal based tuner, who was a 490 guru, put a mild arch on the exhaust port so it would rev out a little more.
Another thing to attend to was the head. The head got welded and the squish band was widened and made closer to the piston. After doing these mods and adding Boysen reeds, I was able to drop the main jet 3 sizes. It no longer pinged and it ran perfectly on point. People that heard it couldn't believe an old school air cooled big bore 2T could run that crisp.
The stock 13/50 gearing was far too low and rendered the bike uncontrollable, so I geared it way up to 15/42 as it was used as a District 37 desert racer and trail bike. That engine loved to pull a load and man did it cover ground with the tall gearing, which didn't blunt it's ability to climb monster hills. Shifting up into 3rd at the base of hills so it could lug and find traction was the usual routine out in the Dez. The final touch was an FMF pipe, I found the step onto the powerband was better with the long stock silencer mated to the FMF.
I also fully sprung and valved the suspension, it was stable and worked great at speed in the desert. Engine RPM dictated it's ability to turn - low RPM it would turn, forget it at high RPM, but it was freight train stable at speed with the revs up. The one thing that couldn't be fixed was the vibration, that engine shook biblically hard at higher RPM, which really was a problem. Shifting early and often was the rule!
What a rude dog burly ass machine that was. KX and CR500s had nothing power wise on the tuned "air hammer". I won a few open class D37 races on that bike, and never wanted for power, that's for sure. It was reliable as the proverbial anvil too, with many hours of trouble free running. Like any 500, ya had to kick it like a man too. Kick it half ass and it would kick back, driving the right knee into the bar, which hurt like Hell, so I only made that mistake once.
When I sold it I warned the buyer about the aggressive nature of the power. He rode it down the street, hit the powerband, spun the tire and involuntarily pulled a wheelie. He came back, visibly shaken, no haggling, gave me full asking price.
Riding a 300 XC and a modded Husky 701 Enduro these days and life is better now. Had a lot of fun with it and glad I didn't die on my WR 500. I also have no interest in ever owning another 490 powered Yamaha, cuz I truly know what that evil thing is 😆
I owned one back in the day. My hands were numb for hours after long rides...like riding a chainsaw.
Lmao very accurate Description.
ALTHOUGH my White/Blue YZ 490 was a BEAST !
My dad had a kx 500 2 stroke and crashed it on tar and chip
@@rednecklivesmatter344 🤷🏼♂️
I had an ‘82 for a long time. Right as I saw the guy who bought it from me load it up to take it home I knew I made a big mistake. The bike was museum quality.
I had a 76 RM-250 in 29 Palms back in 82, let a guy from my platoon ride it. He came back from a screamer ride with water in his eyes and a big smile on his face and thanked me...the next day he went out and bought a brand new YZ-490!
You ever take that thing off some sweet jumps?
Ok Napoleon lol
Lol
Absolutely loved mine in 82 👊.. Thanx for popping those memories 4 me Fellas 👍😉 OLD G
Had one, rode the shit out it . Cracked the casing on rocks kicking up. JB welded it and kept going for years lol
Love that bike. It's such a beast and look's amazing.
The first big bore I rode as a kid! I was small and it was a thrill! I prob had been riding a PE 250 also around that time, but, being able to manage that monster as a kid gave me huge confidence! Wheelies were par for the course!
Yeah I rode one also as a kid. Got some major tank slap scared to piss out of me but I love that bike lol
It was really pretty powerful! esp when it came on the pipe. I rode in fields, trails, dirt and pavement roads and cornfields also, through, water, streams, mud and up and down huge hills, never got into trouble! Sounded awesome with the old pitpes and small silencers from the era!@@577buttfan
@@577buttfanWild power for sure and ridiculous wheelies! Had to be very careful with the throttle hand! Loved how it sounded...those days w the small mufflers and nice pipes.
@@andrewSUN17 In was 140 pounds back then lol
hellz yeah! this bike was king dingaling in the early 80s. It was intimidating just idling hehe, good times. Badazz bike!
I'd give it a solid third behind the kx500 and the CR500!!
John Murner I hear ya but the yz stayed true to the air cooled and always seemed to have more torque off the line. Granted I was a teenager and could have been perception. I rode all of them and the rm500 scared me more than any. But it's awesome all us ol schoolers get to still enjoy these bikes as we did as kids. wait we are still kids :)
Maico supposedly beat them all with 65 BHP... Closest thing I had was the RM 500
@@erikbreaman9124 did the RM 500 not have the lowest hp of all the big bores . or was it just an animal to ride cos that's what most people say about the yz490
I had my YZ 490 in 1982, New always called it 3 balls because it had one more than me. Really wish I could find one that clean.
Beast,, major respect for that era of Yamaha.
I was the earlier RM brat admiring those YZs 😎
Love the 82 YZ's. In 1982/83 I owned and raced a 1982 YZ100J here in Australia (Victoria) which won me quite a few titles. Here in Oz they were white though. My mate had a 1983 YZ250K which was a killer. But, one of my favourite riders of the time was Stephen Gall here in Oz who won just about everything there was on a ZY490. Beautiful bikes... wish I still had my 100J.
