I had that exact model '84 YZ490. It scared everyone that rode it. I bought it from a chiropractor that had it for a year and a half and rode it once. When I sold it years later, the guy called me back and asked if I would take it back and I could keep a hundred for the trouble. He said it scared the hell out of him so much he wouldn't get back on it. I miss that beast more than anything else I've sold over the years. Beautiful monster it was. :)
Back when the brakes couldn't keep up with the power of the motor kids got it so easy today they never rode a bike that actually scares you and that wasn't the only one
@@georgehuffert1800 True ! The brakes were the biggest issue when racing . I believe it was the next year they put front disc brakes on them, but not mine. Every race was me beating almost everyone to the turns.... but I had to brake way earlier than all the much newer bikes. I could beat them to and from the corners, but not through them. I guaranty if they didn't have their roost protection on, they didnt get behind me though... that thing left a trench when on it.
I had the same motorcycle. My friends had the same response. Those brakes were terrible. As I always told them it had two speeds scared to death and standing still.
Tx for showing these gems. I can´t answer your question as to what is my favorite one. Simply can´t, coz all these old nice bikes are extremely beautiful. And, as you said, most of them do certainly belong into a living room and/or into a decent man cave. Absolutely awesome!!
My first 2-stroke was a 82 yz80 It was the first liquid cooled 80cc made, with the radiator up behind the front number plate. Looked identical to that 490, just smaller. Same style of plastic and graphics. I was 11 years old and rode the crap out of it. Still riding today at 53 with a new ktm 300xc and a 450xcf six days. Many different bikes over the years. This new 300xc is the best I've ever ridden.
82 490, I had one, bought it in 84, beast of a bike. But also owned a 94 CR500 which took the pucker factor up an order of magnitude. In 83 Yamaha went with the red and white paint scheme.
I remember the '84 paint scheme was still yellow. However the "YZ" on the tank was red. I bought my '82 490 in '84 also, sitting right next to an '84 yz125. Looking at the swingarm and strength of the 490, the choice was clear at 16 years old. 🤘It was also $150 cheaper than the 125, the '84 was $1899.00. My 490 cost me (and my dad) a whopping $1750.00!!! 🤩
I acquired a 76 Yamaha IT400 sometime around October. She's a total mutt with a front end off of some early or late 80's YZ 250, like with almost any old bike it's missing the seat and the tank will need replacing if I can't fix the filler neck. But the upside is that it does run and it came with a spare engine that's rebuildable. But I do need to get a silencer for it because that's missing as well. I'm more for getting it to a rideable state before I worry about making it look pretty. Eventually I'll also get around to gathering parts for my 81 YZ 465 but she's a total basket case. So it's going to take longer to do. In the end they'll both be worth the very long wait. :)
Makes me sorry i don't have some of the dirt bikes I had like a Bultaco 360 Astro or some of my Kawasaki F7 or my Yamaha at3 125 i bought for $30 or Honda CT 70s i still do have my 85 Husqvarna WRX 400 and 88 Honda CR 125 both need work but this video is making me want to fix them
I owned a 1982 Yamaha YZ 490 way back when and it was a great motorcycle nice and reliable with a torque monster of a motor that allowed me to putt around in tight trails and open it up for the fast straightaways. Maintenance was easy with air filter cleaning and oil changes and lubing the moving parts to keep it going in tip top shape. I had great riding trips with that bike. If anyone out there owns a YZ 490 with a chunk missing out of the rear wheel’s hub flange that is probably my old bike.
I have worked on many of these models over the years mostly in the 90's when people would drag them out of barns to get running again and ride them. For the most part they had little value and we recommended not putting the money into fixing many of them because it would cost much more than the value of the bike by far. It's nice to see some of the survivors have some value now so that history can be preserved.
I rode to ride 1974 Suzuki TM 100 and a 1974 Elsinore, CR 125 sleeved the cylinder to a 100 cc for the 100 cc class in New England motocross 338 1974 1975,1976 Retired from MX338
They all look so great when i was a kid riding back in the early 90's bikes like these wher sold for under £100 and sometimes £50 they did run but nobody wanted them back then ...if I only knew what they would be worth now 🙄
Hey dude, regarding that '77 Maico Sidewinder, would it have killed you to show us the actual bike? All we got to see was some paperwork and the owner.. I remember the movie and that bike has some really cool features. Too bad you didn't show them here!
i had suzuki ram 500. i bought from a kid who looped it and never rode it again. i’ll never forget the look on his mothers face as i drove off with it. she be like “you must be crazy”
That 490 is an 82, not an 84. The 84 machine was a totally different bike. Different frame, center exhaust port with the pipe exiting out the right side of the machine, and totally different bodywork and suspension. You would think with these bikes being at Mecum that would at least know what they were selling........
