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View Full Version : Comparing the Raptor 700R to my Z400...



eerhard09
10-24-2005, 01:53 PM
Ok, here is my situation, I had an '03 Z400 with an HMF slip-on, air filter, and open lid but sold it to pay for my wedding and I bought a new house. Well, I am looking to get another quad and the Raptor is in the running as a possible quad. My Z400 was a little sluggish due to my size (240 lbs) but I loved the handling of it. Don't get me wrong, it was quick and was a great bike and would not have sold it except I had other priorities. But, now that I am looking to get another quad, I am uncertain if I should go back to another new Z400 or look at the Raptor 700. The YFZ is not an option just because I do not find it very comfortable and I do not run much MX at all. If anyone has experience with both the Raptor 700 and the Z400, what are your comments on the different bikes. Keep in mind, it will be for 95% trails, 4% playing on the MX track, and 1% on the dunes.

I have considered looking at the LT-R450 when it comes out but no reverse may suck. That and it may be too wide for trails and I would need some offset rims for it. I would rather just spend the $$ on upgrades rather than parts just to make it trail friendly.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

tater_kamik
10-24-2005, 03:49 PM
i havent heard anything but positive comments on the 700, i know i love the 660, so i will give a thumbs up to the raptor, its a sweet quad for the trails (and everything else you can do in my opinion):macho

freakystone
10-24-2005, 04:09 PM
My two cents...

I have had 3 yes 3 different Z400's. Great bike. I have also had two Dales and currently have a YFZ450 and the new Raptor 700R.

I weigh in at about 230 so I agree, the Z400 didnt have the guys to lug my fat tail all the time that I liked. The YFZ is an awesome bike but the seat is hard. Obviously no reverse.

The 700R is a great bike too. Not the screamer that the YFZ is though. Power falls off at about 6K rpm, just when the YFZ was warming up. The 700R does not handle as good as the YFZ, not even close like some of the ads and other sites say. It doesnt even handle as well as the Z400 imo. You know the extra weight is there. But for trail riding, I love it.

eerhard09
10-24-2005, 08:43 PM
[i]You know the extra weight is there. But for trail riding, I love it. [/B]

So if I mainly trail ride, the extra power would be nice over the Z? I really like the look but want to make sure the quality and ridability in the woods is comperable to my Z!!!

freakystone
10-25-2005, 07:45 AM
You will like the power of the 700R over the Z400 but you will miss the better handling of the Z400 compared to the 700R. Although the 700R is only 20 lbs. more, add that to the fact it is a bit more top heavy and it wont feel as stable as a Z400.

MadDog56
10-25-2005, 01:40 PM
Originally posted by freakystone
You will like the power of the 700R over the Z400 but you will miss the better handling of the Z400 compared to the 700R. Although the 700R is only 20 lbs. more, add that to the fact it is a bit more top heavy and it wont feel as stable as a Z400.

Have you ridden the 700R? Do you know that the seat height is one tenth of an inch higher than the z400's? The 700R is two tenths wider, six tenths longer, has six tenths more front suspension travel, holds more fuel and has better brakes than the z400? How about that the z400 is actually 1.2 inches TALLER than the 700R?

The 700 is a much different animal than the 660 when it comes to handling, while still offering a few more hp. HP that the z400 cant match without a few thousand dollars worth of engine work.

freakystone
10-25-2005, 01:56 PM
Have I ridden one? Yeah... I own a 700R, as I have owned 3 Z400's and a still own a yfz450 too.

Understand, I am not bagging on the 700R. I like it alot. I, like most others who have ridden quads and three wheelers, dont put much faith in what the spec's, manufacturer articles or magazines say.

One tenth here and there just doesnt mean much in the real world... What you failed to mention is that the 700R is heavier than the Z400. Although the seat height might be similar, the 700R carrys more weight higher than the Z400. Ans even still, those facts dont mean much until you have countless hours on each machine.

Power is great, dont get me wrong. But handling is just as, if not more important to most riders and a stock Z400 handles better and easier than a stock 700R. Ride both and you will see.

