More like smeegle...atleast thats the way i feel everytime i look at my Raptor. But when im grabbing a fist full of throttle. i feel like a velociraptor tearing through the woods of N.America in search of prey. mixed feelings....definately mixed up.

 

LMAO! I cant stop laughing.... Just the though of KUZ looking at his Rappy in the garage, and calling it his PRECIOUS!!

The constant termoil that he goes through before and after every ride!








SLMAO!!


Bigger.

 

Im with Kuz! what to do!? what to do!?

 

I think yamaha truly fu<ked up on the raptor even till today with the oneway bearings and stuff, INsanly expensive to maintain and you spend more time getting to know your tools then actually enjoing the mother, but it sure is fast huh

 

warrior007, I was in the same ballpark. In fact, I let it sit in the garage for 6 months without riding it except to move it and a brief ride around the yard. I finally sold it. I like the fact that I can leave the 400ex on the trailer and just add gas the next time I want to ride. My Raptor was appropriately nicknamed "OneRide". Obviously, one ride and it needed something done to it before it could be ridden again. Luckily, it was never engine trouble except for the one-way bearing, an oil leak behind the front sprocket, dirt in the carb, and the metal piece breaking that connects the sparkplug boot to the wire. I was never left stranded on it. My problem was more with all the damn swingarm bearings, brakes, chains, sprockets, a-arm bushings, and wheel bearings I went through (and the time it took to replace them).

The 400ex suits me fine. I know not to try some of the killer hills that I could go up on the Raptor. Well actually, I know now it won't make it. It wasn't from a lack of trying.

/Jon

 

I fell you brotha, my riding buddies all abandoned me cause I hardly ever ride anymore and it just sits there till I come up with money and time to fix it, I have also had similar problems to you, just the exhaust stud broke, went through rear bearings, and the jetting would go off from the valve occasionally tighting up, Im tradin it for a shee after its fixed and I may never buy a raptor again even though the "one ride" was well worth the effort the shee will be faster,.

 

So, because you bought the first year Raptor that NOW everyone knows had lots of first year flaws means they are all junk? Why don't you trade it in on a 02 or up Raptor and stop crying. Besides the one way bearings on the 02's and up models, what's junk about them? You don't see barly any Raptor owners pissed off about anything unless they have a 2001....

 

Check the part numbers and you will find that all the years are basically the same except for the tranny. The one-way is the same so it fails repeatedly in all years (although I hear LADesigns has come to the rescue). The real problem with the Raptor is that Yamaha shoved a torque monster (even only adding a pipe, opening the airbox, and jetting) into the design of a 400ex. The rest of the moving parts just can't handle it. Some just deal with it better and never mention it.

For those of you who never have any problems then enjoy it. I am telling my story. I've had 7 brand new Yamaha motorcycles, 2 Kodiak 4X4s, and this Raptor. The Raptor is the only one that was subpar. In general, Yamaha makes really good products. The Raptor is not the perfect quad but it is certainly thrilling to ride - at the expense of having to perform higher levels of routine maintenance.

/Jon

 

Ya know I really like our Banshee and I really love our Raptor! Fact is I Planned on making the raptor faster and with that comes weak links. On any thing! I live by a small saying that some may Like and It fits the Raptor Performance Crowd![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

"You have to give up something to be cool."[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]

 

My buddy had his tranny go AGAIN this weekend at Dumont! He had the billet gears from Sam Coe (don't use Sam Coe - I hear they are screwing people over!)

Anyone know where to get the best price on a new '02 style gear set? What should he expect for labor?

I'ld like to talk him into putting a Carillo Rod in while he his in there. . . anyone know how much these run and where the best place to get them is?