That is a 1982 yz490. I own one. This was the first and only year of that linkage rear suspension and first year of the yz490. I believe that 1980 and 81 was yz465 and it465
400 white lightning. A guy at Rocky Butte Portland 1976 traded bikes with me 😳That yamaha MX too fast !!!! Origanal is best , but I restore them , and I ride mine 😎
@@denniseaton8136 I was thinking of the IT425 for some reason, not sure why. Other than the fact that I have an IT490 myself, so that must have been stuck in my brain, haha.
Some old farts are going to buy these high dollar bikes, stick them in their shop's where they'll rot for the next 20-30 years because they're never ridden, only to be found again after the old farts pass away, and restored by another old fart to be sold to another old fart that will never ride them. Change my mind.
I had that exact model '84 YZ490. It scared everyone that rode it. I bought it from a chiropractor that had it for a year and a half and rode it once. When I sold it years later, the guy called me back and asked if I would take it back and I could keep a hundred for the trouble. He said it scared the hell out of him so much he wouldn't get back on it. I miss that beast more than anything else I've sold over the years. Beautiful monster it was. :)
Back when the brakes couldn't keep up with the power of the motor kids got it so easy today they never rode a bike that actually scares you and that wasn't the only one
@@georgehuffert1800 True ! The brakes were the biggest issue when racing . I believe it was the next year they put front disc brakes on them, but not mine. Every race was me beating almost everyone to the turns.... but I had to brake way earlier than all the much newer bikes. I could beat them to and from the corners, but not through them. I guaranty if they didn't have their roost protection on, they didnt get behind me though... that thing left a trench when on it.
Thats an 82 490
That 82 YZ490 looks like it's been looped. Most were.
I had the same motorcycle. My friends had the same response. Those brakes were terrible. As I always told them it had two speeds scared to death and standing still.
Tx for showing these gems. I can´t answer your question as to what is my favorite one. Simply can´t, coz all these old nice bikes are extremely beautiful. And, as you said, most of them do certainly belong into a living room and/or into a decent man cave. Absolutely awesome!!
I rode a brand new Yamaha 175 Enduro in 1972. Mint green. Great bike!!
Yz490!!❤❤
God bless you Jack. Awesome and good lord.
My dream is a 2019 yz250f.
My first 2-stroke was a 82 yz80 It was the first liquid cooled 80cc made, with the radiator up behind the front number plate. Looked identical to that 490, just smaller. Same style of plastic and graphics. I was 11 years old and rode the crap out of it. Still riding today at 53 with a new ktm 300xc and a 450xcf six days. Many different bikes over the years. This new 300xc is the best I've ever ridden.
I got that same bike my first 2stroke coming from the xr80. I was an absolute terror on that thing.. love it.
I'll always remember my '77 YZ80. Then came the mono-x and radiators. What memories. Keep riding!!!🤘
@@kenkl5204 This dude I rode with had an XR75 that was unbelievably fast!! I remember it was loud too!
Thanks Jack you’re awesome
82 490, I had one, bought it in 84, beast of a bike. But also owned a 94 CR500 which took the pucker factor up an order of magnitude. In 83 Yamaha went with the red and white paint scheme.
I remember the '84 paint scheme was still yellow. However the "YZ" on the tank was red. I bought my '82 490 in '84 also, sitting right next to an '84 yz125. Looking at the swingarm and strength of the 490, the choice was clear at 16 years old. 🤘It was also $150 cheaper than the 125, the '84 was $1899.00. My 490 cost me (and my dad) a whopping $1750.00!!! 🤩
still have my '76 Yamaha 125
IN the seventies I had several of those bikes but I am 69 and still ride almost every weekend and still own a 84 YZ490. I also have a 2020 KTM450SXF.
Even though I never owned a bike, but those Bultacos bring back memories 🥴
Some fantastic bikes there I've never seen a maico in that color of blue .
Great video, thank you !
I had a 1979 YAMAHA YZ 125. AWESOME BIKE!! My next Bike I want to buy is the YAMAHA YZ 250F. YAMAHA YZ NO #1!! B.T.W FIRST TIME VIEWER.
I acquired a 76 Yamaha IT400 sometime around October. She's a total mutt with a front end off of some early or late 80's YZ 250, like with almost any old bike it's missing the seat and the tank will need replacing if I can't fix the filler neck. But the upside is that it does run and it came with a spare engine that's rebuildable. But I do need to get a silencer for it because that's missing as well. I'm more for getting it to a rideable state before I worry about making it look pretty. Eventually I'll also get around to gathering parts for my 81 YZ 465 but she's a total basket case. So it's going to take longer to do. In the end they'll both be worth the very long wait. :)
3:07 brings a tear to my eyes, same engine as my beloved SR500's.
