Here's the machines that made the Top 25 of this year's Pro Procuction class in the GNCCs.

17 Honda 400EXs
6 Cannondales
1 Raptor
1 Z400

 

KNOWSALOT,

I didn't realize they were that good.

I think you need to take that slush fund money we got built up and get the Knowsalot facility a couple more 400EX's.

Chet
VP Knowsalot Facility

 

OK quaestion? I see a pro-production quad win overall and place up front often, Why not put a 400EX or LT motor in a race chassie and run the pro class? If you can win from the p-p class and have to pass a bunch of quads wouldn't it make more sence to start up front. Maybe sleve down a Raptor and put it into a race prepped frame?

 

curtis crump rides a raptor in the pro production class. he's 2nd in the points right now. i think he finished 8th over all last year in the pro class. it all comes down to if you can ride, and what you like to ride. a lot of raptor owners don't race. the bike was built to be the king of the trails, fire roads and dunes. yamaha didn't make the raptor a 660 just because it was a nice #. it was because they wanted the biggest cc quad out there. bigger than the DS. i raced 2 gncc's this year and 8 wnyoa harescrambles. the raptor fits into almost all classes except 2 stroke classes, four stroke stock (honda's precious class) and the sport (under 350cc 4 stroke) class. if you think you are fast ,go race and see how you do. but, if you plan on doing a lot of hard riding and have to do maintainence or replace parts. the 400ex is the way to go. look at the $$ of a arms, plastic,steering stems etc etc. they are 1/2 the price of a raptor that's what keeps people off the track. i love my raptor and i refuse to ride what everyone else is riding. i wish more raptor owners would get out of their computer chairs and hit the tracks. these quads can be competitive, but you gotta learn to ride one. oh by the way. curtis crump's raptor has a set of pep shocks, (rusted) carbon wheels,ims tank, pipe, the biggest set of handle bars i've ever seen and the guy flat out flys on it. that's it. everything else is bone stock including the back shock. how did i do this year ? being my first, i finished 14th out of 52 in the novice class at steel creek, and 5th out of 23 in the vet class at mount morris. and i hit a lot of trees in the wnyoa series w/ a best of a 3rd. i'm 37 and i know there are some younger faster guys out there, if they just get the nuts to do it.

 

i agree. a lot of guys are running the yam 426 and honda cfr450 in gnc. but it hasn't caught on in the gncc's yet. if i had the $$$ i would like to build one. then you would have the best of both worlds.

 

I raced the Quad National at Budd Creeks (awesome track) on Oct. 5th and 6th and saw less than 10 Raptors (including mine) out of 459 entries. Budds Creek has several long steep hills and unless you have some engine work done to your Raptor, you'll get passed by built-up 440 Hondas and CRF450 quads going up the hills. The sheer weight of the Raptor is what keeps people from racing them at MX tracks. With +2 A-Arms, wider axles, and aftermarket shocks (I have TCS zero preload and really like them) the Raptor is comfortable and plush, a very easy quad to ride.

 

I didn't know there was a CC restriction, that makes sense.

I've been curious about the Raptor since they came out but when I didn't seem to notice too many in race photos in the mags in made me wonder. I guess it may be more of suited for the dunes? Right now if I was to buy a new quad it would between the Raptor or the Z400.