The Predator I rode felt faster than my DS did stock. I was totally impressed with it. I rode the 1st year model and I didn't like it at all. This wasn an 04 and it seemed to shift better and had better response all the way around. Now I wonder what is faster... a Pred or a 450R?

 

The magazines are talking pretty good about the 05 Troy Lee Design Predator ( not that I believe everything that they say). They say they fixed most of the complaints people have had with them. The TLD has a closer gear ratio, and better ergo's, higher rev limit. And the orange looks better than the old grey.

 

Entomber, I just purchased a 03 Predator and love it. The thing revs to the moon and pulls very good. I have already ordered go fast parts for it.

I have a friend with a 416EX that I built with a 11:1 piston, stage one Hot Cams. He beats piped and jetted Raptors and a DS or two. I get him out of the hole then he gets about a quad length ahead of me and stays there till I hit Fifth gear then I catch and pass him up. When I race him on his 416 its not even a race, the Predator wins every time. He weighs 160lbs against my 250lbs. Mine is bone stock except for running one gallon race fuel to four gallons of super unleaded.

OH and its an 03 model, the carb really sucks in the mid range, but once your wide open its going.

 

entomber, from my experiences with those two bikes, the pred is a little faster than the trx.
But i raced a kid on a trx and he whipped me, he weighed about 75 lbs. to my 300!

 

I have a friend with a predator bored to 550 and dyno tuned jetting spot on, and another friend with a 450R and HSR kit with cam and all that. They are neck and neck in the 100yard drags, trading wins back and forth by very little. Both are very good machines.
neither will take my stage II DS, flat ground or hillshoot.