1984 YAMAHA IT490 BIG BORE 2 STROKE ENDURO

[@troymarcus5168]

LOVE back in 82/83 when the 490 came out in Tasmania Australia my two MX racing mates and I had these registered , we ruled the roads around Tassie lol weapons way before dirt bikes were even seen on the roads lol the amount of road bike guys we blew away was heaps of fun

[@abug7852]

Still got mine in Geelong, Australia! Have been collecting parts for the past decade (or two) and ready for a rebuild someday soon. It’s a keeper. Cheers.

[@RealHooksy]

My mate had a new IT250 in Adelaide in 1985. Pretty much the same as the 490 to look at. Yamaha were still air cooled and not quite using proper rising rate suspension that year. I bought a ktm250 the same week. Our number plates were 5 numbers apart. The it was fast but my ktm was the best bike money could buy at the time. The IT was about $2.5k and the ktm was $4k so it should have been I guess 😂 Good times.

[@CamperKev]

My friend owned an IT490 in Newcastle Australia back in the 80's and I could not believe the insane amount of power it developed. It may have been race modified and was difficult to control as it consistently broke tracktion and drifted sideways with the the slightest twist of the throttle. Until this day, I have never ridden a bike more potent.

[@damienoregan6211]

The colour code of these bikes is the best i can ever remember .

[@dannymatts1883]

Glory days of youth bros. Love it. Still got th 82 175.

[@CurrentYearAnalog-hp7kb]

The Yamaha IT was, and still is, my favorite dirt bike of all time. I remember when I was little, I was so upset that they didn't make an IT 80 my dad helped me write a letter to Yamaha asking them to make them. I had a GT 80 though so it filled the void pretty good LOL.

[@highwayman1218]

Though I always owned YZs and CRs at the time these were around, I always digged these ITs for their simplicity and kinda oddballness. Such a cool color combo on em. Another great build! 👍👍

[@jgeraci1]

You guys have got to be the coolest place in Connecticut!

[@patrickstenkilsson5676]

That IT 490 is stunning👍💯💪🚀🇺🇸

[@migliaman]

That's a beauty Kenny.....an absolute credit to you guys at KAPLAN!! 💯❤😃

[@mainebigfoothunter7088]

That's an incredible stunning diamond! What a beast!

[@blueblood76]

Wow she is nice. That is exact bike i'm always on the look out for. I did have a YZ490 back in the day. Have an 1984 KX500 now.

[@scatpack440]

Always loved these colored Yammi enduros ❤❤❤

[@blc2103]

OMG. Former middle/late 1970s early 1980s teen BMXer and MXer here. I remember this bike. Loved it back then, and it looks even better today. Thanks for the memories !!!

[@mdemartile]

I had an 81 IT465, and it was the first big bore two stroke I ever owned. Air hammer for sure. This one you have hear is real clean!

[@theoneracer2716]

The only year for WHITE

[@toddjacobs5660]

This is one of the nicest IT’s ive ever seen, sounds great too , looks like it has good power ..

[@sabrimimouni8575]

Tu a vraiment les plus belles moto a chaque fois elle sont magnifiques qu'elle monstre la tt 490 qu'elle son magnifique

[@SonnySeabury-d8i]

Always have loved the IT's, since I was a young kid. I used to have one of their brochures hanging on my bedroom wall, when I was a young kid. Very nice looking bike.

[@brandonmacon3317]

My buddy rides an IT 490 daily. He's gonna flip when he sees this video 🤙💨💯

[@brandonmacon3317]

He rides a 1984 IT and this is one of the few channels on KZbin he's subscribed to.

[@jonmccormick8683]

Those new Clarke plastics on this look great. -The Yamaha Oem blue plastic always fades fast. If you have the original plastics on, take them off before riding and replace with the Clarke. -the OEMs are rare and worth money.

[@ozzie7523]

That's a proper ENDURO bike right there, the IT's are awesome👍😎

[@danstevens2204]

Let’s take a moment to appreciate it, stunning bike guys!!

[@stevenherd688]

One of my all time faves.

[@sissygoog9456]

Ken, Kaplan and Ronnie, ever since I started watching you guys The most craziest dirt bikes I've ever seen that Yamaha 490 Big bore is a beast sir. Watching Kaplan America KZbin channel is my favorite and boosted ever since I met you last year at a americade I can't stop watching I will say best in east coast in my book sir God bless you and your family and your friends

[@ReaperRestorations]

i had the IT400. man i regret selling that bike! My YZ490 on the other hand was an absolute savage beast and would stand up on me in 4th gear and vibrated like crazy. it kept cracking the pipe! i think the IT490 has lower compression though because its tuned for enduro racing. correct me if i'm wrong

[@techs1smh13]

