Warmer weather is arriving, riding facilities are opening by the day and your loyal ATV Connection editors are still scouring SprocketList in the hopes of finding someone a sweet deal on a previously loved ATV.
That said, this week’s ad takes us to a place called Carver, MA.
According to the listing this is a 2007 Yamaha Raptor 700 boasting such goodies as a cold air kit, exhaust, programmable FMV, and less than 50 hours on the clock.
It is white in color and according to the seller, in excellent shape. Asking $4300 and not currently looking for trades.
I’m looking for the year model with the most bugs worked out of it and least amount of problems. Which would be the best year for this?
Norf Georgia
Well the simplest answer to that question would be to go with a 2013. Why? Because not only is it the latest/ most refined version of the machine, it’s also going to come with factory warranty should you purchase it new.
Assuming you’re curious about used models, however, you should take comfort in knowing that the Grizzly has a long and proven history and that no particular model year was known for having problems.
The vehicle’s heritage can be traced back to 1998 (the Grizzly 600) that used an already proven motor from the XT600 motorcycle.
It became the Grizzly 660 in 2002 when Yamaha decided to integrate another time proven engine of theirs (the 5-valve 660 from the Raptor). It also went from a single shock to fully independent rear suspension in transitioning from 600 to 660.
From there you’d be hard pressed to find any changes made all the way up until 2007 when it became the Grizzly 700 and included such perks as fuel injection and EPS (Electric Power Steering). This is the top of the line Grizzly still offered today.
So in short, you really can’t go wrong with whichever year you decide. Base your choice on budget, location and the condition of the individual specimen in question.
In the event that you’ve never visited Freaking News, these guys host an ongoing series of Photoshop contests in the name of creativity and humor. It’s especially cool when the subject of ATVs come up. Here’s a few of our favorites.
Big Time: Here in the US bigger always means better. Supersize your fries, make mine a double and why not toss some monster tires on your ATV?
Hunting on the Mini: Praying Mantis are already badass insects but imagine the hunting they could accomplish from the saddle of a camouflaged ATV? Run little beetle, run!
Moon Rock: Have you ever wondered why we never bothered going back to the moon? That’s because we didn’t have the Yamaha Raptor the last time we went! Can you say 1/6th the gravity?
Alien Versus Predator: We’ve all pictured it since Polaris first unleashed an ATV called the Predator back in 2003 and besides the dude’s already sporting that wicked cool helmet.
X-Files: Sure Area 51 is off limits to civilians but we’ve all imagined showing those extraterrestrials what some good roost looks like. Just gotta steer clear of strange lights above. Rolling the Doubles: Maybe it’s a good thing there aren’t many Amazon women around these days; we imagine the natural terrain would be irresistible to quad riders everywhere.
If forced to identify one good thing about the riding season coming to an end, we would have to say that that’s when the good deals start surfacing on new & used ATVs.
Each week we rummage around SprocketList in the hopes of finding some good deal on a pre-owned quad and this week’s entry takes us to a place called Galloway, OH.
According to the listing, we have a 2005 Yamaha Raptor 350 SE with a mere 30 hours of operating time. Wearing the limited edition gray motif plastics, the ad’s poster says this electric-start, rear drive machine runs great. It also appears to include nerf bars.
The seller is looking for $2500 and is not currently looking for trades.
ATVs might be all-terrain vehicles, but most of the time, riders don’t spend a lot of time on paved surfaces. Of course, this is Finland—birthplace of some of the world’s craziest and most revered rally drivers—so that means all bets are basically off. This footage was shot at the Ahvenisto circuit, and aside from being just plain fun to watch, it demonstrates that ATVs can make for pretty awesome camera vehicles. Check out the video and see if you don’t agree. Formula D, are you paying attention?
