Hey There! I'm on the market for a new atv. I've never owned one, though ridden may times. All atvs I have ridden were automatic's.
I'm in a pickle.
I love the idea of the Honda Sport clutch, as used with the 250ex.
Not so sure how I would do on a manual atv, such as the raptor 250.
Both the Raptor and 250ex are sick as hell, but which is better, in your opinion?
I love trail riding. (just to tell you what I'd be doing)
How would a beginner do with a manual clutch? Why do you prefer a manual clutch?
How does the raptor better the honda, even though the honda can have a manual or automatic clutch?
I've got no idea how to use a clutch, so it would be a learning experience for me
Thanks!
Any guides, pointers, help, words of wisdom etc are greatly appreciated!

 

"better" is subjective- you should try'em both if you can. personally, I'd choose the honda 250ex (what, me choosing a honda? do I have a feaver?)
I bought a 2000 250 ex for my wife a while ago, and she loved it (until she rolled it down a hill). I liked it also, of course it had as much power as my husky chain saw but it was great for her in the trails.

Have you looked at the 300ex? I think it's a great advanced beginner atv that will have enough power to give you some good thrills over the woops and up the hills... you'll outgrow that 250ex pretty quickly...

 

Thanks, I'll check it out, and report back if I encounter any Questions.

 

i got a 2007 honda trx250ex and we love it. my son and daughter drive the quad hard and it doesn't give up. if i'm on it, 6' & 220 lbs, the front end gets light for me. but the quad just runs like a striped ape....it doesn't want to quit. i personally don't care for raptors, but, to each his own. the 300 honda is a dang good machine too.....
the sport clutch is the way to go. it's a good trainer model for clutching and making the clutching transition.

 

How long are you going to own that ATV? Are you going to own it for 20 minutes, or for at least a few years? Its going to take about twenty minutes to get the clutch routine down on the Raptor 250, so if you want to base your entire ATV ownership on which one will be easiest for the first twenty minutes, go ahead and use the clutch to determine which ATV to get.

We bought a 250 EX for my oldest son when he was 11, and we bought a Raptor 250 a few years later for my youngest son when he was 11. My son had the clutch routine down in 20 minutes, and never had any problems with it from then on. We use our ATVs for trail riding, and he had completed all of the "most difficult" rated trails on the Paiute ATV Trail System with his Raptor 250 by the time he was 13. He is now 15 and rides a YFZ 450.

As for which ATV is best, ... no contest, the Raptor 250 is better in each and every category. Better suspension, better handling, lots more power, and for us better reliability as well.

 

What do you mean for 20 minutes? I looking at at least 20 years!
Your words on learning the clutch make me less scared of it, so it is no longer of importance (I'll be happy with a clutch or automatic clutch)
I like the idea of a shaft drive, because of the very low maintainance level. how much more maintenance is required on a quad with a chain drive? I know less energy is lost are more gained with a chain driven atv, but i feel like i would trust a shaft drive more
But, I have no idea what i'm talking about.

 

The Raptor 250 chain is pretty close to being maintenance free. Yamaha puts a good quality chain on the ATV, and a 250 four stroke (even the Raptor 250) just doesn't have enough power to stretch a chain like an open class dirt bike will. I adjusted our Raptor 250's chain a total of two times in three years of steady use. We wore out two sets of rear tires, changed the oil and filter several times, cleaned the air filter countless times, but only had to adjust the chain twice. It is an o-ring chain, so it is sealed from the factory. We didn't even bother with chain lube.

 

I'd go with a shaft drive over sprocket anyday. Shaft driven = less worry about bashing your sprocket off a rock in the trails- sure- you can install a shield and lose 1" of gc. I used to bash my sprocket and break chains all the time on my 400 ex. which is why I moved into the world of sport utility 4x4 atv's

I still think you should be looking at something a little larger in the cc class if you plan on keeping it for a while. 300 - 350 minimum (hell, the lowest I'd go is 650 ).

 

I personally tend to go for the sportier side of things, but what we really need to know is your age/height/weight. Either 250 is a great quad to start out with, and you can probably live with the shortfalls until you are ready to step up to a bigger machine.

I had a 230 Quadsport when I was 14, first thing I ever rode. I picked up the clutch in a few hours, and that probably would have been quicker if I was a bit stronger to work the kickstart, lol. Please don't let the manual clutch scare you, it isn't that big of a deal.

 

he mentioned he was mostly trail riding first post- given it's going to see more trails then pits, I'd go with a shaft driven.

I think the op is around 14...

a 250 is fine for short people or young kids starting out, but very annoying for an adult sized person- comfort wise, your legs will always be bent on a 250, your knees will get sore from being always bent in the trails- also when you're standing going over the rough terrain, you'll be huntched over trying to grip the bars. The suspensions are a bit stiffer, because the atv is so light, and you really have to wind the hell out or the motor to get out of a situation.

If you're keeping it for a while, and plan on mostly trail riding- go a bit larger- maybe something with 4x4, like a honda trx 300fw.