And different timing

[@timewa851]

yes. 34hp. wide-ratio five speed. A teddy bear of a bike. Got one slightly used off a fisherman who brought it back from alaska. $950 with Lazer helmet that matched the plastics. It would do almost 90mph with the stock (dirt) sprockets. I would ride it to my friends house on county roads. The headlamp made it look legal. There were images in the maintenance book with mirrors & blinkers but I never got that far as far as plating it. It was 1985 when I took ownership. ALL the 465/490 needed cylinder head machined to stop detonation at sustained high speeds. That was the 'flaw'. Oh & it could've really used a front disc. It was drums on the '84 490s. : ( (have no idea why they put a front drum on a bike that fast, the 1986 IT 200 had a front disc)

[@coxsapples3414]

465 didn't suffer from detonation I don't think. 465 rated 47bhp at crank. 490 must be a little more

[@smoothlandin]

I had the same bike in like 06 or so, we'd rip full field wheelies or put 3 guys on it as a joke and it would still wheelie through all the gears. Super fun bike. It's a wonder we didn't kill ourselves on it back then. I'd buy it but my riding habits haven't changed enough haha

[@simoncaddick9085]

An absolute diamond for sure, so missing my IT days....

[@Zulululu4x]

The sound of that thing is Wild!

[@grimmy-n9k]

i used to ride a IT 465 1984 model enduro , great bike those were the days great memories..

[@marcialquinones5683]

IT 465 only in 81 and 82

[@theoneracer2716]

​@@marcialquinones568381 only year of white

[@miketr732]

Kens got the best job ever. Keep up good work.

[@miketr732]

I had a it 125 and 175. Both were unreal bikes.

[@Robert8455]

It was dreamy back then and still is today. What a beautiful beast.

[@leanit5756]

Outstanding! I had a IT175 back in '82 or so. Love that blue any yellow scheme.

[@-forestrykid-5471]

Me and my father have collected every model IT that they made he rode them as a kid and i fell in love with them as soon as i saw my first one

[@phenri4809]

I owned one of those! Also had a KX500

[@RDEnduro]

You could climb a mountain on a bike like that, super clean cool IT.

[@DestinationDesert]

Damn...my dream bike right there! If you find one they are usually beyond beat up😢

[@Billsdayoff]

My last new 2 stroke was a 1987 yz 490 . Rode the Virginia city grand prix on it . I was 27 😅 the year before I rode it on a TT 500 . 65 now and still riding, my wife is kicking my butt on her Ktm 200 😂 . Thanks for the memories.

[@Drew-tj8gz]

Gotta love that sound )

[@DustySteel]

That is the coolest bike!! I really want one someday!!😎👍

[@sr2Xvet]

I had this exact bike when I was a kid for an older bike when I acquired the bike was an older bike. Still is a monster to this day.

[@nickysteel7604]

I had this bike in 1987, used to have to lean it against a lamppost and use both feet to kick it over as i was so tiny! Ended up buying a sidecar for it too...now that was crazy! Ah memories!

[@BrianCoe-rw8ul]

Double acting front brake is pretty cool. Had an 84 KTM 300xc (267 in the day) and you could swap the YZ brake shoes cams link rod it all bolted right on and worked way better

[@Adamdub612]

my son is getting closer to his new gas gas 125!!

[@navaho5430]

Use to ride with my mate 490 v465 there wasn't much in it, miss those days cheers

[@1949joshuarodriguez]

I love those bikes I actually own five of them one comes from Canada the 490

[@AOL0321]

Love those IT's! Beautiful bike and great videos as always!

[@erickgarcia6906]

My all time favorite enduro. Thanks for sharing love you guys. God bless america

[@andreabrindesi6526]

Beautiful

[@rowynmaddocks6731]

It the most beautiful enduro bike ever made

[@xjbobbin82]

I owned an '84 IT490 for about a year. Had a lot of fun, but man that bike scared me. Ran it too hard racing a friend and it threw me off the back at high speed, made it out with minimal injury. Sold it shortly after that.

[@simongilbert2704]

that is one tractable motor , needs making nowadays ;; simple but good ;;

[@edwardwilliammorris1340]

Seriously powerful

[@robertdavis4184]

Gotta love those Yamaha IT

[@andrewbecker3700]

That is one delicate machine. I'd be afraid to even ride it. Tons of power, barely any brakes. And a frame design that needs a skidplate to keep it from folding up. Every one I've ever seen was already tweaked beyond hope. Unrideable. Thats a rare piece for sure.

[@jackliveshere8877]

Great bikes love em.

[@benthebigguy921]

What a diamond

[@davetysdal5442]

That and a 465. Only old 2 smokers I'd ever want to have. Why didn't they make a WR with lights??

[@upchuck6969f]

1993 WR500 was a 490 with lights

[@marcialquinones5683]

My favorite in my youth gave me IT fever and Ihad almost all the size 175, 200,250,490 these if Ididnt have good boots Iwould break the only one I didnt have 125, 400,465 for me personally it is the most beatiful enduro bike ever manufactured

[@CK90]

Absolute work of art!!

[@deanwaring6100]

Beautiful 💎

[@DariusBarazandeh]

wow.... what dreams are made of!!

[@gregbishop3167]

Cousin had one. Fast across the Rhode Island “desert”.

