They started out making snowmachines but there big money is in high speed trains and buisness jets now.

 

how was your trip to the sand with your raptor? did u go to sand mountain? i shoulg be picking mine up nov5th and going to sand mountian nov10-12, would be cool if we met up, did u see any other raptors out there racing? how is the new engine holding up?
later, sean

 

I would like to see Arctic Cat throw their 175hp triple cylinder 1000cc thundercat motor in a sport quad. Now that puppy would fly!!!

 

Was a good trip...Still found myself riding the banshee more. Its still more fun in the sand ; ) A few Raptors out there but all were riding like sissies = ) Now the Raptor is out of commission again due to a bent axle. My own stupidity I rode a wheelie down into a small wash and smacked the backend pretty hard thus the bent axle. Have the new axle almost on so I may be out at Sand Mountain tomorrow with it otherwise me and some guys already have a trip planned for next weekend. Just look for the Black suburban with the Black 25' Harley Davidson trailer with a little asian guy (me) and a bunch of big hairy white dudes sitting around it in lawn chairs = )

 

The larger displacement motors sound great in theory but a DS is heavy enough-a 650lb. "sport" machine would hardly get my blood boiling-regardless of horsepower. With regard to the post hoping for a stock machine that would be superior to a race prepped 250R for track work you will likely never see it. No stock machine in this market segment has ever or will ever out-perform a race prepped bike in a closed course setting which is why we spend so much money race prepping machines. If 250 two-strokes were still in Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word Spam wordSpam word  you still woudln't see a stock bike released that would out perform a race machine.

 

In response to Grandpa's dune story post where he described the bent axle on his Raptor-Dirt Wheels bent the axle badly on it's test Raptor in the course of their recent hi-po shootout article. Sounds like this is a recurring theme for the Raptor and a bit surprising consodering it's high performance intent. I am considering purchasing one but at 240lb. it sounds like I might as well buy a dura-blue at the same time to avoid lost riding time.

 

i guarantee a 380 rotax will put out more than 36h.p. Bombardier's newer Mxz 440 snowmobile engines pump out around 100 h.p. I can't see a 380cc making any less than 50 h.p. Can you imagine if it has power valves on it! I'd buy one.

 

not me, who wants a 2stroke that won't be able to take on trail rides because of the enviro-*****? the 2 strokes are gone for quads, 4 is in now

 

Bombardier wouldn't put the air cooled version into the quad, because it wouldn't make since. They are probably using it as a starting point.

Liguid cooled snowmobile engines would over heat in the summer because the water jackets are to small.

 

When are you people going to learn. The only new machine to materialize was the Raptor. Kawasaki got me all hoped up and released a utility quad, Honda just plain blew it, and Suzuki hasn't done anything. For me, 2002 models are too late.
Also, a completely handmade works motocross bike from 1986, would get smoked by any of the current offerings stock! If Somebody pulled out the stops and released a closed course competition model with a powervalved motor, and shocks like the aftermarket units, etc, it would stomp all over the machines we are seeing on the tracks today. My opinion. Later.