well what i did was cut all the gussets from the frame only if u plan onb drag racing only!! a new pipe setup, the footguard crap, new tires and rims, no front bumper, and u can go on and on

 

Putting aftermarket front shocks on might make your quad "feel" lighter. The stock front shocks aren't very good.

 

Go ride a 400ex. If you like the warrior, you'll love the 400ex. Used ones are starting to show up. It would be much more logical to sell the warrior, take that money plus the money you were going to stick into the warrior, and put it into the Honda. Nothing against Yamaha, but they really need to redesign at least every ten years. The same old same old is not going to cut it in the atv market any more. If money isn't an issue or if you have a good bank, go ride the DS. Wow.

 

Want to make it lighter for free? Remove the front bumper (it weighs a ton)- just remember it's not there and don't go ramming trees and such. Also makes it jump a little better. Remove the grab rail, remove the front "mud flap" extensions (by drilling out the rivets)then you can remove the front fender braces (since all they hold is the mud flaps anyways), remove the little floorboard things by the pegs (they weigh a ton too), spring $20 for a parking brake blockoff and a lever perch, take the tool kit out, remove the skid plate on bottom (only if you're desperate or hardcore!). Some other things you can if you have a few bucks are replace the bars with aluminum (renthal, FMF, etc.), lighter tires (some tires are super-heavy---and this is rotating weight too!!).. Also you can take the crappy stock heat shield off the pipe too.
You can save around 15-20 lbs (can't remember exactly) by doing all this. Of course you may (and probably will) find some of this stuff was more useful than the benfit you got in weight savings (although I never did)-but for free- that's about all you can do. Except for leaving the twinkies on the store shelf (and putting that money toward another quad or some serious hop-ups for your warrior)....
Warriors main diet problem is that the engine is super-heavy. And there's no easy fix for that. Also, I've seen many, many 300ex's, warriors, banshees, etc. and I have yet to see even a hopped up warrior stay close to a 300EX in a straight line drag. Not saying it's impossible, but I sure havent seen it with my own eyes.
Ex- '94 and '92 Warrior owner-
Greg Coats
'87 LT250R
'00 Rancher ES (wife's ride)