His love for frame rails is like no other

Absolute rolling art. I owned an 82 YZ 250, but always wanted a 490! Takes me back to my high school years!

Life was better when Yamahas were still yellow.

The more I watch this channel the more respect I get for you Ken. Pretty smart guy thanks for being a positive role model.

Sending my frame out for powdercoat soon. Cant wait to start the reassembly of my 1983 YZ490 restoration.

A 490cc 2-stroke in 1982 you gotta love YAMAHA !!!

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.

One of my favorite bikes. Had a 87 yz490, wiseco big bore kit, chamber, ran with everything modern..

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.

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.

I owned one back in the day. My hands were numb for hours after long rides...like riding a chainsaw.

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...

Had one, rode the shit out it . Cracked the casing on rocks kicking up. JB welded it and kept going for years lol

Love the simplicity of big air cooled no power valves to worry about. Easy to work on. Awesome, my dream bike in a Enduro

Love that bike. It's such a beast and look's amazing.

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!

hellz yeah! this bike was king dingaling in the early 80s. It was intimidating just idling hehe, good times. Badazz bike!

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 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.

You ever take that thing off some sweet jumps?

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.

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!

Just listen to that clatter....sweet.

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!

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 had 2 of these 1982 490's........so fast!

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.

I just love the close caption. “Music” as it rides by.

Wicked awesome ken, love those big bore two strokes. I wish I had one, but got to finish my 2001 CR 250.

Absolutely loved mine in 82 👊.. Thanx for popping those memories 4 me Fellas 👍😉 OLD G

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.

at 4:17 Ken on the survivor YZ 490 ripping by the Historic Scenery sign, love it!

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.

What my dreams are made of💪🏻

Beast,, major respect for that era of Yamaha. I was the earlier RM brat admiring those YZs 😎

I had a 89’ . The power that bike had was insane!

Great vid, you sure come across some beautiful bikes 👍

Especially this year & this model is my preferred one ☝️ 😍😍😍🔥🔥🔥⚡️⚡️⚡️

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

I had the same bike in the 250 and it screamed as well good memories

Goin full throttle past that 'Historic Scenic Area' sign is the best.🤣🤣

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 .

Kaplan Cycles of New England : got anything of the Bob Hanna era

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.

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

I bought my 1982 YZ 490J brand new from Big Jim's Yamaha in 3/1982. It was a good bike!

I owned the 1982 YZ 125 and always pulled the hole shot with it. Cost $1,299.00

Beautiful piece Sr like always

THAT truly IS a bad ass bike . I had one way back in the day ...am 60 now lol Defensive lineman build lol

Looks and sounds amazing!

That bike sounds absolutely beautiful sounds majestic sounding

The tractor of dirt bikes.

Beautiful, and that yami note 💙💙

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 my old man had that same bike! He bought it off my uncle back then it was new....👍🏻🇺🇸

Fast forward to 2021 & he’s trashed the shit out off that grass - god I love him

You gotta love the sound of the old zingers

"Historic scenic area"....BRAAAAPPP lol

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.

ah, the ping king, lol. that one sounds crisp.

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)

Aaah man that old school 2 stroke big bore idle cackle 😀

Love it sounds great too

Bike looks and sounds awsome I have an 82 250 it needs a top end job I hope to get it going before long .👍

Yamaha are doing a limited edition yz500 2 stroke which should be on sale now in 2020 which should be rather fun

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

Love that jersey. Is that an 1982. Has the back suspension they had for one year.. Nice bike.

LOVE IT, BEAUTIFUL BIKE!!!

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.

The Yamaha collection!

Awesome sounding machine

Awesome bike, 80s bike are the best

Sign on grass says Historic Scenic Area. Just keep your eye out for free roaming, old historic 2 strokes while there.

My buddy had one had a messed up crank vibrate but go like a champ

I owned chopper reeds yz490 years ago it went hard nice bike

How do you find such nice bikes

Would be a dream job just to sweep the floors at this facility, free of charge!!

Nice bike, good job man:

Now that is a Thumper! Nice bike.

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.

ive just restord a yz490n and i cant seem to start it,ive had cr 500s and starts everytime with no problems,i think timings out but cant seem to sort it out,any ideal what it may be,any info would be most appreciated,cheers rob.

That's so awesome

Wasn't 1982 the only year they had that style ”mono-x” suspension? Was it any good?

epic!! had the same year in 125! skyz the limit

Sweet ride

Really nice bike.

mine w3as a 1984 yz 490 pissed off pinger lol i miss 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 !

Yamaha is my favorite too. 4 speed?

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

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..

It was like a natural high

Had a 83 yz465. Needed balls to ride thats for sure!

i had a 84 i miss the big 2 strokes

Loving the yz490 specially with the old retro style top with speed blocks bit of a clash with the bottom's ken kap

Nice Mid-Ohio find.

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. ???

Why do forums hate on this bike so much? They say it has terrible handling, suspension and only a 4 speed gear box