Yes, the second guy followed the first guy too closely![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

LOL~!~! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I have an 04 raptor and have had no problems with it at all. It has had a few crashes on it...just ask my brother in law.LOL thanks to him I have replaced the stock grab bar a DG fat bar, front upper arm scratched up the new exhaust after I just put it on.. all from doing wheelies. He is now grounded from it. But I must say he allways makes it right......LOL

 

LOL thats why I will let no one ride my new bike when I get it. But if I buy I raptor, I don't think I will have the money to get spacers and new a-arms. Instead I can use the money I saved from buying a KFX400 and put it into mods like an exhaust, K&N, jets, and a new top end sprocket and prolly be rolling with the raptor (on top end at least)

 

I have never had any problems with my 01 Raptor. Not all of them had tranny problems.

 

I have had my raptor for about 2 years now and have not had any major problems with it. The only think is dont buy a 2001 raptor because they have been known to have problems.

 

You have to take answers to this question with grain of salt. Are you the type who will change the oil every other hard ride or so? Are you going to grease it? Will you keep the valves adjusted? Will you give a minute or two to warm up before you bury the throttle? See, as long as I have been in motorsports I have found there are 3 types of people involved. First, there are the guys(not me) who are great with a wrench and really find inner peace buy working on stuff and realize that sometimes parts fail, and its no ones fault.
Second(this is me), are the guys who are OK with a wrench, but who try to stay away from really technical stuff, but who only allow top notch wrenchers work on there stuff. Generally these guys are huge believers in maintnance, and use top notch parts.
Lastly there are the "bad azzes". These are the guys who don't understand the wrench so they half azz everything. They never do maintnace because they are busy taking off their shirts to fly off on a cold, non lubricated machine at full throttle(no helmet) to pick up their woman for a ride(she has a nice lower back tattoo but no helmet). These are the guys who beat their machines to death, then are the loudest complainers about breakdowns!

In short, the 400 ex is in a class by itself, if is truly bulletproof. It is also old and slow compared to the others. The raptor is perfectly good, reliable, and a GREAT RIDE. BUt much like the hot chick in town, take care of her or you'll be sitting around reading playboy watcing everyone else get off.

My .02

 

Wow I couldn't agree more with you. Only I would add the riders ability on how the bike will hold up, if ya ride it like you stole it then your gonna have problems. If you ride it like Granny Goodwrench the An occasional oil and lube will be all you need. Unless you factor in bad luck also. I got rid of my Raptor after a couple of weeks, getting a new z 400 instead. I wanted a raptor after my friend let me ride his wifes in the dunes last year, then I got one that had runability problems from the start. Took it back to the dealer and said take it back I want a z 400. Now while I do miss the torque of a 660r I don't miss the reliability of the z and how smooth it is. My friend has the 03 z and has had swing arm problems, my neighbor has a 03 660r and has had second gear and the oil pump replaced already, He rides hard but dosen't just put it away wet. He is what would be catagory 2 in Hossblur's post.