Hello all. Right now I am the owner of a '99 Yamaha Blaster. Before this I have a 2002 Trail Blazer. A few months ago I wrecked my R1 and I wanna get a faster quad, something that would come close to that rush. I have been thinking of so many different ones, I can't even begin to list them. Basically, I do alot of trail/hill/dunes and I want something that is the best for these situations. I was thinking either a used Raptor, a z400, YFZ-450, or anything else that I can get that would be fun. I was hoping to buy something that is able to be had used, but if say the YFZ is the best out there, I think I could bring myself to spend the extra cash. Please help! 'Carl

 

Carl, Carl, Carl. You are in trouble now. After your R1, everything else is pretty tame, so get ready to be ordering parts for the next few years trying to recapture that rush.

I'd say get a used Raptor, that way you have big motor to start with, millions of parts and mods available, comfort on the trail or at those bumpy Moses Lake dunes. You can pick up an 02 Rappy for about 4 grand now, and so for the price of a YFZ you got a goin' concern.

Whereabouts do you ride over there, that's my old stomping grounds.

 

i'd have to say the raptor is your best bet just because you do dunes riding.

 

Well, I was thinking the raptor anyway predominatly cause they are easily had cheap. I just remember the first time I rode my buddys and it seemed kind of top heavy, but I guess I wasn't into leaning back then anyway so I should be fine now. Plus I remember double tapping the throttle in 3rd gear and getting a nice little wheelie. God damn how I miss my R1. <sigh> Anyway, I ride mostly at the ORV park off Hayford Rd. I haven't gone to moses lake yet but I used to ride dunes when I was back home in Florida at a place called Croom Motorcycle Area. Back then I had all dirt bikes. After I broke my leg at the motocross pit at this 2000 square acre heaven, I sold my dirt bike about a year later and since then owned quads and used my buddies motocross bikes when I wanted a nice thrill. Since I had crotch rockets I didn't miss two wheels on the dirt, and I like to stop and sit for a while, light a smoke then ride real sow, and going up hills, and for all of that the quad just is more fun for me. Plus its easy to teach peeps how to ride on them. (girls) Anyway, thanks for your help. Is it possaible to get some bigger tires for the raptor so it gets a bit more ground clearance in the snow and so forth? Thanks guys. 'carl

 

Carl, sounds like the Raptor will suit you well. You can flip the front wheels around for more width and stability, you just need to get flush mount valve stems installed for it to clear. That gives you a lot, about 5 1/2" I think more width. You'd like Moses, close by and a large riding area (especially compared to like 7 mile) except on big weekends it's a mad kegger with half of Seattle there trashing the place. The factory raptor fronts are on the small side, you can go to a bit taller tire front and rear and pick up a little more snow clearance.

 

Sweet man. Thats pretty much where I have been going is 7 mile. Does moses lake have trails too or is it all just dunes? I am a huge fan of trails and that is what I love. Trails with awesome jumps is where its at! Maybe some day you could swing by spokane, crash at my place then we can camp out there o the weekend or something. Anyway, does the '01 raptor have as many problems as I have heard about? Or for just having fun will it be fine? I know of alot of '01s that are selling real cheap and I wouldn't wanna miss out on one because of some cheap fix (if it even ever happened). Does the reverse work pretty good? I heard it was kind of a pain in the ***... 'Carl

 

The '01's have a bad reputation here on the forums, however I've had no problems with mine, and a few other people I know with them haven't either. The reverse works fine. I am very careful though when putting it into reverse to slowly let the clutch out until I hear and feel it engage fully, same when putting it back into first from reverse. You can get an 01 cheap but if I were buying one right now I'd get the 02 just for peace of mind. I bought my '01 right when the 02's were coming out. The fix if you eat the tranny is expensive, between 600 and a grand, so it's something to keep in mind when comparing prices.

Was just in Spokane over last weekend for my dad's 70th birthday party up in Deer Park (where I grew up). Moses lake does have some nice trails that are sand, going out thru the sage and rock, it's a real nice riding area for smaller dunes. I ride St Anthony now and nothing else compares. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

This sounds familiar......... I also rode street bikes. My last was bought new in '94 GSXR 1100, 4 into 2 into 1 stainless Yosh exaust, stage 2 jet kit, extended swing arm, you name it. Now I have kids and also went looking for that rush. Although I still drool when I see a sweet bike, I stay in the dirt (after 2 wrecks they say I should have never walked away from) as it is safer. no old or stupid people to run me over. I rode a 300EX, 400 EX, LT250r, blaster, and a couple of dirt bikes before deciding on the Bombardier DS650. It's the fastest stock quad out, with a suspension that performs like an aftermarket without paying for it. It has a powerband kind of like a 2 stroke but with better maintenance. However it depends on your size too, I am 5'11'' and weigh 225. When I get on a Blaster I want to get off and push. It is basically made for the dunes and I eat up evey other stock bike out there (unless the rider skill is just much better than mine). The down side is no reverse. The Raptor sits about the same, but with 9 less HP, less torque, and the same suspension as the banshee that came out in the 80's (OUTDATED). This is the only quad that comes close to the feeling that you get from twisting the throttle of a street bike.

 

Well dude, prepare for another mind blowing. I live in the Pinellas County area for 8 years before I joined the Air Force. I Moved to Inverness from Maryland. Then went to Crest Lake in Clearwater, then Clearwater Beach, then Dunnedin, then Tampa. And my precious house sits about a 5 minute walk from USF. I swear I am getting another street bike when I get home. On Saturday nights I virtually put up a tent on the Gandy bridge :-). I remember when about 600 bikes would meet up at the Gulf To Bay Buddy By Rite. Damn I miss those days... Year and 4 1/2 months left, and I will be back.

 

Deer Park is awesome, I go up there quite a bit to mess around in the forest and I used to ride the bike up there. In fact, the road back from deer park, the last right hand sweeper is where I got my R1 to its top speed of 182mph before. Does Moses Lake have a good place to camp at? Where is this St. Anthonys place at?

By the way, to piggy back off what I just said, I wrecked at 120mph+ in a right hand sweeper. The turn got sharper then went a little down hill. The bikes suspension rose up a bit and when it came back down the bike was sliding. I let go and I hit the median (4 foot wide side walk basically) then flipped over it, landed in the on coming traffic lane right in front of another dude who was riding a bike (enduro). I looked up and saw my precious bike flying in the air in front of me right as it landed and crushed the rocket like some sort of car crusher. I saw my fender fly by the right side of my head. And then I did what every normal motorcycle enthusiast would do. Get up on a fractured ankle and blood pouring from the leg, tell the enduro guy "This is what not to do" then hobbled over to the bike to take pics. <sigh> '02 R1 with full D&D, Power Commander, Graves Air Box with K&N, and Scott's steering damper. Which forntunately wasn't damaged and promply sold afer the wreck. I miss that thing more than anything I have ever had. And when I get back to Tampa, I think a brand new '06 might be just what the doc ordered... 140mph wheelies? Hah! I can do 180!!!! 'Carl