Yamaha IT490 or IT200

[Sideshow]

Looking for a Yamaha IT project.

83-85 IT490
83 IT250
84-86 IT200

I wouldn’t turn down a decent air cooled YZ either.

Please keep your eyes out.

[backinthesaddle]

Both cool bikes. Cousin had the 490. Overkill for RI woods but a blast at the sand dunes.

[boosten lebaron]

Wow, Kickin it old school. I am always on the look out for old ass dirt bikes and i will tell you right now an aircooled yz is easier to find than the other models you listed. I saw a 490 for sale about a month ago and i dont think i have seen a 200 in years.
Have you looked into an XR? much easier to come by.

[Sideshow]

Both cool bikes. Cousin had the 490. Overkill for RI woods but a blast at the sand dunes.

My first brand new bike was a 86 IT200. It was bulletproof.
The 490 may be overkill but cool factor trumps that all day.

[Sideshow]

Wow, Kickin it old school. I am always on the look out for old ass dirt bikes and i will tell you right now an aircooled yz is easier to find than the other models you listed. I saw a 490 for sale about a month ago and i dont think i have seen a 200 in years.
Have you looked into an XR? much easier to come by.

I found a couple 200s and a few older 175s. The two 200s are priced way too high.
Funny you say XR…I am just finishing up a mech restoration on a 86 250R. It’s been in the family since 90.

[csmutty]

I rode an IT 490 that my friend Bob owns years and years ago. I couldn't get over how much that thing shakes! The bars might as well be directly welded to the motor.

[Paul_E_D]

I rode an IT 490 that my friend Bob owns years and years ago. I couldn't get over how much that thing shakes! The bars might as well be directly welded to the motor.

Yeah, and it really didn't make lots more power than the 200. I think from that era, the smaller bore bikes are better riders. I never got to ride the 200, but have many miles in Latin America on the venerable IT175.

I remember one day on the north coast of the D.R. I decided to see how far up a STEEP meadow I could make it. I was wearing board shorts and birkenstocks as I normally did back then. The meadow was so dry that there were deep wide cracks in the earth making even straight line travel dicey. THe hills there get steep very abruptly and when I could no longer keep the front wheel on the ground I pivoted off the bike. There was a distinct crunching noise as I put my foot down... right through the ribcage of a dead cow rotting in the afternoon sun. It took me a bit to get my birkie out of the lung. The unexpected chaos of Latin America and the IT175 make for some great memories.

[nick5446]

This thread has me pumped! I'll keep an eye out. They definitely do pop up for sale from time to time. Seems they're either in super rough shape, or way overpriced. My buddy built an insane custom chopper with a YZ490 motor in it. I'll see if I can find a pic...

[nick5446]

[typeone]

... right through the ribcage of a dead cow rotting in the afternoon sun. It took me a bit to get my birkie out of the lung. The unexpected chaos of Latin America and the IT175 make for some great memories.

hahaaa, NASTY! love that you were in Birks (♫ Paul don't wear regular shoes...)

My buddy built an insane custom chopper with a YZ490 motor in it. I'll see if I can find a pic...

that is sick! bet it sounds rad

Funny you say XR…I am just finishing up a mech restoration on a 86 250R. It’s been in the family since 90.

need more pics, build is looking good!

[Paul_E_D]

That chopper is pretty radical. Looks like the headstock collapsed!

[nick5446]

He builds some pretty wild bikes: https://motorcyclesandart.com/

[boosten lebaron]

Not local and not cheaper but it's there

https://advrider.com/f/threads/1979-...ue-nm.1530280/

[nick5446]

This dude's got a 400 and two 175s....all reasonably priced and local

https://westernmass.craigslist.org/m...415416377.html

https://westernmass.craigslist.org/m...412389680.html

https://westernmass.craigslist.org/m...411659949.html

[Paul_E_D]

Wow, that 175 is nice!

[Sideshow]

Thanks for the heads up but I’m looking for a 83 250 or a 84-86 200.
Those are killah though.

Keep keeping an eye out for me guys.

[Sideshow]

My inspiration…

[nick5446]

I’m gonna keep posting ITs that you don’t want: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...8261467618337/

[gregp]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...6-91d2679e3395

[boosten lebaron]

Now I want a 175 lol. Seems like a fun yard bike.

[nick5446]

Now I want a 175 lol. Seems like a fun yard bike.

I always have to hold myself back on decisions like that. "oh a fun new toy....that I'll use for 15 minutes after spending 30 minutes getting it started, twice a year"

[gregp]

I have owned many DT's and IT's over the years. The 175's and 200's were always my favorites, and they were easily best suited to our tight New England trails over the larger displacement bikes. The 1986 IT 200 is considered the "crown" - with its front disc brake. The only major failure I had was with an '84 IT200, where I stressed the frame so hard on a high speed G-out that the head stay yanked the cylinder away from its base studs. That cost me $400 for a new cylinder.
If I could request Yamaha to revive 1 bike from their past, it would be difficult to chose between the RZ350 and the IT200.

[boosten lebaron]

Well I've got an rz350 in my basement so maybe I should an IT to the mix. Looks like a 175 is easy enough to find.

[boosten lebaron]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...tory_type=post

200 just popped up. Too pricey for me.

[Paul_E_D]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...tory_type=post

200 just popped up. Too pricey for me.

That's all there though.