I agree with CTATV. While in tight woods, you'll keep up, and especially if you want 4x4, the wolv is a great quad. While the wolvy will never be as powerful or fast in wide open spaces, you wont be lost on the tight trails. I guess it comes down to what you want more, a nimble quick 4x4 that does good on trails and mud, or a raptor that will flat out haul.

 

I have been riding with two raptors for 2 years in the woods and dunes. Sure, the raptor is a more powerful and faster bike but unless your riding buddies can ride 70 mph in TIGHT woods you dont have anything to worry about. If you want a sport 4x4 get the wolverine, you'll do fine with them.

 

I own a scrambler 400 4x4 and a raptor. The raptor is a great bike and has tons more 'power', not just speed. It can power thru rough spots and is much more manueverable thru the tight woods. A 4x4 has tons of traction and better clearance than the raptor. Raptors tend to hang up on large rocks and if your tire slips into a rut you're toast. Going thru a large puddle, better not drive thru slowly or you'll probably get stuck.

Raptor riding style - hit the obstacles fast and power thru to avoid getting stuck. Gun it and swing the end around.

4x4 riding stye - slow and steady is OK. Faster is OK too, but you have the option of slowing down at obstactles and negociating them more gracefully.

I ride the Raptor 80% of the time. But when the ruts are deep or the mud is thick, I'll opt for the traction of the sporty 4x4.

-Skramblr

 

CTATV is right

 

I'm with CTATV.

We have tight, semi-hilly wooded trails here and NO quad can do more than 35mph on most sections. The Wolverine is a great trail bike, and it's crazy good on hills where you CANNOT get a run at it. The big motor quads are fun and all, but tend to be a little bit clunky in tight trails. The power ONLY helps for the .01% of the time where they can actually ride at full throttle. The rest of the time, at part throttle cruise, a wolverine won't have any trouble keeping up. I love my wolverine - even after taking test rides on a modded banshee, and a stock raptor. I did like the raptor. Lots of grunt, but kept my wolverine for the type of riding I do.

 

I dont know if you have ever been on the bike trail in the ANF alot of it is very tight woods, I went with my brother in law who had a wolverine, and my raptor. He was no match. While he is *** up over handed wrestling the bars around trees I am spinning the *** end around and pulling wheelies by him then waiting for him to pass and doing it again. We switched up, in the tight stuff the wolverine needs power steering, actually it needs power everything. It rides nice and all, but I went everywhere he went, quicker.

Mud? I skim over mud, mud sucks.

Sometimes I have to double back and look for him since he has my lunch and beverages in the cooler on his racks.

 

In mud over the skid plate height, you are outta luck on the Raptor. There is 1 clear choice....the RAPTOR and add a 6 pack rack.

 

If you love to mud, and get in real serious mud like a couple of foot deep then you definitly want the four by four. I took my z out two weeks ago because it was the first long ride I was going to take it on. My buddies were all geared up to go mudding, they all have honda foremans. Anyways we hit the trails and the first real good mud pit we got to they were in it. I tried it and got stuck right in the middle and I hit it fast, it was just to long. So they play in this pit for like an hour and I just drove around in circles. We went on up the trail and we come to the monster mud pit we have made and I was stuck driving in circles and practicing wheelies while they had a blast in the mud. Point is I wish I had took my rancher that day but I was just so anxious to ride my new machine I had to take it. I think anyone who rides real rough trails and rock beds should get a 4 by 4 first and then If you want one and have the money get a raptor or sport quad get it second. Just my opinion, you'll have fun on either one of those atv's.

 

Sorry I worded those last sentences wrong. I meant get a sport quad second unless you just want a sport quad. Like I said you'll love either one, but a raptor won't go through mud no better than my z. Your tires would just spin mud faster while you're stuck.

 

Im with the 4x4 on this one. I love wolverines for their manuverability as a 4x4. If you can drive this thing with skill mud holes are nothing, give the wolverine some mods and other goodies and you will be laughing. The raptor is more of a racaing quad. If your riding lots of trails go for the Wolverine.