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When I was thirteen, my dad bought himself, my brother, and I new dirt bikes - 1984 IT490s.  We got them cheap because the year was 1985 and the 490’s were discontinued.  My dad also raced go-carts with the dealership co-owner Joe Ruttman (yes, that Joe Ruttman).   

Anyway, I was bs’ing with the guy I currently ride with this morning wondering how it would compare to by ‘06 YZ450F.  I can tell you that the thrill factor then with the 490 and now with the 450 is about the same.  My guess is that the IT probably not so fun to ride by today’s standards.

Suspension has made leaps and bounds in 22 years.  Did I mention an air-cooled two-stroke engine versus a water cooled thumper…and drum brakes.

SIDEBAR:  My dad is old-school.  The only reason he gets power sindows and locks in his trucks that he keeps for twenty years each is because you cannot get them without any more.  “They’re junk” he used to say.  “When they break it’ll be too expensive to fix the power windows”.  Hmmph.

He had the same attitude towards radiators on dirt bikes.  “You don’t want a radiator on a dirt bike…put a stick through one and you’re screwed.”  Tha’s why we had air-cooled bikes, because we could put a tick through a radiator.  END SIDEBAR

Regardless, I was one lucky SOB back then.

I have this black and white photo that I have searched for many times and cannot find.  Its my favorite picture of me of all time (really).  Its me at fourteen standing behind my 490, as a shaved head punker with Chuck Taylor Converse All-Stars and a Suicidal Tendencies t-Shirt.  I have to find that photo.

I rode that bike hard until I graduated high school and went away to college.  Between 1989 and 2001, I rode it twice.  I ended up selling it to a friend for $1000 just before I made the trek to Arizona knowwing I wanted something newer. 

I would love to hit the terrain I ride today just once to feel the perspective difference.  Actually, I’d probably hate it.  Bad.  Back then, I was probably 125 pounds.  An excellent power to weight ratio I am sure.  Now I’m 175 pounds, but the thrill feels the same. 

I’ve gotta believe that the suspension would kill me as well as the drum brakes.  Oh yeah, my 450 has an aluminum frame too.  Don’t get me wrong, that was a helluva bike for its time.  I’m curious to know how it would compare to today’s bikes.