my friend bought a pred and i am looking but i would hate to buy a 660 and have him outrun me i can get a raptor for 100 bucks more the reverse might be worth it but if a raptor is as tipsy or not as powerful as it should be ... confused please help

 

I'm in the same pickle. My friend and I are in a position to trade machines. He's for sure gonna buy a raptor. But I'm still loyal to the polairs name. But I think I'm gonna go with the predator...mainly becuase I want to race harescrambles this summer, and the pred comes pretty much race ready, that and I'm a big guy, so the narrow tippy raptor may not be comfortable for me. As far as I'm concerned from what I've seen, they are both very good machines and you will have fun riding either one. But think of it this way...are you gonna spend your entire riding day drag racing?? As long as you have a fun comfortable ride on the trails, and both machines will fulfill that need nicely...and maybe the reverse would be a nice option.

----------
02 scrambler 400 X 4x4, K&N, Works struts
(Predator in the near future)

 

They say that the Preditor is faster. I have seen both of them run winning and losing against each other. Both machines are great. But if i were you i would be different and stay with the different crowd. GO POLARIS!!!! We are the underdogs and have the perfect weapon.

 

I just bought a predator about 2 weeks ago and I LOVE IT! But anyways, I've drag raced a few raptors in the dunes and blow them away, even beat all the stock banshees. The Predator is probably the best handling and has the best suspension of any quad i've ever ridden. Plus it has awsome power, a midrange hit that pulls almost like a banshee when climbing. If that isnt enough, its also priced at $5999, about $500 less than a raptor. Hope that helps.

 

I just picked up the TL Predator last Sunday and also have a 01 Raptor. The predator is by far the best handling "stock" Quad I have ever been on. It seems to be as quick although maybe not as much of a torque monster as the Raptor. The suspension and steering is unbelievable(smooth and predictable). The Trans and Shifter is super smooth not notchy like my Raptor ,but maybe Yamaha fixed that on later bikes, and I can live without reverse, just have to relearn when and where to stop to turn around. Either bike is a good choice, I would take the Raptor for Drag Racing( lots of Go-Fast parts available), but the Predator is much more fun to trail ride.
03 TLD Predator
01 Raptor

 

They are both fine choices! Do not believe the crap you will hear about this one blowing away that one stock! They are both very close and niether one stock will blow away the other! Unless the rider on one or the other really sux!

Now in the handling and suspension there you will find a bigger difference. I felt the shocks on the Predator were better, and with the wide footprint it handled much better and felt more stable, the quad also felt very light for it's weight.

The Predator is a first year model and they always seem to have some bugs in them...Like the 01 Raptor. You may want to take that into consideration.

Reverse is an issue too but not a real big issue.

I would choose whatever felt more comfortable and whichever looks better too you. You will be happy whichever one you choose! They are both great performance quads and be Happy you have choices, it was not that long ago we had only the Banshee and a bunch of sport quads to choose from.

Happy Holidays

Nocando

 

the only question that comes to my mind is....

wondering what the upgrade potential will be on the Predator...

the Raptor has the best bolt-on upgrade potential when it comes to HP....
you can get close to 50 wiht just a pipe/filter/jet kit

I'd probably get a Raptor, pipe it, and throw some wheel spacers on it......

the 03's should be one of the most dependable quads around...

Polaris has never had a great reliablilty rating..... nor a good sport quad, so yes maybe things will change with the Predator.... but I wouldn't take a chance on anyones 1st year quad.... Cannondales engines, Raptors transmissions, Z400 axle and swingarm.... just to remember a few

 

I don't want to appear to be picking on your post but lets look at the good points you brought up.
Upgrade potential - With 45 rhp now (on Trinity's dyno), and 6 more from the slipon, and 3 from the head pipe the Predator is above what a Piped Raptor will do (34 rhp stock, 14 from Pipe, filter, jetting). Who really knows what port work, a compression increase, cam change and a larger carb might do. It all depends on the inefficiencies of the original engine design doesn't it? These are all things that work on 4 strokes now, why would the engine in the Predator be different?
I tend to agree about the first year stuff. But, I owned a Warrior (1987, kept it 13 years!) that was first year, a Banshee (1988) that was first year and an LT80 that was first year with no problems. What if the Predator has none of first year problems that have plagued other machines? Will Polaris get credit for their engineering, manufacturing, and testing ?

 

Truckracer don't bet the house on that 45HP or the 6HP from just a Slip-on you will be lucky to get 1 or 2. Just like I would not bet the house about getting 50 HP from a Raptor with Just a Pipe and Jetting!


Nocando

 

I sure wouldn't bet the house on the numbers but, the 45 is from more than one source (Polaris & Trinity). The 6 is from White Brothers.
The one or two you are talking about is what 400ex owners can expect. Why wouldn't 6 be realistic since the Raptor gains 14 and a DS650 gains 10 from the exhaust?