I used to have a Warrior and used it mostly on tight trails in Locust Stake (GA) and Kentuck (AL). At the time, I thought the Warrior had great handling and power and was really fun to ride. Now, I've been thinking about getting back into the sport and have been lusting for the Rapter. But I have heard reports about how the Rapter is geared really high and how you hardly ever get out of first gear on tight trails and how you have to slip the clutch frequently to prevent bogging.
Is the Rapter good for tight trail work or would the Warrior be just as fun? Or should I get a 400EX and do without reverse?

 

I have a raptor and its great for tight trails, yes it is geared high for tight woods but all you have to do is gear it down. I put an 11 tooth front sprocket on mine and its perfect for the woods, if you do get one the first thing I would do to it is gear it down and put a prm swingarm skid on it if able put full prm skids on it I did and there great

 

The best quad for tight trails is definately the 400 EX. It has been proven that it will kill a raptor (stock vs. stock)in the woods. If you geared a raptor down it might be able to compete and the reverse would be nice. But if you are gonna leave whatever you get stock i would go with the EX.

 

Would you mind explaining how the 400ex has been "proven" to "KILL" the Raptor in tight woods since the Raptor has been out maybe 2 months? Have you rode either?

 

Come on, Gary, why don't you just $hut up instead of starting to argue. Let anyone think whatever they want, even if you think they're wrong. STOP QUAD BASHING (or quad gloryfying).
So I'll answer for t3w..., YES, HE DOES MIND.
We just want to know how a Craptor performs in the woods. Not one more ridiculous pueril arguing about mine is faster!

 

Quad Bashing? Not even close. Did I say anything negative about a quad? NO! I posted nothing about top speed and racing. I simply posted a question stating- "Would you mind explaining how the 400ex has been "proven" to "KILL" the Raptor in tight woods since the Raptor has been out maybe 2 months? Now read the previous posts again.....You get it?

 

Naming the Raptor "CRAPTOR" is quad bashing!

 

Thanks Zorro. You are right...two strokes rule. I have a 98 Banshee too. Not stock at all. Back to Gary...i would explain my statement of how a stock 400 EX will kill a craptor in the woods, but Dirt Wheels Magazine does it better. Check out the December issue and you will know what i am saying. Remember i didn't say a modded raptor would because that wasn't what they tested and it isn't what i have ridden. I have ridden a stock and modded 400 EX and a stock raptor. If your question is what is the best all around quad i will give it to the raptor...but that wasn't the topic...it was about woods.

two strokes rule

 

I like the new found power of my stock Raptor in the woods, but recently riding I find myself looking for first and a half gear...1st is too low and 2nd is too high. I'll definitely be ordering a 12-tooth sprocket.

Other differences I noticed, My warrior is more narrow and has a tighter turning radius. Since the Raptors front tires are further out than the rears, I find myself clipping my rear tires less on logs and stumps.

I don't know how much my warrior weighs, but it's had several items removed and it's much easier to lift out of a rutt. The Raptor is also much less likely to slip into a rutt due to the excellent traction of the stock tires.

 

No, craptor is just that I read it some time ago, and it found this so funny that I keep naming it like that. There's nothing serious about it.
To answer to t3w..., his reply is quite unuseful...except reminding us of the existence of the 400EX in the woods. Who cares a 400EX "will kill" a Raptor (see gary no more Craptor ). Offroading is ALL ABOUT THE RIDER. Give a stock blaster to Doug Eichner (spelled right?) and I would bet my life that he would be faster than any human on any ATV.
That's why MY banshee is faster than your Raptor (or 400EX for that matter), because I'm on it!
To get back to the original thing...bah...forget it(neither is brighter than the other..isn't ATV all about FUN?)!