I'm not surprised to hear the positive comments on the ETONS. We felt confident about the quad from all our research. It seemed like the dealer didn't know much about it. I even asked him if the problem could have something to do with the cdi box. He didn't know what I was talking about. This worried us. I'm sure if we would have gone to another dealer, it would have been fine.

 

There are aftermarket lights for the front of the 04 Viper 90. Check with your dealer. They just snap into the existing light box. (Cheap too).[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Sorry to hear about your problems with the Viper.I have heard of this before on other forums and I'm sure it was probably a problem with the idle speed.There appear to be some really bad dealers out there.I helped someone else on this forum who had just bought a viper and accidentally left the choke on as he wasn't familiar with it yet.The dealer couldn't figure out what was wrong with it! Hopefully the Raptor will be a good bike for you.Have fun[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

We bought ours on Saturday, and did not experience the shifting problems. Our dealer was very comfortable with the E-Ton line. In talking to him he has not had any returned for warranty work, and one dead CDI box when preping one for a customer, he caught it in the shop and switched it out with another, then E-Ton replaced it for him later. I tried to do as much research as I could via the Web and various forums, I hope I made the right choice. I also looked at a '05 Polaris Predator, I liked it alot but the dealer would not deal, I think it would have been $625.00 more than what I paid for the Viper 90R.

Trying to find a light kit, I removed the tape and really like the look of the headlamps, just need the bulb/socket/wire kit. My son's birthday is early Jan. so I have it hidden in the garage until then.

Picture of our '05 Viper 90 R

Index of New Viper Pics

-lohman

 

I've got two e-tons for my kids...one for two years and the other for one. Both are 90's. Not to open a can of worms but my friend bought two raptor 80's for his kids...and wished he has etons after comparing them for two years. I've had no parts go out on either and our etons really get a ton of use...a tank a week normally. The pros it has over the raptors (at least the modle years my freind has has been: Eton-has lights, raptor don't/ Eton-has floor boards, raptors don't/E-ton has a back up kick start, raptors don't/ Eton has independent front suspention, raptor don't/Eton has more GC/ Eton has horn?/ Eton is lighter/Etons are quieter!

The raptor has it's wins in a few points too...shaft vs. chain/ four stroke vs. two/ no auto belt to wear out/ 1st gear does better then the auto on hills.

The factors for him that put e-ton over have been: that his raptors foul plugs constantly, and have been rejeted twice in an attempt to stop it, now he carries like two plugs for each. They have been flooded and died on the trail because of fouled plugs, and the kids kill the battery trying to restart, no kick start so he has to tow them home. In bad terrain the process of shifting has been a challenge to the young kids.

Our kids somtimes trade and share and drag...I think in most areas they are pretty equal, but there is a little more product when you get the e-ton. Still if you got a great deal on a used raptor..I would buy one too if it were well priced. New for new the E-ton is better value!

I got a photo of my e-tons in my pics...

P.S. had them up to headlights in water, and they will beat a SP700 in mud! (just get a clay pit with an inch of sand on top)...the 90's fly across and sink an inch...all of our big quads sank into a black mire that had no bottom. The kids rode circles around us as we found something to winch too!

 

Do you feel like one is safer than the other? (ex: could the raptor flip easier than the viper)

 

MonZooki - Those are great points of differences...... Rockettmom as far as safety I was looking for complete floor boards, lights, horn, and a reverse. I wish it was a shaft and four stroke, but I was getting tired, and going crazy comparing all the brands. I really like the '05 Sportsman and Predator 90 that Polaris offers, just wish the dealers would work with the price better.

MonZooki - You sure live and ride in a beautiful state... I hope one day to visit Montana and Colorado to ride trails.

Link to my ATV gallery here in Missouri

-lohman

 

Lohman, I'm glad you had a good experience. I have no doubt the ETON is a great quad. We just got scared after our bad experience. Like you, I got tired of all the research and went with the Raptor. We're happy. Who knows, maybe our next quad will be an ETON. I hope your son has fun on his new quad. In our home, Santa is going to be one popular fella for leaving a quad by the Christmas tree!

 

I don't think the raptor is any more likely to flip then the e-ton...they do get a tire in the air more often then the e-tons in the turns, but that has to do with the non-ifs on the front end. My kids started riding pretty young, the best thing to do is remind them of the saftey issues all the time...so that your taken seriously! Also always watching them or riding with them, each of my kids have managed to roll their quad once...The son with the red viper was doing brodies in the sand..and oversteered when he started to come out of it and rolled it..that was during his first week of riding...no damage or injury. My daughter had a worse accident, still only brusies but she was going a lot faster. She was passing a young gal on a blaster because they were going too slow, and she couldn't see with all the dust, went to pass just when the road opened up into a 2 foot deep rut! She never even saw it because she was passing in the dust cloud! She rolled and got her leg pinned under the machine and her leg had several good brusies. Two days later she was riding again.

 

According to my local polaris dealer(colonial cycle sports) Who also carries the eton Yukon, Polaris now owns the Eton line. He also said that Eton has made the kiddie bikes for polaris in the past.