I owned that exact bike. one of the quickest bikes I have ever owned! I remember 4th gear power wheelies that scared the shit outta me. What a beast to start though! and a pig in the tight bush. fun on the logging roads though. I used to break kick started springs regularly. I remember the first time the spring broke and the end of the spring stayed in the case and I didn't realize it. I tried to put the new spring in but the case cover would not go back on. ended up using a magnet to get the broken off end of the spring from the case.
Anybody know where to get some OEM handguards for my 83? I've got a great place called Speed and Sport Yamaha somewhat close to me and I haven't been able to get a rear fender or handguards in the 7 yrs I've owned my 490. Ebay is just rediculous anymore. I hate to say it, but in my opinion, they have ruined the motorcycle and parts/acc market. A couple of years ago I went to look at an old "Wild Turkey" (SC500) and it was in shambles! I don't think there was a bolt that wasn't rounded on the bike. He was asking $800 for it and I offered him $200 (even that was generous for this particular bike). His reply was "No, they go for 800 on ebay all of the time). Funny part is I looked on Craigslist yesterday and low and behold the guy still has it and trying to sell it for 800. Anyways, sorry for the rant, guess Ebay just gets under my skin sometimes.
I agree on EBAY. To many fixable bikes are torn down into a pile of unsellable parts. I have been looking for complete Ossa Motors and all I see are piles of parts. Just how many restorable bikes have been lost to the parts pile.
You couldn't be more right about all of the good restorable bikes that go to the slaughter shed. I had a guy tell me to part my 81 Maico 490 when I bought it, just because the tires were flat and dry rotted, the aftermarket frt fender was sunbleached and fork gaitors were torn apart. People didn't notice the fact that it had Wheelsmith forks, original frame paint had no bootrub what so ever and it was bone stock! It irritates me when people would rip a good resto project apart simply because they THINK they can get more money out of it. I know I'm not alone when I say, Our bikes have personality, almost soul-like (not trying to offend anyone by saying our bikes have souls!). Some of my bikes are the best, longest relationships I've ever had! Haha If I had money to blow, I would've rescued bikes like animal fanatics rescue animals.I don't know about you guys, but even when I'm driving, I'm always looking for that one barn find. Afterall, that's how I got my IT 490. I had been searching for a 490 for over 10 years and a guy had an 85 Kawasaki Eliminator 900 for sale. I was looking at the pics and on the far left I could see the rear fender of an IT. I knew what years it could be, but not what size. I called the guy expecting to hear a 175 or 250, and lucky enough he said he thought it was a 500. Needless to say one day and $300 later it was in my garage!
There was a problem with the kick starter assembly on the earlier 490s. There is an improved design that came out on the mid-'80s bikes that is backwards compatible with the earlier bikes. I know the '83 models didn't yet have the updated parts, but starting from there and checking P/Ns year by year until they change will find it.
heres a question, does a 465 cylinder bolt to a 400 bottom end? and does the aluminum box swing arm from an 80 fit on a 78?
I don't know if this is the proper place, but I have some extra wheels front and rear I know longer need. They are from a 83' IT/TT 490 and 600's. PM me if your interested.
you might be able to bolt it on, but it won't work. the stroke is drastically different. i don't know about the swingarm, but i seriously doubt it.
Probably am not alone in my search but would love to own one. Message if you come across anything. Thanks
put on a new rear tire,switched the rear brake pads out... 1 kick and it roared to life again. dang that bike is a no shift monster. 2nd gear and go go go. i forgot all about the bong bong bong on decel :)
I have a little more time recently to get out and ride some of these big bore stroker projects I have been working on around here. And It has been interesting to ride them back to back to say the least. I can certainly say YZ465 #1 is running pretty DARN GOOD! But I guess there is no substitute for CC's as the IT490 motor is simply killing everything else I have hands down. And it handles great too. The Husky CR390? It has it's charms but is 100cc's smaller and 5 years older. While still a fun and nimble ride, it feels more like a quick 250 compared to those two Yamaha's. The IT come out again tomorrow as does two yz465's. The Husky? That gets a rest!
Thanks! The IT490 is such a great bike and not just in the woods. I will be missing Unadilla MX Rewind next week but here are a couple of snaps of the IT at last years event. The bike is street legal too. So in theory I could have ridden it to Unadilla, raced the cross country, the motocross and then I could have ridden it home! Just sayin...
Back off the idle screw (throttle stop, not air screw). It'll help with that. In my experience, if you have a big-bore 2-stroke adjusted so it will sit and idle without throttle input, it won't want to settle down like it should when you chop the throttle while riding. If you adjust the idle so you can just barely get a glove on between throttle blips, it'll behave much better out riding.
How about a it 400 racing?. The bike is no slouch but now that its warming up I think its time for a getting change. Up or down? Its bone stock and a .50 overbore Also I'm on headgasket number three. the original just wore out, I bought an aluminum one and that had a hole pinged in it within 100 miles. then I put a good used copper on but it still leaks. I just bought a new copper gasket, does the dimple go up or down?
Not OEM but maybe these are suitable? http://www.mefo-shop.de/Zubehör/Classic/Vintage Handprotektoren/STILMOTOR YAMAH XT Handprotektor/ http://www.mefo-shop.de/Zubehör/Cla...TILMOTOR YAMAH XT Handprotektor mit Anbaukit/ looks like white and black only
THANKS! that solved the problem - no more dragging me around while the throttle settles down. i've become so accustomed to smaller bores, that the big bore tuning/riding is kinda foreign...