I was racing flat track this weekend and watched in awe as a 400EX annihilated a raptor over and over again. Sure the 400EX had 440 hopup kit, but still the raptor had a full exhaust + filter + jetkit + spacers. The 400EX out-performed and out-handled the raptor. As pretty as the raptor may be it just has not quite got what it takes to match the 400EX. It is not always about top end, it is about all round performance. The raptor is not as stable as the 400EX on high speed corners, it tends to want to flip. I think that the raptor will still have to prove itself as the ultimate sports ATV. You had to see it to believe it.

 

HA ! HA !

 

Hmmm, Seems to me you left alot out like rider capability and what all other mods the 400ex had motor wise ther is nothing you can do to a 400ex to get it to run like a raptor! If the person on the raptor was racing flat track on the raptor with the radial tires and stock a-arms there is no way he would do good. If you set both the machines up for flat track and put 2 = riders on them the raptor would kill the 400ex hands dowm!

 

Both guys are experienced riders, the compete together at almost every race. The guy on the raptor also has 3 400EX's. These guys will be doing the "roof of Africa" race this weekend coming and the guy on the raptor said that he will proberbly do the race on one of his 400EX's. Both bike are configured to run flat track. After 10 laps of 2km each the 400EX had about 100m lead on the raptor. Sure the 400EX had a 440 hopup kit but there is still 200cc difference.

 

I ride with a couple of 400ex's and one of them has a 440 in it. If you ride one and ride the other after the raptor definatly has more power and speed I dont even have and exhaust yet, although mine is geared down. I dont get into flat track racing it just seems odd to me that in all my expierance with the 440ex's and the raptor the raptor does out perform the ex in just about all circumstances but who knows the ex has to be doing something right to beat the raptor around the track but I think once who ever ownes the flat track raptor works with it for a while you'll see what I mean. There both good quads and I do like the 400ex because evetything on that quad is cheap to fix, as for the raptor not sure havent had to price anything yet but I'm sure I will.

Later

 

Using your own words - in high speed corners the raptor tends to want to flip - tells us pretty much all we need to know. The quad was not set up correctly (width). Anyone that has ever spent time on a track and has half a brain, knows that setup is critical. The fact that this guy chose the raptor over his own fleet of 3 400ex's also says a lot. He must think it's faster.

"Annihilated" and winning by 100 meters after running 20 km (10 laps on a 2 km course) seems to be stretching it a bit. I also wonder about your measuring as well. Why metric? How many miles are in your 2 km track? It better be 1.25 miles, which seems pretty long for a flat track.

Nit picking? Yes. When I see inconsistencies in a post, I will question them. If people can't get details straight, then why wouldn't I question the validity of the rest of the post??? Especially when the post seems fallacious.

 

It seems that some just do not know the capabilities of the 400ex motor. A well tuned 400ex motor can push some serious horsepower. I also know that when the Raptor engine kits come out, they will be very hard to beat, in a straight line. Motocross for example, has some to do with power, but the most comes from handling and rider experience. TT is somewhat the same. You need to be able to take the turns fast before you can handle a faster motor. Not bashing the Raptor. I know that it will beat me, in a drag. I would love to have a Raptor right next to my 400, but for now I can only afford one. Yammie guys, give a built 400 a chance. They can be some serious machines.

 

I agree, the 400ex well modified would beat any raptor in my opinion. Even if the raptor is modified, i thinkt the only place it would win is in a drag maybe. The raptor will never outhandle a 400ex. And a 400ex with a 440 kit would haul ***!

 

We all know that the 400ex is a very good quad and hell of a racer, but in the power departament just canīt even touch a Banshee, so never will catch a Raptor. I also know that in a very whooped track with lots of turns the 400ex can out run the banshee and maybe run side to side with a Raptor (all this with the 440Kit).
After saying all this, donīt we forget that the Banshee was built for the dunes and the 400ex for the trail. The Raptor was built for ......I dont know.....may be for both, dunes and trail !!
After all, we can shout that the real king of thrills will always be the Banshee !!!!
Oh!!! You donīt agree?? My question is this: Have you EVER ride a Banshee???? Oh...I see...then donīt say a word against it.

 

Yo,
Hey man my neighbor has a highly modified banshee, It's extremely fast. Bored .90 over in each cylinder, fmf pipes silencer, boost bottle, K & N, and alot more, and the truth is, yes, he does kill my 400ex while going in a straight line. Thats what banshees were built for. However, you have to admit that a 400 was built strictly for trails. Thats why they are the only thing racing woods races. I don't know if you have ever been to a woods race, but there have only been three different makes of quads there, they are: mojave, 300ex, and 400ex. The reason is is 4 strokes hold there gears much better. You can have an awesome top speed, and buy a banshee or a raptor, or you can have one heck of a trail bike and buy a 400ex.