ive owned both as well,
The big problems i ran into with the outlaw was the heel guard mount for the plastics breaking right away. so i just rebuilt them with aliuminum.
and then of course every time ive flipped the bike ive found new breaks in the plastics....but i guess thats not too harsh to expect when your quad goes cartwheeling
and as far as how the two stack up....depends on what your doing, i bought mine to get into MX riding and will never ever ever ever ever go back to a raptor...(but then again ill never buy an outlaw either...ill be buying a jap 450 next)
The main problem i have run into with the outlaws is that the design of some of the parts was just not done with maintenance in mind.
IE - how hard it is the get the rear axle out; how hard it is to get the steering stem out; every time you need to get in the top end of the motor you have to break the cam chain. ect.
its a good bike with a lot of power and if you have the patience to understand that 10 minute jobs on other bikes are 1hr jobs on the outlaw, youll be happy.
(PS i hope your tall, the distance between seat and footpegs is really long in comparison to other bikes)
* Spode Freestyler *
Team Spode Racing
Thank you to my sponsors: DWT, Motoworks, Lone Star Racing, Dirt Fiend Racing, Go Pro Cameras, Amsoil, Spy Optics, Motoconcepts, We All Ride Clothing, Leatt Braces, ODI Grips
2004 YFZ450