Greetings..... My son just purchased a 2001 Raptor 660R. Great shape runs good. I took it for a test ride and I was surprised at the lack of low end torgue when first letting the clutch out and when going fairly slow. This may be 100% correct, I just want to verify that it is normal for a Raptor or even any other sport quad. It reminds me of my 2 wheel days and the way an MX bike responds versus an enduro. i.e. enduro simply let the clutch out with little if any throttle and she will go versus MX get the RPM's up and then feather the clutch out and then keep it above 5 or 10 mph with all the power in the upper revs... I know with the 660 the power is plenty and starts fairly low just not at the bottom end. The question is really with this Raptor be suitable to use on the bony trails in New England or any other slow technical trails?

thanks in advance.

Ruggo.

 

Raptors do lack lower end. I smaller front spocket would help.

 

i agree,i have an 03 and its no different.although ive got mine geared high,i think its all what your wanting...

 

My kid says it is fine.... I wanted to confirm this is normal for that bike..... tons of power just up from the bottom. I would be hesitant to gear it down as the power just up from the bottom and all the way through the mid band would probably become unmanageable so a little throttle input puts it up and over. I think it is going to be a challenge for him in the technical stuff or from dead stops on a hill, ect.

 

I went to a 12t on the front and it makes it more liveable for the trails. I am thinking about going up to a 42 in the rear also to just give it a little more low end torque so I can pop the wheels up a little easier without so much body work.

Where I ride is really rough and you usually never get out of 3rd gear at the most so i would much rather have the gearing to where I can use it instead of on top end.

Start with the 12t in the front because going bigger on the back just opens up the chances of contacting a rock and breaking something if you dont have a good thick skidplate.

 

I'd say most sport quads are like this,you wont be pulling a 3 ton car going 10mph anytime soon with a sport atv..But on the other hand both the 660 and the 700 have tons of power to spare..Hill climbs are easy on the big Raptors,you just cant hesitate,you have to hit the hill with confidance..You cant power up like on a ute,stopping on a incline with any atv is problematic you are risking losing momentum and flipping it..This is way more pronounced on a sport atv with manual clutch..It takes much practice to learn the machines gearing when doing hill climbs,he does not want to wind it out in to low of a gear or bog it down in to high of a gear..Finding the right gear in the middle of a climb leads to trouble..

 

That all makes sense and brings back memories of enduro racing on a KTM MX and having to attack the hills. Ultimately I was much faster having to ride like that. My days have past for that approach to riding, i'm more of the slow and easy mind set now. I think we will mess with the gearing as the 660 has a ton of power and way more top end than the kid will need. Thanks for the info.

Kind of on the same topic is there a sport quad that is better suited for trails that we should look at for my other 17 year old son?

 

I like the 400ex, z400, kfx400, the have enough power and good low end. The raptor with the right gearing should be a good trail quad.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Ruggo

That all makes sense and brings back memories of enduro racing on a KTM MX and having to attack the hills. Ultimately I was much faster having to ride like that. My days have past for that approach to riding, i'm more of the slow and easy mind set now. I think we will mess with the gearing as the 660 has a ton of power and way more top end than the kid will need. Thanks for the info.



Kind of on the same topic is there a sport quad that is better suited for trails that we should look at for my other 17 year old son?</end quote></div>

A 660 is allot of quad for a inexperianced rider. Depending on the abilities of the rider the 400 class quads or even a Raptor 350 are much better sooted for a novice rider. Now with that said the best allaround trail bike is the Raptor 700 its setup is just about perfect from the factory with enough low end to pull itself without any issues and to make any 660 rider jealous. And a top end that can be built with no limits!

If I were looking for a entry level trail bike I would take a good look at a Z400 more than enough low end (though not as good as 400ex) to make anyone happy and by far a better top end than the EX, allong with a suspension to go with it.

A bike to grow into without a doubt!

 

that raptor should be nothing but bottom end. that thing should pull hard. not too familiar with the '01, but my sister has an '03 660, and it has tons of bottom end, more than my '06 700. the 660 is A LOT more to torquier in the bottom end. If you don't know when the last time it had a valve, I would take it in and get the valves re set. I know on her's it felt like it added 5 hp, may not sound like lots, but it was a huge difference. Hope that helps you out, cause I know that they have torque, the carbed ones more than the fuelies. But I'm gonna big bore mine to solve that problem. lol