i am a total honda guy but for dunes i would get the raptor over any of the 450's way more potential.

 

If you have unlimited money to spend, you can build the Raptor big enough to smoke just about anything...However, stock for stock, or even slightly modified, the 450R will smoke a Raptor at the dunes.

 

the amount of cash diff between the 2 (1000.00 give or take) if you put that into the raptor game over.

 

Granted, the initial price difference helps, but I still don't think it would put them in the same league... that $1000 would get you the +2 A-arms and a +2 swingarm, but then you'd still have to get new rezzie shocks all around, which would put you at nearly $2000, then you could start building the performance, which would be another $1000 MINIMUM... So I would think for around $3000, you could turn a Raptor into a machine that could out perform the 450R...

...But then why not put $1000 into the 450R, for a grand total of $7500, and turn around and smoke that $8500 Raptor?... Then you'll probably say, that you'd put the biggest bore kit in it that you can find, and smoke the upgraded 450r. Well, probably. But how long is that highly modified engine going to last? If nothing else, the main bearings weren't designed for that kind of power...but then again, if you have the money to do these mods, you probably have the money to rebuild your engine every couple years too...so really, it's all up to what kind of job you have! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

By the by, I have a bone stock 450R and am very happy with it. I realize that there are always going to be people that are faster than me, and I'm okay with that. I'm just playing devils advocate for those that always have to be the fastest and bestest. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

i guess we are talking about two different setups MX vs dune/hill bike when someone says faster my brain always thinks dune/drag race.
no question MX style 450's dollar for dollar would dominate.

 

Yeah, if all's you were interested in was dragging (flat or hill), a +4 swingarm, a new rear shock (or at least rebuilt for the added leverage of the extended swing arm), and engine mods would be all you'd need on a Raptor...which you could probably do for the price difference if you went the economy route.

Personally, I like to do a little of everything, which I think dollar for dollar the 450r is better at (even more so than the YFZ). For sheer displacement, the Raptor would definately win, while the yfz would dominate the MX scene.