I would like to add my two cents, the DS and the Raptor are the two best looking quads out there and I would love to have either of them but unfortantly I can't afford one at the moment.
P.S does anyone know of any snowmobile forums?? please email me if you do

 

The banshee lost the title king of speed when the DS came out.

 

I just have a set of Toomey pipes and silencers with a Pro flow intake, that's it. The only thing the Raptor has on the Banshee in a drag race is mid-range, the Raptor will hang with a Banshee until the Banshee gets into the top end then it's lights out because the Banshee pulls ahead for good. I think the Raptor is a great four-stroke quad but it just isn't as thrilling as a two stroke.

 

Not trying to make any waves, but if the Raptor is the best Yamaha can do I wasnt impressed yesterday at the Badlands. I went down there with about 17 other guys with different rides. The Banshees tore the Raptor up. One my friends has a Raptor, he looks like the poster child for dirtwheels. All show and talk. I got beat in the woods on my ds, but in the sand, hard pact dirt,and jumping I smoked the Raptor. It was great,especaily with 16 othe witnesses. You have to know this guy on the Raptor to really appreciate the feel of smoking this guy. When he had a ex400 he wouldnt ride ith me. Didnt here from him for 3 months until he got his Raptor. If I was going to buy another Yamaha it would be a Banshee! The Raptor is just a hotrod trail machine.

 

Amen! At least the Banshee has proven to be very reliable!

 

Check out the Yamaha thread guy's are breaking the upper a-arms and rear axels on first rides. It sure is lighter than a DS, but if you’re due a wheelie on your first ride and break the a-arm

 

Yeah just what I wanted! I dunno why the other guy's got their Raptor's but thats exactly what I wanted.....A hot rod trail machine! And im stuck with out sand being in Iowa! =-) Like I said that's what I wanted was a fun trail bike! Cool. Im third in line though! =-(
Planning on a trip to Iron River next year some time hope to see some other people out there! Have fun in the sand, dirt, woods or where ever your riding! Later guys

 

Im not knocking the raptor. Its a pretty good machine. Im knocking Yamaha. After all the years of having the banshee as there highperformance machine. Then to put so much hipe into the raptor wich is not much faster than the banshee is crap.The raptor should smoke every machine out there, but it dont.To me the raptor isnt any better than the banshee. Come on fellas! This is a 2001 machine. They could have done a hell of alot better than this. I think the raptor is a souped up ex400. One thing I admit it did smoke my ds in the woods. Ive owned banshees for alot of years,and they are the best 2 strokes out there. But to put so much hipe into something that really doesnt out perform the older quads just isnt right.

 

Well I will have to agree with Luba all the way. My report today is quite simple. I went to my Bombardier dealership today and they told me what happend between the raptor and the DS out front of the shop. There is a major roadway outfront and they lined up the raptor and ds first downhill. The raptor stayed up till the ds hit 3 gear then it walked away with the victory also the same is true going back up hill to get back to the shop. From what the guyys told me there that this engine that they put in the raptor is really old technology that is why the rotax engine kicks it's but. And to answer another guys question about the DS being a sand dune bike I live in the western part of Pennsylvania and believe me I dont have any problems getting threw the woods. And for hill climbing all my friends are jealous. So it's not the bike that really matter's its alot to do with rider experience.

 

It deserves its hype.

You said it yourself....it is as Fast as a Banshee or DS.

But it handles better, trails better, wheelies better,jumps better, Much better frame design, has reverse. Its a 400ex (king of trails) with Banshee power. Thats what its supposed to be...not a Duner.

As for the bent A-arms and Axles. Theres only proof of one or 2 instances. One was a fluke A-arm bend...all others report Major abuse, and they hold up. As for the other claims...go look for thier names in the Honda forum...they ride Honda. They bashed the Raptor not long ago...now we are to believe they own them ??? not.