Steering stabalizers do not restrict your ability to turn. Its not noticable anyway. My brother has one on his DS650 and it makes a world of difference. I will purchase one some day. One example of what they do is when you hit objects it dampens the blow and will not rip the bars from your hands. Not as big a problem on the Raptor but a very real problem on a DS650. A very worthwhile purchase i'd think. In my future for sure. Thanks for the clarity on the width of the spacers fisher.

 

KJMAXXX, I looked on ebay for different items for the raptor and they usually go for more than what you can buy new ones for. I prefer to have my stuff new, instead of buying used products. I put those spacers on my raptor and it made the world of differnce. One thing though, make sure the bolts are tight. It's best to use a torque wrench and get them to specs.

 

I think this discussion needs to include that all of the above can be dealt with in a much better way, albeit more expensive, by wider A-arms, with adjustable caster/camber. Wheel spacers and offset rims set the front wheels farther out from the ball joints, increasing any effect or feedback from the tire back to the driver. Aftermarket A-arms are not cheap, but they fix everything that has been discussed here. They corner better (wider), less bump steer (centerline of tire closer to ball joint), better high speed and sand stability (caster). With Wider, adjustable A-arms you can forget the wheel spacers, offset rims, and steering stabilizers.
.....All those other things work,,,,but not as well. Add it all up and the A-arms aren't that bad a deal. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

I agree, A arms and axles are the way to go. $1000.00 + is a high cost for the avg rider. If I were a racer I'd do it the right way. I'm not and don't ride my bike that way so for the stability I'd get for $1-300.00 is my choice for now. Plus if I were to bend my rear axle with the spacers I'd have a reason to buy the Durablue 2+2 eliminator. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] easier to convince the ball and chain. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

I only rode a stock suspended shee a couple of times, but when some friends rode mine today, they said it was a totally different ride with the width. If you race or jump big, youll eventually bend an axle, or break a hub with just wheel spacers. And the chrome axles and a-arms look soooo good!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Fourlix, your little 80 Raptor is awesome.
Thats the first time Ive seen a little quad with mods.
It really looks like a little Raptor now.
The stock suspension on those are so stiff

 

Thanks KJMAXXX, I hope about 10,000 people have the same response when it comes out in the May issue of ATV Action magazine, and let the manufacturers know that a Raptorette is what they want for their kids too. I think some will.
....I wish I could figure out how to make a buck off it, but that was not the plan, it was to make a truly safe and fun quad for my almost 5 year old, and show the ATV industry we are tired of their crap being sold to our kids.
It's working. The quad is a huge success. It works really great and he is doing great on it. He is still in first gear, but I have increased his speed from 6 mph to about 11 mph.
Rebuilding the frame, even as a weld on kit, plus finding Blaster A-arms and hubs, plus Douglas wheels, spacers, tires, nerfs, and Works shocks all around is a pretty steep mod list for a mini. 45 hours and $1500 included scoring the Blaster A-arms and hubs for $100, and how many of those are lying around?

.. I think I have a few more Raptorettes in me, A few more would make the message that much louder. But, The POINT was to represent what a production mini quad SHOULD be, wider, safer, better handling with real suspension and controllable speed in a truly age appropriate mini-quad.

.....But they said it couldn't be done.

.. I love,er,hate it when people say that. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

One more thing...I can't resist. I built the Raptorette just before Xmas and had it on the internet as I was doing it. Here and on the Bluetracks, Yamahaland forum.
....I bet you money, that Honda, Yamaha, and maybe some others have already built mini-prototypes like the raptorette. Hey I even showed them how to do it. If I can do it in 45 hours, these factory R&D guys should be able to do it in 3 months don't you think?? Hah!
.
...I didn't have any doubts about the durability of the front suspension and frame mods, but the back axle and wheel spacers did worry me a little.
For the ATV Action photo shoot, my 13 year old jumped it WOT in third gear, probably 25 times, catching 6-7 feet of air over 35 feet. and a bunch of smaller jumps and lots of powerslides and berm shooters. No problem. This thing handles so incredibly. Skyler says you can't roll it, he's tried real hard to get it up on two wheels and it just won't go.
Smooth controlled powerslides, it is hard to believe you can get this kind of handling in a mini.

 

hey Fisher, how much did you pay for the steering stabilizer? and where did you pick it up at? thanks!