When the 2001 raptor came out I went down and picked one up. I haven't had a bit of trouble with it yet. The Brother in law finally bought an '03 back in January and I couldn't see much difference in it and mine except for gearing and color.. I do need to replace a few worn parts rear brakes, sprockets and chain, rear tires axle bearing is a bit sloppy.. just stuff that wears out over time. So I get this idea,, Instead of spending $600 bucks or so to tune up the old one why not sell it and spend the extra $1000 or so for a new '04???

I went down to look at one this afternoon They had a White and Red one and a bBue one with Silver frame in stock.

My first impression was the White one looked better than I thought it would but that white plastic looks like sh!!tt pretty quick.. My white rear fenders are pretty dull and scuffed. I can imagine the whole bike looking like that.

I get down and start crawling around the blue one and the first thing I notice is plastic rotor guards on the front brakes instead of the nice steel ones.. no big deal,, what is a little more plastic right?? Then I start looking at the frame and welds on the A-arms and frame.
They look like some high school kid did it,, really... they are all rough and bumpy with big thick globs that weren't cleaned up. The butt joints where the front section meets the main frame down by the motor were not welded straight , they had open gaps where the re- enforcement was welded on. I came home and looked at all my welds they look nothing like that mess. When someone makes a weld joint there are little spatters of steel that fly and stick to the metal close to the joint those little specks were everywhere still they just painted over them. No clean up involved there..

I noticed the paint on the frame is different too. On the older bikes it seems to be sort of a baked on hard finish, very shiney. The new stuff looks like silver spray paint out of a can from K-Mart..

Engine components all look the same, wireing the same, handle bars and clamps look cheesier.. The shocks look like they are a bit cheaper too. The rear relay arm mounted to the shock looks like it's made of stamped steel instead of cast aluminium there are about six or seven components instead of one.

the swing arm and axle carrier are not polished and shiney, just sort of a dull aluminum.

None of this stuff may effect how a raptor handles or how it holds up. what I think is,, Yamaha just cut a bunch of corners on fit and finish.. They dropped the price a couple of hundred bucks but cut about a thousand out of production costs.. I went over to look at the big ugly Green Kaws sitting on the other side of the place and I didn't see any of this crap on them!! every thing is finished and clean and polished!! WTF??? is that??

What I want is to pay the same price or a little more for IMPROVEMENTS!! to a new model year... WHEW,,, Sorry, getting a little excited here...
It's like the difference between a set of Snap-on tools and a set of tools from Harbor Freight you know? They both take off a bolt or a screw but whitch one do you want to own and use every day after you pay the premium price?

I'm just a little pi$$ed is all, I don't think its the atv it was. If I wanted Polaris quality I'd go buy Polaris... Just my opinion..

 

Damnit, i just got my frame powder coated silver to be diferent! Sorry to hear about the welds, everything looks great on mine, have you talked to the dealer?

 

interesting...

 

WoW!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

My 01 Virgin just looked better after reading that, shes a keeper [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

ChetRacer[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

Yep Chet, guess mine will have to be a keeper too.

Sort of wanted to NOT keep the same ride for 10 years this time around though.

 

hey, my 01 is paid for, when i get tired of it or get sumthin else, i'll just put it in the barn. with my 1953 ford tractor i use every winter, hehe. maybe it'll be worth something someday....

some guys over at 'dale seem to think theirs are gonna be collectors items... guess ya never know.

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Hey if your 01's are like mine on the original tranny it may be a collectors Item!


Nocando

 

indeed it is. and i know of another.......hehe

 

If your 01 still works......you've got the best, fastest raptor on the market [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Ive considered selling and buying a new one as well. Whats the point......my 01 has proven itself reliable, so why gamble. Instead Im going to keep it, and get a 2nd bike, 450 next year.

 

hey Mc Fly,

I'm more of a rider than a wrencher. I don't mind some maintainance duty but always nice to go new.