You might ask what repairs have been done or get a mechanic to check it out.

But I know the Honda takes a lickin and keeps on tickin. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

yah, everyone says that the hondas are "bulletproof", i would have to agree. my 84 odyssey fl250 has takin a beatn, but never quit on me. i also used to have a 1971 honda trail 70 dirt bike. lasted all the way up to the day that i sold it [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

There isnt anything wrong with buying a raptor, but there is if its an 01 for all the reasons listed, and the added fact that yamaha didnt cover many of the repairs, and not all were done properly or even at all.

In case your curious just check out all the changes to the 02 model and you will see there were issues that needed to be addressed.

I guess if you found one that had everything corrected it could be ok, but it would be hard to know for sure etc.

As far as comparing the two models for your use this is something that you need to really consider your needs as both are good machines that you will have lots of fun riding, but they are also very very different.

Another thing to consider is if you intend to keep it stock and if not to what level you will mod it. I think this is important because though both respond well to basic intake and exhaust mods the rappy has a large cc advantage and uses it to prouduce plenty of bottom and mid power, but its shortcomings in handling allow the 400 to have an overall advantage (mostly in xc and mx, and its a little different in drags only) that becomes more obvious as the levels of modification increase.

We have had both an 02 raptor with intake and exhaust mods, and my fully modded 440ex since they were new, and though both are lots of fun to ride I prefer the 440ex everytime.

 

alright, i think that i am going to get either a ex or a z. i herd that on older model z's that you have to watch out for cracked frames. is this true? and what year did the z's start having reversez? cant make up my mind.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

you can get a yamaha banshee for the same price as a z 400. And a honda 250 2-stroke atv.
But if you dont like two strokes get the 660. Faster, bigger, and raptor 660s shouldnt have
major problems since people race them in baja 1000s, etc.

 

its not that i dont like 2 strokes,(i do), but i am just looking for a 4

 

Well if you get a z those are 4k and up, even used I think. Might as well look for a 450. That
should be enough bike for a while.

 

The banshee is really not a trail machine and it doesn't has reverse either, does it?

 

i can get a used z for a cuple hundred more than an ex. at most a stock ex or an ex with a slip on and nerf bars i could get for 2800. and i dont't think that a shee would work for me.

 

If you are looking at spending around $2800.00, I would probably go with the EX too. Otherwise, it is going to come down to power(660) vs handling(400.) If you can find someone selling an '01 660 with proof the tranny was upgraded, I would consider it. Realistically, at this point most of those quads have either been fixed or scrapped.