I had a 1974bultaco too it was a ripper in-the Desert 🏜, thanks BigAl California
I have a series of Honda cr500. 1984,1985,1986,1988. Plus a few Kawasaki kx500. Love the classic big bores
Makes me sorry i don't have some of the dirt bikes I had like a Bultaco 360 Astro or some of my Kawasaki F7 or my Yamaha at3 125 i bought for $30 or Honda CT 70s i still do have my 85 Husqvarna WRX 400 and 88 Honda CR 125 both need work but this video is making me want to fix them
Ah the memories I used to race YZ250 in 1975. First bike to have mono shock. Won a bunch of races with it☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️
I owned a 1982 Yamaha YZ 490 way back when and it was a great motorcycle nice and reliable with a torque monster of a motor that allowed me to putt around in tight trails and open it up for the fast straightaways. Maintenance was easy with air filter cleaning and oil changes and lubing the moving parts to keep it going in tip top shape. I had great riding trips with that bike. If anyone out there owns a YZ 490 with a chunk missing out of the rear wheel’s hub flange that is probably my old bike.
Awesome bikes..
I have worked on many of these models over the years mostly in the 90's when people would drag them out of barns to get running again and ride them. For the most part they had little value and we recommended not putting the money into fixing many of them because it would cost much more than the value of the bike by far. It's nice to see some of the survivors have some value now so that history can be preserved.
Had the 82 490. Loved it. Clutch extension. Lube the chain. Clean the filter. Race your Ass off. Great memories .. 🔥🔥👊💪✌️
My favorite same you show yz 490 my other favorite IT 465 82
I have my '82 490 under a tarp in the back yard. Never rebuilt the engine after the back lip broke off the jug going into the housing.
I rode to ride 1974 Suzuki TM 100 and a 1974 Elsinore, CR 125 sleeved the cylinder to a 100 cc for the 100 cc class in New England motocross 338 1974 1975,1976 Retired from MX338
They all look so great when i was a kid riding back in the early 90's bikes like these wher sold for under £100 and sometimes £50 they did run but nobody wanted them back then ...if I only knew what they would be worth now 🙄
My first bike was an MR-50.
Hey dude, regarding that '77 Maico Sidewinder, would it have killed you to show us the actual bike? All we got to see was some paperwork and the owner.. I remember the movie and that bike has some really cool features. Too bad you didn't show them here!
i had suzuki ram 500. i bought from a kid who looped it and never rode it again. i’ll never forget the look on his mothers face as i drove off with it. she be like “you must be crazy”
That 490 is an 82, not an 84. The 84 machine was a totally different bike. Different frame, center exhaust port with the pipe exiting out the right side of the machine, and totally different bodywork and suspension. You would think with these bikes being at Mecum that would at least know what they were selling........
Buddy of mine has an all original unrestored '78 Yamaha DTMX360. Has the aluminum factory wheels and good plastics. I'm getn it this year do or die.
I like affordable. What did they sell for??
ThAt was a 78 Elsinore I think anyway original my favorite not overrestored !
I had a mini bike that didn't run once.
Had a 74 Yamaha dt 250. Loved that old bike
had an ‘83 with left side expansion chamber.
mine was a 1980 yz125, yellow air cooled mono-x rear. I, also, wrapped it around a few trees. My escape was those woods
That is a 1982 yz490. I own one. This was the first and only year of that linkage rear suspension and first year of the yz490. I believe that 1980 and 81 was yz465 and it465
400 white lightning. A guy at Rocky Butte Portland 1976 traded bikes with me 😳That yamaha MX too fast !!!! Origanal is best , but I restore them , and I ride mine 😎
I had a 80 YZ 490..flew it into McGrath Ak
And a Elsinore 125..
Yamaha didn't make the 490 until 1982. The 1980 model would have been a 465, followed by the 490 in 1982.
@@evil14lifeYamaha never made a YZ425.
@@denniseaton8136 I was thinking of the IT425 for some reason, not sure why. Other than the fact that I have an IT490 myself, so that must have been stuck in my brain, haha.
That yz490 is an 82' I had one
Used Xr75, used 1969 dt125 dirt bike, new 1976 yz125, new 1977 yz250 used 1979 rm400
If it's not AIR-COOLED it's not a classic, it's just a steam boiler
Had mx100 81 1980 yz250g still have 81 yz125 sold 125 blewup 100soldit for parts
Husky wr 250 78had also gaveaway
No RM Suzuki's?
If you ever come across a nice 1986 Honda CR 250, I'm interested😻! Ready willing & able to make a serious offer💵 for a pristine✨🏍bike.
i dont believe that YZ 490 is a 84 I believe its a 83 model.
Some old farts are going to buy these high dollar bikes, stick them in their shop's where they'll rot for the next 20-30 years because they're never ridden, only to be found again after the old farts pass away, and restored by another old fart to be sold to another old fart that will never ride them. Change my mind.
Yeah it sucks. They should just let them rust into the ground or scrap them. Damn bastards always preserving history!