Well, I just read the ride review that this web site did of the Raptor. Guess what, They say about 75 mph and 45 ponies. Not Earth shattering. The handling is awesome for trail riding, but not race oriented. Here comes the best part. In several drag races against a STOCK Banshee, it is a toss up. Keep in mind the better new radial tires on the Raptor. Apparantly it is a great recreational machine, but I don't see it stomping all over anything. I love the competition and can't wait to see what Kawasaki puts out. Oh yeah, that 2 carb set up where one carb feeds 2 intake valves and has to be jetted richer that the other looks like a lot of fun to me. It is tough on a dual carb set up to get them jetted the same.
What does every one else think?

 

The dual carb situation does not concern me, as with the banshee I never had difficulty tuning at many climates and elevations. But I think we might be missing the point on the raptor's dual carbs because it is a total cfm into a single cylinder through 3 valves nonsynchronis. I sometimes miss my banshee but I would not trade my DS for anything (yet) everyone I let ride has been astounded by the comfort,handling and power. Also lets not all jump on leech,he makes reasonable posts and seems quite knowledgable but I think he really hates Yamaha to each his own?

Oh yea- did I get the correct answer to the trivia question,and what did I win???

 

Ang,

Yep, you were absolutely right. For those who don't know, the formulas for torque and horsepower involve a common figure of 5252 RPM. This is why all engines have the same torque and horsepower figures at 5252 rpm. I guess you won some respect Ang, since I'm not giving anything away...haha

The new Raptor review is the most negative one that I've read yet. It is probably the most accurate as well. I'm a little surprised about the Banshee beating it in a drag on occassions, but otherwise it's about what I expected and stated. Not perfect for everything, but good for trail riding.

Yeah, maybe I was a little hard on Leech, but it gets old seeing the same folks bashing other quads all the time. Maybe some of the bashing will die down now that the DS has been given the nod for being the better MX'er. If both quads were exactly the same, we really wouldn't have much of a choice other than what name and color we wanted on our quad.

 

Oh well maybe I'll try the lottery . Anyway as said by leech and I agree written reviews are not the last word on what is what in the atv world. When I come up on one at least I'll know what it is and maybe do some real world comparison(can't wait) When your raptor comes in the first place you go you will get mugged with people wanting your review of the new beast, I still get a lot of attention and I have answered them all
( should have recorded a tape so I didn't have to keep repeating myself) almost like a movie star.
I noticed Ky. do you ever ride land between the lakes, We are wanting to go there again after it cools down a bit.

 

Ang,

I haven't got to ride down at Turkey Bay, but hear that it's a great place to ride. I also know that they did quite a bit of testing there with the Raptor before its release.

It's only about 1 hour or so from my house, so I'll try to make it down there sometime this season.

 

Here's my take on the subject, I feel that CRT_Leech couldn'y be more right I don't own any of the quads being metioned but I do have a Warrior (and a 86 250R this Monday , But I feel that this quad is being overrated like the 400ex,
If you don't remember every magazine cover in the Atving bussiness having that quad on the front for months on end then you must think that O.J. Simpson trial went by in a week.
But to get back to the point I hope that Yamaha did all the testing properly and would have really worked on the frame because lets face it all yamaha sport frames might as well be made of tin foil, trust me I own one.
But in one article I read how yamaha sent many motors to Japan to be tested, so I think this maybe is being counted as the "3 year" develepment being credited to this machine which is more like a realistic 1 year program.
Oh and I don't plan on buying a DS 650 ever because they cost too much but other than that I would buy one given the chance.
Oh and trust me us Canadians ain't playin to be second to a bunch of Japanese folks.
Expect Bombardier to change some aspects on the DS because one benefit to the company being smaller than Yamaha is if they want to change something they will.


Thanks, Bub

1999 Grizly
1999 Wolverine
1995 Warrior
1995 LT 80
1990 Lt 160
Atc 200X
and coming this monday the real bad boy the 86 250R

 

You missed the point about the twin carb set-up. I think jetting will be a hassle because one carb feeds two valves and the other carb feeds one valve. The carburators have different jetting from each other. I just can't see that being a good idea. Even though it is a four stroke and jetting is not as important, if one carb is leaner that the other, it seems like you could burn up a valve and not even know you are doing it. As far as evaluations and this vs. that, there has to be some truth to the Raptor/Banshee drag race outcome. Let's remember that Banshee tires suck for any terrain and the Raptor has new radials.
Also, I completely agree that the reviews are being politically correct when they comment on the Raptor's handling. It is like we are so grateful to have this new quad to test that we don't want to make the factory boys mad or they will take their toy home. I like motocross action because they call them like they see them. While other publications were praising Cannondale, they said, "you don't even have a motorcycle for us to test, where is it?" They have been very hard on Cannondale and rightly so. I have yet to see one or here of anyone else seeing one that is actually a production model. They are supposed to be in showrooms right now. That just proves that you cannot believe everything someone tells you. Remember, Yamaha wants you to buy their machines no matter how good/bad they are. They are still making the Banshee because it is a good performance per dollar machine.

 

I was just at a yamaha dealership the other day and they had a "proto" cannondale bike there on the sales floor. I do not believe it was for sale though

Even with all the "doomsayers" I still think that the raptor is going to be a awsome bike. Heck I was just glad to have a choice on a big bore 4-stoke that I can take to the dunes, woods, trails..... well you name it. I would have to say that if it didn't have reverse I probably would not have ordered one. On the jetting thing.... all one of the mags said is that on carb can run the same needle/pilot jet..... just had to be 2 sizes richer on the main.... gee that don't sound to bad. I know I have done jetting on banshee's befor and that was'nt to bad.

I am still pumped!

Brad

 

ridz- the point of the unequal dual carbs is not an issue of burning a valve,and I never said jetting on a four stroke was not as crucial as two strokes. My point of non issue is that all the air fuel mixture goes into ONE combustion chamber therefore it will be the same burn rate and fire expelled on all valves. Think of it like this you can only suck so much air/fuel per valve the adjustment to either carb will increase or decrease total mix to cylinder almost like having a fine and coarse carb adjustment. I hope this was clearer than my prev. post

 

Yes, I understand carb jetting. I also understand that both carbs feed one cylinder. I am not condemning Yamahas design, just reserving judgement until the design is proven. As tested, the jetting is not perfect and they(yamaha) are scrambling to correct it. I don't think they really are trying to fix it for the first production run anyhow. If the machine is going to arrive next month, you can bet it is in a crate in a warehouse waiting to go on a truck. As Is.
No manufacturer puts out a machine with poor jetting(it is perfect, right?) but in reality, you are going to have some tuning to do. Going two richer on the main is a good starting point but after mods, especially, you are going to have to spend some time doing jetting runs.
As for burning a valve. The air/fuel mixture coming into the combustion chamber has a cooling effect on the cylinder head, piston and the valves. On a high revving, high performance machine this is more true that on a putt-putt low output motor. It is possible to have correct jetting for the engine, but one carb lean, the other rich. The lean valve(s) will not have as much cooling effect and therefore run hot. It is then possible to burn a valve. I am not saying that this is or is not going to be a problem, just that it might be a problem. Only time will tell us. If anybody thinks I am full of do-do, the proof is the NASCAR boys who run restrictor plates. They have to be very careful when backing out of the throttle or they WILL burn a valve, piston, etc, by not having as much cooling effect.
I hope it is a great machine, but like I have been saying for a while, I will reserve judgement until it has been ridden and modified by the common man. All I am doing here is putting forth some of the things that I see as possibilities based on my own limited knowledge of life and mechanical things in general.