my girlfriend is thinking about buying a yamaha raptor 250 sometime soon in the future. i have been reading articles upon articles in dirt wheels, and 4 wheel ATV action. i know that the magazines brag this machine up. right now she is riding an 01 polaris trailblazer and i ride an 05 400ex. which she complains doesnt have enough power for her. however she has never ridden a manual shift/ manual clutch ATV. i figure since it "therotically" beat the 300ex, 250ex, and of course the kymco mongoose 300, that it might be a good starting point for her. she chose this machine on looks over the other 3 machines. we ride mostly fast fire roads, and some tighter rocky, muddy trails. since she hasnt really ridden many wheelers, i dont feel comfortable with her on a machine like my 400, or equivilent(or better). i want to hear from people how this thing compares "in real world applications." roughly what is the top speed of this machine, and the horsepower figures? my girlfriend is 5' 2" tall, so i figured her smaller height/ frame would be a perfect match for this machine. also the price of it doesnt hurt either. thanks for any replies.

 

I have not ridden one myself, but those I have talked to love theirs (southwest desert riding). It is a good match for a petite woman or early teens.

I think ground clearance is very limited for rocks and any technical riding, but a taller set of tires (and a gearing change) could fix that real fast.

I would let her try the 400EX clutch on some easy terrain first, to see if she thinks that aspect is going to be a big deal.

 

Yeah...definately get it. Nice bike as long as you dont plan on trail riding