I'm getting ready to look into buying a good used sport quad. I don't want to start a war on which, but its going to be between a Raptor, DS650, 400Ex or maybe a Z400..My question is about the Raptor. Didn't they have transmission problems in their early introductions..2001 I think? If so, would you stay away from the 2001's or was there a fix?

 

The 01 was the year with the tranny issue, it's fixed for 02 and up.

 

With the other 3 that you listed why would yu even consider the 400 EX? It's a great all around sport quad but the engine performance can't touch the other 3.
Ride Red is right about the '01's.

Red,
Please don't take offense to the above comment but the 400 is down on power compared to the other 3 he listed.

 

What was the issue..can it be fixed and would you stay away from 01's?

 

the other 3 are only NOTICEABLY faster on a straight away, it'll hang with a raptor, z, and ds on a trail with no problem ALL STOCK! on an mx track the z and ex will stay in the front of the other 2 and depending on the rider either the z or ex will be faster. I dont see y people always rag on the ex its just as good if not better in most categories as the other bikes. While the guy on the raptor is screwed due to a blown tranny, the guy on the z is screwed with a broken frame, the DS will be RIDING right there with u on your bullit proof EX! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

the 01's had tranny problems, but you can replace the tranny with an 02' tranny fix.

 

what was the problem with raptors and trannys in 01? what made them go out?

 

I think it was that a couple gears (or maybe all) had only 3 dogs instead of 4 like the 02's do now. You could basically sum it up by saying they were just to weak, but you probably already knew that......

 

...yea i kinda figured the weak part after i saw one go out with a power shift... Did the DS have any defects besides the headlights?

 

Is the 02 tranny fix expensive and does a dealer have to do the work..?