Hi How good are raptor 350s? My son is 12 I want to get him a quad the raptor 250 will get small for him soon. He's not a big kid either. That raptor 250 is small well I'm going to get to the point. Is a raptor 350 too big for a somewhat experinced 12 year old , if so what do you recomend? He will be riding mostly trails. Do you think I should let him climb hills on it?

 

The 350 isn't that great a machine! It's nothing but a warmed over Warior, It handles clunkey...believe me I rode one for many many years.

I say get the 250 and let him ride the tires off it until it is absolutely to small for him, then step up to a 400 or 450.

 

Or, get a cheap Blaster to hold him over........

 

Recon I usually don't disagree with anything you say but on this you are off a bit...... have you ever rode a Raptor 350?

I would not discount the Raptor 350...... I've owned both the Warrior and the Raptor350 and they have the same engine but that is really it....... the ergonomics and handling of the Rappy is nothing like the old Warrior.......

My Wife likes her 350 just fine and she hated the old Warrior...... they changed more then just the plastic...... the footpegs are relocated, the steering stem is at a different angle, the engine is tilted forward for better balance, the A-arms area at a different sweep...... not to mention they shaved a good 25 pounds off the machine....

All of that combined to make the machine feel and handle totally different......

They also changed the cams, and exhaust bend to give it more mid range and top end...... which really was a wash since it seems to have sapped some low end from the mill.

I think it is a fine machine to learn on as the power is mild and the handling is fairly decent......

With all that said the 250 is a better machine for some people...... and if the kid it too big for a 250 it won't be long before he is too big for the 350 since the are not that much bigger......

I would probably move to the 400ex if I was considering the 350.......

 

I was riding a Warrior long before the teenagers in this forum were born....it was absolutely the worst handling machine I have ever known!

I rode a friend's Raptor 350 (just a warmed over Warrior) and I had high hopes that Yamaha had improved the machine in some ways....but no! It had the same old heavy/clunkey feel and bad ergonomics that I knew from the Warrior back all those years ago.

Yamaha needs to retire this tired old design...plain and simple! Don't buy one...there are way better machines out there.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: reconranger

I was riding a Warrior long before the teenagers in this forum were born....it was absolutely the worst handling machine I have ever known!



I rode a friend's Raptor 350 (just a warmed over Warrior) and I had high hopes that Yamaha had improved the machine in some ways....but no! It had the same old heavy/clunkey feel and bad ergonomics that I knew from the Warrior back all those years ago.



Yamaha needs to retire this tired old design...plain and simple! Don't buy one...there are way better machines out there.</end quote></div>

Well I'll agree they are not the best performance machine. But I cannot see how you didn't feel the difference compared to a Warrior.....

I'm willing to bet I'm older or as old as you - and wanted a Warrior from the second I saw it on the cover of Dirt Wheel way back when..... and when I finally got one I could not have been more disappointed with it....

Compared to my 230s it was heavy and handled like a tank.... and you sat so far down in the seat that standing up took more energy then it should have.....

As soon as I had the chance I plucked the z400 off the showroom and turned the Warrior over to the Wife to learn on...... she rode it for a year.....and her riding did not improve much at all.....I was starting to think that he was never going to be any good at all......

When the Raptor was on the showroom, I sat on it and knew right away things were different.... you were not sitting "in" the seat you were sitting "on" the seat. It had the nice fat pegs from the YFZ, obviously moved to a better location, and steering stem height and angle were obviously different.....I even noticed the engine was tilted forward which I knew would change the balance of the ride.... and the size of the machine was perfect for someone who is around 5-6/140.......

After about 2 weeks on the Raptor the difference was night and day..... her confidence was higher and she was attempting things she used to be scared of on the Warrior..... she said it just rode so much better and handled so much better that things came much easier.....

That is a real world application that I cannot ignore....... I have to think the Raptor gave her confidence such a boost that the Warrior never did.......

I think the 350 is a niche machine - it does not have the broad appeal that the Warrior had all those years, but the Warrior was all alone in the world, there were not other options let alone better ones until the 400ex hit the market......

I think the 250 and 700 will be the "go-to" machines for most performance Yamaha guys how don't want the 450 racer. So the 350 is sort of in that "newbie" or "cruiser" machine....... it is a good first choice, slightly quicker then the z250 and 250ex....... probably the same market as the 300ex with a little more power.....

We ended up with it because I felt the 300ex was too small, and the 400ex was too powerful for her first machine.... it was really the only choice in the middle.....

 

Well Dad, you have a dillema. I have a couple quesitons for you though and comments too. First I'd like to know who is driving this train? Junior complaining? Dad only wanting to spend the money once or what? Second, What are YOUR thoughts on what to buy him? Do you want him on something that is cutting edge? Can he handle it and be safe at teh same time, or will he likely ride way over his head and possibly get hurt? And lastly, what are your local laws regarding engine size etc. I know the rules are changing.. but it is a wuetion that you need to ask yourself.

I have not coem accross a kid who could not find a way to have fun on something if given a choice of riding or walking. The decision is YOURS, not HIS. YOU decise if he is mature enough, will follow your instructions to the letter and be responsible. If the answer is no, then you have some insight. Secondly, States are all different regarding size and age. You really need to be aware of what they are in your local area. Also, there are issues that may come up if you ever intend to ride in a public riding area that do not apply to your local state. Educate yourself.
As for a 250 or a 350 Raptor... the 250 9s a racer pure and simple. He will without a doubt be riding that much harder and faster than something more tame like the 350. Are you prepared for teh possible consequences, and refer to his mental state again...
The 350 is NOT a racer. It is a proven design that gives DECENT ,but not cutting endge performance. IF you can ride one of them at it's top potential, chances are he can keep up with just about anything on a trail. Contrary to what some guys may say, they have been around and are a decent and good choice. BUT, it is NOT a racer, and is not capable of acting like one... that in itself may be a very good thing...
Either machine is a good choice.
I had to make the same choice for my 13 year old. Only my choices were between the Raptor 250 and the Honda TRX259ex. I chose the Honda because I felt he didn't have the self discipline and necessary skills to handle the Raptor. I am very glad I went in this direction. He complained a great deal, but now that he has been riding it for a while, he agreed that he probably was not ready for the Raptor, and was happy with what he has. I certainly feel much more comfortable with the choice. I think kids see speed and power being the only thing... it is a good thing that parents like you and I take a more level headed approach to decisions.