Again, I am not bagging on the 700R. But I am also not going to praise it as the best quad just because I own one.

MadDog56
10-25-2005, 03:40 PM
I, like you, have ridden both. And I've been riding atvs for almost 2 decades now so I think I have a grasp on the sport.

My point is that I dont believe with that the 700 handles poorly in respect to the z400. I've ridden one and it handled fairly close as well to the yfz it stole its suspension from. And with all of the specs as they are its obvious that Yamaha has moved the CG down and spread out the weight of the bike, something they are actually useful for. They arent numbers to be thrown to the wind, they do matter and a good seasoned rider can and will notice small changes in ride height, width, shock valving, etc.

The 700 is a much larger engine and handles impeccably for its size, its about as close to the handling of a 400 as you'll find in a big bore. I did not have a chance to put one in the air though, so if you are speaking of its behaviour while jumping I'll have to defer as I know that in-air characteristics vary greatly from the ground.

freakystone
10-25-2005, 03:48 PM
I hate to start a peeing match but if you really did ride one and you really have ridden a YFZ, there is no way you would say it handled almost as good as a YFZ. No Way.

z400roosteR
10-25-2005, 05:07 PM
Originally posted by MadDog56
The 700 is a much different animal than the 660 when it comes to handling, while still offering a few more hp. HP that the z400 cant match without a few thousand dollars worth of engine work

Lmao......A few thousand bucks to keep up? Not even.

250r4life
10-25-2005, 11:25 PM
what does "LMAO" stand for?

and, as a 3rd party who owns neither and has simply raced against both many times (many raptors, not any 700s yet although im sure i will get to race a few this weekend) i will confirm that it will take some work for a z400 to keep up with a raptor. maybe not a couple thousand, but youre gunna have to do some good work to it...

adamwn
10-26-2005, 05:28 PM
I have both and I like the raptor way more than my Z.
Suspension is plush,and the power doesn't even compare.

Get the Raptor! you wont regret it.

10-26-2005, 06:58 PM
Originally posted by 250r4life
what does "LMAO" stand for?

and, as a 3rd party who owns neither and has simply raced against both many times (many raptors, not any 700s yet although im sure i will get to race a few this weekend) i will confirm that it will take some work for a z400 to keep up with a raptor. maybe not a couple thousand, but youre gunna have to do some good work to it...

It stands for laughing my *** off.

z400roosteR
10-26-2005, 07:07 PM
Originally posted by 250r4life
what does "LMAO" stand for?

and, as a 3rd party who owns neither and has simply raced against both many times (many raptors, not any 700s yet although im sure i will get to race a few this weekend) i will confirm that it will take some work for a z400 to keep up with a raptor. maybe not a couple thousand, but youre gunna have to do some good work to it...

Agreed the raptor is a more powerful machine, but as you also said a few thousand dollars is exagerated.:blah: And everytime I go riding one of my buddies has his 660r-LRD exhaust full system,K&N etc. +4 swinger, and he indeed beats me and pass me....not only cause of his machine though also because he's a much better rider.

4punksdad
10-27-2005, 06:30 PM
I own both the KFX400 and the raptor 700. They are both very worthy trail machines for my 145LB butt. Both handle well, both jump well (the raptor is better), both corner well............they do alot of things great. Heck in 1985 I was happy to be on a ATC200X. For a guy over 200lbs with trail riding intentions, and good riding skills, I would suggest the Raptor.

As for the 450 yamaha..........I think the package feels a bit cramped..........its a great machine, but the layout is too small. If I wanted another 450 it would be a suzuki or another honda.....but with electric start.

by the way since you are trail riding you might want one of these :)

eerhard09
10-27-2005, 08:02 PM
Thanks for all of the replies so far guys, it is GREATLY appreciated! I was at the dealer again tonight and was sitting on both the Z400 and the Raptor and I liked how the Raptor felt in stock form. Granted, I will replace the bars with a fatbar setup so I can change the feel as far as that goes but I really felt the Raptor was more comfortable. It also looked wider while sitting on the quad. I know they are the same width but for some reason it just looked and felt wider, probably the fenders are narrower on the raptor. Anyway, I found that the group of guys I ride with are planning a group buy in the Spring so the local dealer offered to "hook us up" if we buy a few all at the same time. We will see what that amounts to when the time comes!

