Wow! Someone's in an argument and it's not me!
Anyway, GlennC made the comment that big-bore two-strokes beat up their riders a little bit. While I can't speak for 490s and 500s, which I've only sampled intermittently, I can say that the most relaxed and easy-going bike I've ever ridden was a 390 Husky. I took that on a set of trails and roads one day, then the next week took my 250 Husky (which is essentially the same bike except for the motor) and it was miserable by comparison. Always had to keep the RPM up to keep moving, and when the power came on it was much more of a hit than the 390, even though the 390 was clearly more powerful in all points of the rev range.
I believe that 125s and 250s beat their rider up much more than any properly-done big-bore. They require you to keep it going and spun up a lot. And don't get me wrong, that's really fun stuff; I don't see myself ever selling that 250. But when you get into a bike that's got the big displacement and massive low-end, I think (and I hate to say this) they start feeling like a four-stroke. What I mean by that is they offer you the luxury of loafing about in whatever gear you want and growling up hills like you've got a winch hooked to the wheel instead of an engine. But fortunately, unlike the four-strokes, when you do want to spin it up and take off with the front end in the air and the back sliding thither and yon, they'll let you do that, too.
And that reminds me, I recorded my thoughts from when I rode the '83, I suppose I could upload that.