Im just a trail rider and i never race so i was wondering which would be better overall bike a z400 or a raptor? i heard the 05 z400 has a lot of new stuff and was wondering i should go with it instead of the raptor. thanks

 

trail ride or race you will always want more power, better to go with the raptor it is eaiser to more power out of it!

I've never heard anybody say "I wish I had got the less powerful bike!!!"

 

raptor-has more power
z400- has better handling and suspension

Its a tough choice,so you need to go look at both of them and ride them if you can.

 

I have a raptor and my friend just got a z400. His bike is pretty cool but it seems to lack power. I like the way his handles, which is better than my rappy, but just doesn't cut it in the power dept. The raptor is very torquey whereas the z400 is not. Both are good quads and you can modify either one to make it better in certain areas.

 

Raptor has more torque and power then the Z, but the Z handles so much better. Yes, money can make the bad parts good, but Suspension is awfully alot more expensive then more horsepower parts (pipes, filters, etc)

If it were me, I'd go with the Z before the Raptor. But the Raptor would be my next choice.

 

The Raptor is a bad a$$ bike but for trails I would go with the Z/KFX/DVX if you want to keep up with the Rappys then spend 150 bucks on an intake cam and 13t sprocket. But stock for stock the Z takes the rappy on trails with equal riders. i was very shocked when I passed a rappy on the trails, and it was on the rappy riders own turf.

 

Huh??? I have both bikes and the Z is a way better ride but sure do love my Raptor. I dont know about the cam mod keeping up with the Rappys but heck the bike is nice the way it is. I piped and jetted my Z and it runs pretty good for a 400!! I all ways like riding the Z on dirt trails because of the suspension and handeling.

 

I debated the same question for a while...then I got the Raptor. I have since ridden and raced a Z400. I don't regret my decision to get the Raptor one bit. My vote = Raptor.

 

I'm looking at it this way, Raptor=660cc, Z400=398cc Raptor=reverse, Z400=reverse, Raptor=36HP stock, Z400=30HP stock. I want a new quad too and this is the way I look at it. I would go with the Raptor, bigger CCs and power win over great handling. I'm not racing motocross.

 

I was out on the track today with my kfx-400 and my buddys Raptor jetted and exhaust. I was riding mine around for an hour and then jumped on his. It seemed to me that the raptor had more lowend grunt., versus the 400 haveing a smooth linear powerband. Also the raptor shakes alot more when building power which takes more energy out of you. The handling on the raptor wasnt as bad as i thought it was going to be, but i could tell that the 400 could slide and workits way around things with a little more ease. To the drag race, i beat him w/o the nos. But he wasnt that good of a drag racer. I have raced alot of raptors and not one has beat me in the 60 foot mark. Though i have never ran into a big bore so ............................... But in the end the raptors usaully catches up with a higher to speed but in the 300 foot its all in the driver.