Lifelong MX'er here, and I had never swung a leg over an open class machine until I just picked up this all original 89 YZ490. And I mean ALL original, other than the bars & grips.
I was shocked when it started easily on the 3rd kick, and does not feel THAT heavy moving it around the garage.
Goes nicely with the 75 RD250/350 and 97 YZ250.
That's beautiful! Are you gonna get it dirty (please say yes)?
This bike will be laying waste to any sand berm in sight. So yes, thoroughly flogged.
It kills me as I take it apart though, how everything is pristine inside and looks untouched from 1989. Was just dirty on the surface.
Wow nice. A beast for sure.
Beautiful preserved MXer :thumbs: are you aware of the issue with kick lever snapback breaking the clutch case? Was very common in some YZ465 and on into YZ490s. I once bought a 1987 that suffered the damage and learned the hard way about the history of the failure. It involves the short kick start shaft assembly with gear and spring. It occurs when the tab (pawl?) on the end of shaft that is supposed to stop return action of the shaft but sometimes breaks off and let's kick lever slam into clutch cover. I was addressed by Yamaha at some point, and I think there is a TSB on it. Fortunately, many of the years of 465 & 490 covers are interchangeable as well as center cases if it is real bad like mine was.
Quote from: RDnuTZ on July 06, 2026, 09:47:11 AMBeautiful preserved MXer :thumbs: are you aware of the issue with kick lever snapback breaking the clutch case? Was very common in some YZ465 and on into YZ490s. I once bought a 1987 that suffered the damage and learned the hard way about the history of the failure. It involves the short kick start shaft assembly with gear and spring. It occurs when the tab (pawl?) on the end of shaft that is supposed to stop return action of the shaft but sometimes breaks off and let's kick lever slam into clutch cover. I was addressed by Yamaha at some point, and I think there is a TSB on it. Fortunately, many of the years of 465 & 490 covers are interchangeable as well as center cases if it is real bad like mine was.
No, I was not - thanks for the heads up on that!
welcome! Hopefully yours already had the fix implemented when sold new and you'll never have to worry about it :vroom: