1984 Yamaha IT490L

The Yamaha IT range was introduced in 1976 as a series of purpose-built enduro motorcycles developed from Yamaha’s YZ motocross models. The range expanded throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, with models covering several engine capacities.

The IT490 was introduced for 1983 as the replacement for the earlier IT465 and became the largest model in the IT range. The first version was designated the IT490K, followed by the IT490L for 1984.

The 1984 IT490L was the final version of the IT490, with the model discontinued after only two years of production. By 1984, Yamaha had also reduced the wider IT range to the IT200L, IT250L and IT490L as the company began moving away from its large air-cooled enduro models.

Although smaller IT models continued into the late 1980s, the end of the IT490 marked the conclusion of Yamaha’s open-class IT lineage, which had progressed through the IT400, IT425 and IT465 before reaching the IT490.