First of all let me introduce myself.
I just picked up a 2003 Raptor 660 after owning a 400EX for the past couple years.
I live in Upstate NY about 30 miles from Albany,but I am through Mass and in RI on a weekly basis.

Anyhow,I was wondering if anyone could tell me whether or not the front brakes on the Raptor will get better as the machine breaks in.
Do the pads simply need to bed themselves?
One of my first impressions is that the front does not grab as well as my 400EX does and feels very spongy.

If this is just how they are,will a braided line take care of the problem?

I can "stoppie" the EX with ease.....and I am trying to be gentle on the 660 until the break in period is over,but right now I don't even think I could get the front to grab hard enuff to pick the rear up.

Thanks for any insight anyone can give me.

 

Yup the brakes are a bit spongy......thats just the way the are.
They work fine, but are not great.

You answered your own question.
Braided hoses and different brake pads are the answer.

 

Ditto to McFly's answer!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

The brakes on my banshee arent spongy at all. When I try to stoppie, whether on grass, dirt, or pavement, they just lock up. I really have to lean over the front to get enough grip. Ive yet to ride a rap, but that whole brake thing doesnt seem right. I agree with McFly, but the braided hoses may be going a bit far. Maybe your fronts are a bit outta whack, maybe try to adjust them.

-nick

 

Yeah Nick, you right. braided hoses arent a necessity. They just give you super responsive bracking. They make stopping in a rush a reality. A better quality brake pad will be sufficient to solve the spongy brake problem.

 

The brakes will just keep getting worse to the point they bottom out with plenty of pad left, I bled the brakes and ........wow I thaught there was a scuba diver in there! My brakes are very tight now, way better than the first day from the dealer. My suggestion is to bleed the brakes my rear brakes were like that and I thaught thats just the way it is at first.........

Mines is also a '03 Raptor and came out of the box in front of me and the so called "dealer mechanics" put it together and charged me 400 bucks to do what ever it is they do so I trusted them.

Moral of this story is: just because it new doesn't mean it does't need a look over.............Check everthing............Grease everything.........Re-torque everthing............................you get the picture!

 

My rappy feels better than any EX I've ever felt, try bleeding the lines...the ss lines made a huge difference

 

Thanks for the help,I'll try bleeding them and see what happens