Keep the comparisons coming!!!

coryatver
10-27-2005, 08:55 PM
Don't forget the new z400 has more power and better shocks than the old ones.

freakystone
11-01-2005, 02:06 PM
Originally posted by 4punksdad
I own both the KFX400 and the raptor 700. They are both very worthy trail machines for my 145LB butt. Both handle well, both jump well (the raptor is better), both corner well............they do alot of things great. Heck in 1985 I was happy to be on a ATC200X. For a guy over 200lbs with trail riding intentions, and good riding skills, I would suggest the Raptor.

As for the 450 yamaha..........I think the package feels a bit cramped..........its a great machine, but the layout is too small. If I wanted another 450 it would be a suzuki or another honda.....but with electric start.

by the way since you are trail riding you might want one of these :)


Great rear cooler rack Joe. What brand is it? I took the new 700R to Man, WV for 5 days of riding and just got back yesterday. Had a great time. Never hit HM trails, only locals. Alot better ride on the 700R this time than the YFZ450 last time...

4punksdad
11-01-2005, 10:04 PM
Originally posted by freakystone
Great rear cooler rack Joe. What brand is it? I took the new 700R to Man, WV for 5 days of riding and just got back yesterday. Had a great time. Never hit HM trails, only locals. Alot better ride on the 700R this time than the YFZ450 last time...

Its a PRM.......................it fit great except the rear fender supports don't exactly line up. I find them useless anyhow.

I too took the 700 to Man, WV not long ago and had a blast. We DID ride the HM trail from Man to Gilbert & back.

troutman561
11-04-2005, 08:46 PM
so would u say the 700r is faster than the 660, cause i know it handles better but no one has said it has crazy power like youd expect.. maybe cause no pipes are really out yet and that could help.. but if the old 660 and the 450's beat it why both.. id jsut like to hear some opinions and experience, it would be greatly appreciated

SandRaptorRandy
11-06-2005, 01:06 PM
Originally posted by troutman561
so would u say the 700r is faster than the 660, cause i know it handles better but no one has said it has crazy power like youd expect.. maybe cause no pipes are really out yet and that could help.. but if the old 660 and the 450's beat it why both.. id jsut like to hear some opinions and experience, it would be greatly appreciated

I have an 06 700R I had an 05 660 bought it new off the showroom floor last march, took it home modded it with high flow filter and Aluim intake adapter jetted it with 165 & 170 mains 25 pilot and needle on 3rd position A/F out 2.5 turns had a full HMF system on it. It ran very well and beat a few bikes that had more done to them. Had it Dyno tuned and it put out good numbers.
I never could get it to quit coughing and sneezing at the top of a real steep hill or whooped up hills. Traded it off and got the 700R in Aug. Got the first one off the floor at a local yami dealer.

I ordered up the Power Commander PCIII the day it became ava.
Pulled the baffle and put a phoneix systems sparky for a 660R in it. And pulled the lid off the air box and have rode the chit out of it since. As soon as the GYT-R high flow filters were ava. I installed one and remapped the fuel curve. I am in love! This thing will flat spank my old 660 and I have yet to put a full system on it. That's the next mod. I like my 700R better in every respect. It's starts easy, runs well with out a so much as a hiccup. It out handles, out climbs and out powers the 660 and will hang with and more, any of the 450's and 660's that have the same basic mods I've rode with at the dunes. I've won way more flat drags and uphill drags with it than I've lost. I have really suprised some fast quads and myself as well with it. The more I ride it the more I like it. When I let other people ride it and I get on their machines I can't wait to get back on mine. Everyone who has taken it for a ride comes back grinning and is suprised at how well it runs and handles. I could not be happier with my choice.:cool: