well from what i've heard the preditor comes with some pretty deacent parts alrready on it from the factory, so if that is true you wouldn't be able to mod it as much. right? i was just wandering, because i find it hard to imagine a 500 beating a 660 if they have the same mods. i am not slamming either machine or starting anything, just wandering if what i heard is true.

mini

 

just in comparison to raptor03, a predator w/ a full pipe and jet kit, (given, top of the line aren't available yet to my knowledge) will surely beat a raptor of comparable mods. 499cc, but they are lined up and haulin *****.

 

There available bro, All the predators i raced either had a polaris pipe or a whitebros Pipe....And they already come with a high performance piston and cam...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Never been to comp hill but yeah both of you are right if your looking to mod the quads and put some serious money into them the raptor's engine and weight ratio will beat the predator but you have to understand that not every rider has the thousands of dollars that it takes to make those serious mods. The predators that you beat...do you know what kind of mods they had? I'm not arguing for either quad because I love what both bring to the sport.

 

I wil have to admit they got me a few times at gecko road (Tha flats)[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

When i would race them i wanted to make sure thay had a pipe,So no one is griping about the mods, or that it wasen't fare..I will have some more videos up for you non believers or people who swear they are beating Raptors left and right by 3-4 bike lengths....And i only have a yoshimure Pipe ,Jet Kit ,and a Pro design filter,all under 700 $..Imagine if i put a cam and piston In...

 

if those predators were properly jetted w/ their slip-on's, then yea, you got more hp. i'm waitin for bigger headpipe. just got back from the river. you yamaha guys were makin me feel insecure, so i had to go ride. yea, its still fast [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

I think the Raptor is great with Mods, I found it tippy myself not nearly to the extent people make it seem. People act like the wind will blow it over! It handles good, stock I think the Predator handles better. Power wise I like the Raptor motor it pulls hard top to bottom, the Predator has loads of power up top but a little less than the raptor on the bottom end. Speed wise they are very close, the better rider will win most of the time. Both the dirt mags have done shootouts this month and both had the STOCK Raptor faster than the STOCK Predator in a drag race. The margin was negligible but it at least shows that they are very close neither one is much faster than the other stock for stock! Reverse is a nice option but not a necessity. For me if you want the better stock machine I'd take the Predator, if you plan on adding a-arms, axle and shocks I'd go Raptor. $8,000 VS $6,000 your choice! So far there have been no glaring issues with the first year Predators!


Nocando

 

I do have to agree, the Predator could use a little more on the bottom, but the reasoning that it pulls harder and stronger on the top, and that it's faster than a Raptor (a little bit) is due to the dual overhead cams. You wouldn't believe what that 500 can do with that versus the 660 without. The handling on the Raptor isn't that bad, but the first thing that I would do if I bought one would be to extend the a-arms and the rear axle!! Then it would handle as well as a Predator, other than the bump steer. I ride in a pit with mainly 4 friends, 2 400ex's, 1 Suz and 1 Raptor plus my Predator. With the rocks and rough ground there, I'm a lot less tired riding the Predator than any of the others, except the Suz cause I haven't gotten on that one just yet, he just bought it, and has only come down twice.

 

Don't get excited about some the talk about tippiness in the Raptor, If you r an experienced rider which i am assuming you are within a day of riding you will have adjusted yurself to it. My friend has a predator and is pretty happy with it other than the suspension. He says its to stiff and he weighs 230 i cannot imagine my skinny but bouncing on it.
Two friend went and rode z-400 recently and one is a raptor owner, he was ready to go and maybe buy one after all the magazine hype. His report was "its weak"
I personally love the raptor had an 01 and now a 02. the suspension os very plush and the motor changes from night to day with just a slip on, jetting and air filter. This is not been my experience with other machines, sometimes i have spent the money on these same mods could hardly tell the difference but on the Raptor it will tear you arms out.
Looks the raptor has it for sure although the White Z-400 is alright too, Predator well if different is you thing it is different, also how long has polaris been making geared ATV's???? i would at least let them get their feet wet. JMHO :-)