Paul Anthony Fawcett. 'Mr Motocross'
I owned the 1982 YZ 125 and always pulled the hole shot with it. Cost $1,299.00
Wow.. can't believe you won Greylock HS on that thing I was there from 1982-1989 on KTM 250 MXC's that was one of the tuffist!
I miss my yz 490 so much man, nothing like the freedom I had riding in the desert 🏜, score 400 was right in my back yard man it was beautiful watching those desert races best part/experience of my life living in Bouse Az,85325 1996 to 2003
This guy from Kaplan must be the luckiest man on the planet. He has bikes in his hands that I adore! Please let me know if there is any vacancy to work with this company and to work on these fantastic motocross bikes! I am in! Greetings from a Dutch guy Robert.
Wish l'd bought several of those original Yamaha jerseys back in the 70's when they were in the dealerships for sale , l love those .
Had several YZ, IT`s and always wanted something in the middle. A more ridable YZ for dirt play. So I built it 15 years ago. 82 IT465 bottom end, 83 YZ490 chassis and 81 YZ465 top end. Mudmobile extrordinaire. Fresh resto garage candy now. Almost hate to get it dirty, almost. Super reliable bikes.
I had 2 of these 1982 490's........so fast!
I had a 89’ . The power that bike had was insane!
Wish I had one
Just listen to that clatter....sweet.
THAT truly IS a bad ass bike . I had one way back in the day ...am 60 now lol Defensive lineman build lol
Ken my old man had that same bike! He bought it off my uncle back then it was new....👍🏻🇺🇸
I bought my 1982 YZ 490J brand new from Big Jim's Yamaha in 3/1982. It was a good bike!
03:13 - that’s what she said
those bikes are still exciting to rip around.
I had its 100cc little sister (born in ‘78). the tone the 490 makes reminds me of her sound, too
for being such a beast, that thing purrs like a docile little kitty too.......and looks like a million bucks.
That’s my brand had 3 YZ 80 first one was 1975 thin 79 thin 95 year. Best of the best. The 125 riders would freak. Love your bikes videos. When I take my dream ride that from coast to coast I’m gonna go ride check your place out. Lived in England I’d like to see New England be a trip. Y’all look Kool I’m hip But I’m all Saints 👍🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🙏🙏 God Bless everybody
Sign on grass says Historic Scenic Area. Just keep your eye out for free roaming, old historic 2 strokes while there.
Especially this year & this model is my preferred one ☝️ 😍😍😍🔥🔥🔥⚡️⚡️⚡️
Ken i want that yamaha jersey. That is the time when i rode a 1979 yz125. I had the yellow bell moto helmet. With the hannah lightning boltz on my bike and helmet haha. Good memories
Fast forward to 2021 & he’s trashed the shit out off that grass - god I love him
I had the same bike in the 250 and it screamed as well good memories
One of my all time favorite bikes👍👍👍 i has an 82 YZ 250 but never seemed to get it running 100%, I think it may have been problems with the YPVS power valve system. The 82 490 is my favorite.
1982 was a very bad year for Yamaha moto-crossers . The 125 's were snapping crankshafts … The 250 's were very overweight as was the 490 . The 490 also suffered from a very narrow powerband requiring more shifting than the competition.
There were a couple of brothers that would come down from Northern Ontario a few times a year to race on our circuit.
Bloody fast . The fastest of the 2 rode a 1982 Yz 250 with a 1981 air-cooled engine installed . The bike was a killer . The other brother rode a modified 1982 250 with the water cooled engine , but he told me it was a real bear to ride .
@@ethics3 Great comment. I agree it was a bad year, especially when the 1982 RM 250Z was its competitor. I loved the 81 Yamahas.
@@paulpatriot1776 Yes. Dirt bike magazine said the 82 rm 250 was the closest thing to a works bike . The engine was amazing . In 82 I was racing a new 1981 yz 125 H .. It was down on power compared to the 82 but it was very reliable and I won my share of races with it. The power issue ( very peaky ) only hurt me on the starts so it let me practice my passing skills through the races.
@@ethics3 Thanks for your comment. The 81 YZ was awesome indeed. Those were good days. Take care of yourself 👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸
Kaplan Cycles of New England : got anything of the Bob Hanna era
What my dreams are made of💪🏻
Would be a dream job just to sweep the floors at this facility, free of charge!!
Wicked awesome ken, love those big bore two strokes. I wish I had one, but got to finish my 2001 CR 250.
I just traded a beat up 98 rm250 i got for 700 bucks to ride as a ranch/yard rippper for a for a mint 82 490, i just thad to clean the carb and it started second kick.
That bike sounds absolutely beautiful sounds majestic sounding
Really nice bike.
Bike looks and sounds awsome I have an 82 250 it needs a top end job I hope to get it going before long .👍
You gotta love the sound of the old zingers
Love that jersey. Is that an 1982. Has the back suspension they had for one year.. Nice bike.
I rode the yellow 480 these bikes don't have a power valve but they still pack that raw torque punch and had me fish tailing thru intersections in one gear ( 4th at that)
Edit:y(e)
Goin full throttle past that 'Historic Scenic Area' sign is the best.🤣🤣
at 4:17 Ken on the survivor YZ 490 ripping by the Historic Scenery sign, love it!
"Historic scenic area"....BRAAAAPPP lol
I just got a weird bike it is this exact frame but with a 1976ish wr360 Husky ported to shit lmao and about a 4 foot swing arm idk what was going on with it but I hope to rebuild mine. I also though that shock reservoir wasn’t stock... good to know.
ah, the ping king, lol.
that one sounds crisp.
It would be so much better if people were a the picnic table trying to eat their lunch and he starts sending it around them
The tractor of dirt bikes.
Yamaha are doing a limited edition yz500 2 stroke which should be on sale now in 2020 which should be rather fun
Yes definitely happened
Beautiful piece Sr like always
My buddy had one had a messed up crank vibrate but go like a champ
Aaah man that old school 2 stroke big bore idle cackle 😀
this is a four stroke
Loving the yz490 specially with the old retro style top with speed blocks bit of a clash with the bottom's ken kap
I've owned 2 1981 1983 o man they really are a tourq monster. Kicked my ass alot as 15 year old is like a nat on a rocket.ha ha an I love it
Funny how MX Action and Dirt Bike managed negative reviews back then. I did well on the 490, it’s still got more power than anyone other than Broc Glover could use !
I owned chopper reeds yz490 years ago it went hard nice bike
Looks and sounds amazing!
Had two,too much bike for my body,but fun to crack the throttle on,theyre point and shoot machines,bit of a tendency to stand up on ya in corners.
Now that is a Thumper! Nice bike.
How do you find such nice bikes
Why do forums hate on this bike so much? They say it has terrible handling, suspension and only a 4 speed gear box
LOVE IT, BEAUTIFUL BIKE!!!
The Yamaha collection!
Had a 83 yz465. Needed balls to ride thats for sure!
bo engel : haven't herd that one for years. Is that with the silver swing arm ? Dad bought me a 1974 yz 80 for my first real bike. My starter scooter was a Rupp mini bike pretty cool for a 8 yr. Old
The YZ 465 was only produced in 1980 and 1981
@ethics3, isn't it the one with a flying unicorn symbol on the left side of swingarm?
bo engel....In 1983 it was the K model 490 and in 82 the first J model 490 if memory serves me right..
Awesome bike, 80s bike are the best
I got A question. How much!
Awesome sounding machine
Yamaha is my favorite too. 4 speed?
mine w3as a 1984 yz 490 pissed off pinger lol i miss it
That's my old bike how much is it. I used to ride 3 of my friends on one burn rubber in every gear on pavement smoke the tire off beautiful locked one up at 100 on a 9p degree sunny day soon as I got to where the pavement changed to bubbling hot tar I let off the air box used to come separated from the carburetor 44 mm my buddy was on the back it locked up when I skidded side to side to I got to gripping pavement she came un seesed and the forces of my buddy not knowing he thought he was dead he hit me in the back from his chest I let go off the hand not thinking he was going to push me off the throttle hand and the skid was about 100 feet the back tire skid was side to side. When it fires back yo it was like it never locked up. She was a beast.
When I got mad at my wife I took it for a ride for an hour came back and I was okay
i had this bike but it was a 1983 when i was 13 yrs old i was a big kid lol
More tame and controllable than the psycho 465YZ 5 speed of a year or two earlier and mine only had 4 speeds and was white with a red seat here in Australia..
Had a Can Am MX 400 and I ate a lot of rocks from my friends YZ490
I bought a new83 on 1/7/83 off of Paul Clark Yamaha in Brockton, mass. The bike cost 2449 bucks and I was gonna buy a KX250 at Brockton cycle center down the street, so I go in and say how much for a KX250? The guy says 18 and change , I said look it's January and if I buy one will you throw in a pair of boots? He says f you boots cost money what's your size I will sell you a USED pair of mine. I said, ;see that Yamaha dealer? Watch this, and over I go to Clark's, and a salesman, Joe Gardina, who became a good friend, even ended up living in my neighborhood and became a riding buddy says I will not only give you a pair of boots but also a spiffy new helmet! so I took my new YZ over to the KX store, asked to see the owner told him about his sales mans abilities to sell Yamahas and after watching the boss fire this jerk, home I went. but that was the sweetest, most ridable power house that rode like a 125 . You could throw it around all day. An awesome bike that nobody could touch.
You ever see a kx 450 come thru?
I have one just like it under a tarp in my backyard. 4 speed. 53 HP stock. 92 MPH top speed. I also have a jersey like his. HA HA! I was 16 yrs. old!
Nice bike, good job man:
Nice Mid-Ohio find.
epic!! had the same year in 125! skyz the limit
Wasn't 1982 the only year they had that style ”mono-x” suspension? Was it any good?
Actually NO, once worn ( and it didn't take long ) it would not hook up
Beautiful, and that yami note 💙💙
Weren't the 1982 YZ 125's watercooled? My uncle had the identical bike I'm 1982, but it was a YZ 125. If I remember correctly, it was watercooled. ???