Ive rode all four... KFZ/Z raptor and yfz... Well i have a raptor lol.. Im not putting down the yfz just cause I own a raptor im just saying what is going to suite u much better cause i love the yfz just as much as raptors.... The Z/KFZ lack the power of the raptor and yfz.. but once u ride a yfz u can feel that it is a race bike and it setup for mx. The raptor is better suited for trails, dunes, and things of that sort. Both great bikes but I think the raptor is more suited of what type of riding your gonna do..

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

 

As diescarred said, the yfz's purpose is mx while the raptors is trails or dunes. Unless your are going to go ***** to the wall all the time, the yfz's suspension will be way to stiff for your type of riding, and its seat is hard and uncomfortable for trail riding. The raptor has much more plush suspension, oodles of low end torque that the yfz lacks, and a better seat. Based on all of that I think you can draw your own conclusion as to which is a better trail quad. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Exactly... perfectly said!! And the yfz is like that so it can pull hard and take a shiz beating on the tracks but on the trail and dunes the raptor owns... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] So that pretty much says it.. Hope me and Hyfliyin raptor helped out [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Yea... thanks a lot for the info, after what you guys have said and just reading I do think the Raptor woudl be the best one for me.
Good point on the suspension of the YFZ, it probably would be way too stiff for normal riding, so why pay all of that extra cash for it?
I know the motors in the KFX/Z are supposed to be REALLY bullet proof... but that's about it, NO power compared to the other two.
So... have all of the bugs been worked out of the Raptor since the release? I know initially they had weak axles and have been called top heavy and un stable.. how do you guys feel about that? I am going to try and hop on one at the dealer in the next couple of days and see how it feels..

Thanks again!

Smitty

 

For the 260 less cc's of the Z compared to the Raptor, it keeps up pretty damn well from my watching experience of the 2. It has to be making more power per cc. Isn't the Z a DOHC 5 valve deal and the Raptor a SOHC 5 valve? Something like that. But the Z is no loser when it comes to power. Unless you are drag racing or wanting to build a 700cc beast someday, I'd really consider the Z. I'm sure it handles better than the Rappy. Either way, the owners of either seem to be quite happy with their purchases.

 

Oh sure... throw a wrench into my thinking now! hahahaha
The Raptor is only 20 lbs heavier then a Z also...

 

I think the Z does handle better than the Rappy, and they can keep up pretty well against raptors. Again the Z is lighter, and less expensive too. But I will say that the raptor definately has enough grunt to put a grin on your face, and you won't loose a stock for stock drag to much other than a Yfz. And to add another for the record I trail ride as well, am 5'10" 154lbs and have no problems throwing around the Raptor. I think they're great quads. I will say the deciding factor between a raptor and a Z was just that I could get a raptor for a trade-in and I couldn't on the Z. I think any of the sport quads with the exception of the 400ex will put a smile on your face.

 

I'd say either are excellent trail quads and it will come down to which you like better. If you are like me and don't want the same exact quad as so many people you see around, I'd get the Kawi version of the Z. I bet it sells less than either the new Arctic Cat version or the regular Z so it would at least be a little something different. With the difference in what you pay for a Raptor rather than a Z, you could have put a few nice parts on the Z - I'm not sure on the exact $$ amount but I'm guessing you could have it piped, filtered, and jetted for the difference and be ahead of the game from the get go. But like I said, it will come down to a personal decision and I'll bet you would be happy with either.

 

I guess I will have to sit on the Raptor and see how it feels then..
So... is there a reason to choose a KFX over a Z then.. the ONLY small difference I noticed on the spec sheets was that the KFX had .1 larger gas tank.. HA HA HA! So.. I guess.. Green/Black or Yellow/White is the real question for those?
It also looks like the KFX/Z are DOHC and run at quite a bit higher compression then the Raptor which is SOHC..

 

Yeah that is why the make more power per cc. Rappy stock I don't view as that high performance of a motor, other than the 5 valve head. It is more big than "built". The Z is a little more "built" and just not as big. A matter of preference I guess. The Kawi and the Suki are the same thing essentially, it is just a matter of look/color and being different - I see tons of Z's, very few of the Kawi's. The new Arctic Cat is the same bike with a few small changes and it does have removeable front fenders - I'll bet they sell quite a lot of them because they look "cool" so I'd rather have the rarest of the 3, the Kawi.