I'm confused and a little dissapointed. The Raptor 250 is an awesome machine. I test drove one at the MN ATV Fair this year and it was just a blast. I would love to buy one but they don't have reverse!!! What's up with that?? Sure, sure its light and easy to move but when you're riding in tight MN woods and having to back up from dead end trails quite a bit, it begins to be quite the hassle. I think Yamaha mde a mistake. They should have a YFZ 250 with no reverse and all those neat little expensive tidbits the YFZ 450 has. Then they should aslo have a Raptor 250 which would be the model with reverse and also be a little more budget friendly by cutting out some of the fancy materials and stuff of the YFZ. THEN I would for sure want a Raptor 250! Anybody else with me?

 

the motor in the raptor is from a motorcycle called the tricker and thats why theres no reverse.What should happen once the manufacturers get the cahoneys to come out with a 250 sport quad they will have engines in yamaha's case from the yz250f dirt bike that is what will probably happen.The issue though is price a 250 race bike cost almost as much as a 450 race quad.Kawasaki and honda aparantly have 250 race atv's in the work but that price issue comes up.That engine in the raptor though is nothing compared to the yz250f motor.In a couple years the 250 class will be the race class for teens hence to save weight no reverse.

 

Like scrambler400enoge said I think they wanted to use something they already had in production and save weight at the same time. The Rap 250 basically took the place of the Blaster, agian no reverse. This is a very popular class, it is kinda a transitional class from mini's to 450's in the mx series. AMA has the school boy Jr class which can run up to a 300 4stroke. The series that we run is AMA but our class is called Youth Production. Same class different name. I am a Yamaha fan, we been running the Blaster but from what I have heard at the track the Raptor 250 might just be outdated as early as next year. Honda has already released a picture of the 300R, Suzuki has a rumor that it is coming out with a fuel injected 250. This is a big class in the mx world considering the ages that race it.
There is a few that if it is a true trail machine that have reverse that are good, Arctic Cat dvx, suzuki l250,polaris pheonix but again it is weight.

 

well none of those trail models you listed though have a manual clutch which I enjoy on the trail.

 

I don't know how practical reverse on a light little quad like the Rappy 250 would be....I agree with the above posts, I'm sure it was made the way it is to save on weight and due to the motor already being around. I do kind of like the idea of the two different versions, though - a rappy 250 and a YFZ250 - the little 250 feels more like a YFZ anyway. I wonder if, as the 250 class grows more competitive, if Yamaha will consider doing something like that?