Raptor 700R

Hey Galen, where you going? Coos Bay by chance? I'll be out there to ride for one of the days around thanks giving. If you'll be around, maybe we can finally meet up and ride around.

 

if you can handle it, you nailed it. but if your not going to push the 450 it can be more of a handfull if your trying to lug it. the 400's can be lugged or pushed.

but actually the suspension geometry is very close to the old 400ex, most of the 450's are based off the old 250r aftermarket set up, or at the least took ideas from the 250r.

the honda 400ex has more then proven itself, its one of the most realiable and bullet proof quads out there, you can pick up a orginal 99 and it can still run like new with the basic maintance. the suzuki z400 has had the most issues, from weak frames to trans issues, which also goes along with the ltr450, weak trans and will rip the rear linkage out of the frame. dont even mention the yfz, i like some of the new options, but a bolt togeather alum frame? and they still havnt fixed some of the issues from the 1st year it was released.

the reason you see more 450's racing, is because everyone wants every advantage on the track they can get. on the track a 400 will not rev and pull like the 450's. but if your a normal everyday trail rider you can build a damn nice 400, almost fully aftermarket, hit up the trails one weekend and hit up a local harescramble and be competative the next.

like the old saying goes, you can have fast, cheap and realiable, pick two.

 

Ha. never heard that one... Love it! Totally true!

 

Ya Eric I will be there from this Sat till next Sat at the KOA in North Bend So give me a call or I can call you. Looks like rain for the first couple of days so far but should be good.
Hope to catch up with ya as well would like to have someone who rides good

 

400 are outdated they are still air cooled and plain jane shocks. 400 are not any where near the same league as any 450 or big bore bikes. Also you should check out Dirt wheels July issue and see what they say about 400. Slow and old parts still. Same with Honda. My uncle has had one for a while and hads no way of keeping up with me on my 700. And he has even raced and has the the bike bored to a 440, full suspension setup and still the bike doesnt perform like a 450 or 700. enjoy your 400 but you cant even find one in stores most of the time. Also a bolt together aluminum frame has been around a while on canams, 700, cannodales just to name a few. They are lighter and stronger, chromoloy and steel tubing frames are to ridged and dont flex like aluminum does. Also aluminum helps keep the vibration down in the bike. Also most 400 out weigh even a 700. the Suziki is 425. your honda is 415 and my raptor is 400 so weight for racing has a lot to do with it if you want to go fast.

 

i never said the 400's arent as balls out fast as a 450, i actually said the 400s cant pull as good as a 450 but for everyday riding the 400 is smoother and easier to ride. actually the 400ex is air and oil cooled, not just air and it is a the most realiable atv, alone with the 300ex. you can trust dirt wheels all you want, they mean nothing, if you look back you can see what ever companies advertise with them will be wrote up as the best atv. bolt togeather frames havent been around that long, canam sucks, they cant keep them togeather and well we see how well cannondale did. you konw the current tube frames are mild steel right? the only chromoly frames are all aftermarket. the 450r is 350lbs, 400ex is 375lbs, z400 is 372lbs, the raptor 700 is 396 lbs, thats all the dry weights from the factory specs. even in the open classes people race big bore 450's instead of the 700's. ill enjoy my 400ex's to play in the woods, one is a 440 the other is stock, ill enjoy my 450r when i want to race mx, ill enjoy my 250r's, one is a 310 the other a 265 when i wana ride something that will rip my arms off.

 

well, the Cam Am DS450 frame is actually riveted with aircraft fasteners, not bolted or welded. The cannondales were ahead of their time, and with a little bit more engineering time and money on them, ATK made them a pretty decent machine. Just one more thing... Do a little research and you'll find that the KTM quads frames are actually oval chromoly tubing. Not trying to start anything, just stating some facts.

 

not a problem, thanks for correcting me. i havent gotten a chance to really play or look into the ktm's, but it does help explaing some of the $10,000-12,000 price tag. i mainly was thinking of the main mfg's, the 450r, ltr450 and the older yfz's were mild steel.

 

Well guys thanks for all the info. I think Im going to decide between the yfz 450 and the raptor 700. Im still a bit unsure. I def want sumthin that I can just haul butt on but realiability and cost of maintainence is something I need to consider as well. I like that the raptor has reverse. I like the looks of both of the quads but Im prolly gna wait another couple of months so I guess I have plenty of time to decide and do some more research

 

How about you just buy this one?



06 450, 4800.. It's in the for sale section.