[@michaelrobbins9292]

Old school yes sir.

[@petefinnegan3873]

had the 465 beast

[@Thomaswineman]

My friend had one and he shattered his hip from the power getting away from him. We called it the Widow maker after that 😅

[@davidroeder7299]

I really want to see a resto mod supermoto one of these. With a plate

[@RealHooksy]

Lovely bike.

[@elitecystuning]

Great bike 💪✌️nice man

[@michaelgiglio1571]

Awesome machine, where did you get that rear fender, looks oem. Mike

[@DL-dj2jo]

I remember that sound !

[@andyderby150]

I had a bike just like that but I was told it was a 400? It very well could have been a 490 because it was insanely powerful, I could stop halfway up a sand dune and take off again throwing a 60 foot rooster all the way to the top when most of the bikes there could not even make it up to the top.

[@chrisb3041]

all that power with drum brakes 😊

[@bertbroeder1832]

No electric start, no abs, no quick shift, no start advice, no nothing.

[@lw3918]

Had one of these too.

[@1sir-onworld]

🐝🏁 Very clean Yamaha 👌

[@rfiskillingussoftly6568]

Awesome!

[@pbmachines972]

Way cool bike ❤️🇺🇸

[@Minnymooooo]

As my previous post. Road kit available in your state? We can though it on, and send it (for a small charge.) STREET LEGAL THUMPERS. I had this bike the sand pits were down the street ripped it down the road Illegally to get there. Great times! Lets cut open a beer ball at the sand pits and ride! Great times!

[@markweigel3301]

I would love to have that

[@sergiososa5855]

grant yamahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!super machine

[@ShaineShreffler]

Oh Hell yeah!

[@strvenoconnell4061]

If someone is not happy with that bike they will never be happy.

[@c130comm]

Cool Yammy

[@DavidCarper-h1u]

Had it490, burnt the t shirt

[@marcialquinones5683]

How much or is for museum only

[@KaplanCycles]

It's listed for sale on eBay auction

[@kevinmartin7354]

I thought for a second that was Itchy Boots new bike.

[@ralphbruno8611]

i have one there a beast

[@simpsoncrossingwithbrownie2961]

Mint

[@MrColdwatercanyon]

That’s a sweetie

[@tabithabillings1526]

🤙🤙

[@pauliewalnuts240]

Gentlemen who lived thru the 1970s & 1980s: were yamaha plastics this light blue color when new? Or is this color of blue just how they look over time?

[@timewa851]

That's Yamahas's medium blue. And it is not light or sky. It's unique. That plastic has been lovingly stored away from sunlight. Someone has loved & preserved that plastic from UV light. That is pretty much as factory-new tint as you will ever see. Time Capsule Bike.

[@stevesmith756]

The 465’s were a much better bike.

[@albertsammut433]

I had the 250k and 490k 1983 models both purchased for racing purposes..Sadly not the best bikes for tight slow hard enduros back then..the European bikes always blitzed me especially KTMs..For high speed desert racing a properly geared and jetted 490 excels even if it was air-cooled compared to its LC opponents.

[@DickGoesonya]

YZ 490 with lights wider gear ratio. Yes Buddy. Had 82 85 87 85 yellow all stock went to wrecking yard thought I got stator plate with the light coil was gonna put lights on it that same day my ridding. Buddy were servicing the bikes I put the light plate on it. Kicking it with plug on the cooling fins. Man Deep blue way more zap than OG put plug in it one kick bing ba ding sounds crisp I'm going Oh Boy. Put it in first let clutch out went Backwards.it might of been 465 you it. I monkeyed with it started it again. Kick spring needs replacement once in blue moon kicker flop all the way over Stop the motor before grabbing kicker I brain farted it graded it still running blew the back the case out. My buddy was piss cause I f up the riding for the day But we saved the riding we knew guy had CR 250 been in the back 40 forever traded a 1980 artic cat cougar slammed all usable stuff off 490 1984 CR 250 bars bent plastics oxidized bald back tire hooked sprocket swamped got it going 80; percent went to electric city by grand Coolie dam in Washington. There's 80.' sand dune 400' wide on top all sand 400 by 300 All desert after that 6-8 runs going up it The bottom nothing but woop. De doos Coming up to the transition where sand starts 4 gear ass all the way back skim over the woops usually come off the top 12'-15' in the air but landing on flat 30'across Didn't jump straight up wheely in the sand with bald tire bike was a keeper as roached as it was

[@scottreynolds3148]

Nice looking horrible bike to race Enduro at the expert level

[@badassYJ69]

These are rad trail bikes✌️

[@badassYJ69]

Wish I could afford one... being a disabled veteran on VA income I never find any decent bikes that I can afford. I really miss riding.. I would even settle for a decent 125 to play around on. I used have a 93 CR500 it was my favorite of all of the bikes I have owned, I have had mostly 250's and a couple 125's and a PE175. I haven't had a bike for awhile and at 55yrs old I feel the clock is ticking down on my time left to ride.