im picking up my 03 raptor LE with red flames in two weeks...yesss!!!!! ID greatly appreciate it if you guys could just post you pointers and everything you should know about the raptor. I'd like to also know about break it. Id like it break it in as gently as possible so some info would help. Any little quirks or inside info id like to know. I dont want there to be any surprised. Any common problems or misunderstandings id like to be cleared up. I know a little about quads but i know nothing about the raptor.

Please tell me everything you know for a first time owner. I want to take care of this like its my own son...well, maybe even a little better. lol

i appreciate all your help, thanks again

 

Well i cant tell you everything because i just bought a new raptor a while back but as for the break in this is what i did. The dealer told me 2 tanks of gas and 10 hours of break in. So in this period just ride it nice and easy giving it frequent cool down periods. After the 1st tank of gas i changed the oil and oil filter, after the second tank of gas i changed the oil and the oil filter again and then cleaned the air filter. After doing this it should be fine to do what ever you wan with it, and remember to have fun!!!

 

and whats considered nice and easy....half throttle, easy acceleeration?

Most importantly, id really like to hear what everyone did to break in their raptors. thanks again, warrior

 

I rode mine no more than half throttle for the first 10 min., let it cool...and repeat a second time. After that, I rode it on a couple full throttle runs and took it easy the rest of the day. After that...started racing it and its still holding up race after race.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

nice...anyone else. Id like to hear from everyone. so many people have raptors in here im sure you all have your own techniques to break in your babies?

 

my new 03 had about 4 hours on it when i took it to mt, morris p.a. and ran the gncc race. 2 hour race. ran great ! finished 5th in the vet class out of 23 guys...probably not what the factory suggest.

 

yeah, but id like to know exactly what you do to break it in...not just how long until you let it rip. How should i ride it? constant speed, frequent acceleration, up and down paved road hills, frequent changing of gears, warming up, cooling off..? this is what id like to be explained. thanks again

 

EVERYBODY has their own ideas about break in. Some people think break it in the way you are going to ride it, and some say be easy. I went with the easy method, both times. I started it and rode it for about 10 minutes, all the time changing throttle postion, and never loading up the engine by using too low of a gear. I rode fast enough for decent air flow, say average third gear mainly under 1/4 throttle. Then I let it cool all the way down. I did the same thing again. Then I just started increasing the amount of throttle, ie the next two cycles I stayed less than 1/2 throttle. Next I started increasing the amount of time I rode, say from 10 minutes to 30. Letting it cool down 100% between runs!!! After I was riding for 30 minutes at about 3/4 throttle I pulled out on to the road and stuck it to the stops!!!WFO for about a mile.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] and never looked back. Oh and I change the oil somewhere in there too.

 

ok, so ten minute increments...all at variable speeds. Should i work the gearbox alot of stay in one gear? what do you all reccomend. is the main concern not to stay at the same rpm? should i always be varying as much as possible? When should i change the oil. By what time is it safe to let it rip? thanks again, warrior

 

I don't think the gear matters just don't bog the engine by running to high of a gear. I varried mine alot but you don't have to just ride around blipping the throttle. I think most people change the oil when the breakin is done, right before they let it rip.