I've been doing a lot of trail riding on my Blaster and some of my buddies 4 stroke ATV's and I just lie the way a 4 stroke as a smooth delevery of power and that low end torque to get over rocks and trees a lot easyer. On the open fields I wouldn't trade my Blaster for anything but I'm 6'3 and weigh 220lbs so I'm kinda cramped on a Blaster. I'm not going to get rid of it b/c my Son is 7 and my wife likes to ride it and in a few more years it will be good for my son. So here is what I'm looking for in a bike... must me a 4 stroke, with a reverse. We do a lot of riding where we don't know where we are going and when you hit a dead end it sucks having to get off and push. I"m open to all brands... and here are a few I'm looking at.... Raptor 700.. I don't want a 660 I've just heard to many things bad about them and really the price for a used one isn't that big of a differnece. KFX 450, not heard a lot about these but what I have read has been good. LTZ400, heard lots of good things about these as far as trail bikes... TRX400ex, this bike has been around a while so there has to be something right about it. I'm also opened to other suggestions. Please if you have any experance with any of these bikes leave your thoughts.
Good trail bike
- Thread starter b_russell_82
- Start date
I know the Raptor is the most powerful of the bikes but I really want to take everything into consideration here.... What about size??? How much bigger is the Raptor then th others???? Gas mileage??
honestly I think the ltz is an awsome trail bike its lite it will go as fast as you want it to on a trail and often alot faster (except for maybe in very long staight aways) its cheaper than the rest and has great ground clearance and is pretty good on gas. the kfx 450 is nice but it sits too low for rough trails. ive never ridden a 700 before so idk but alot of people say they are heavy.
I've ridden a Warrior and it was ok. Don't think i would want one though.. I did a compairson on the raptor and ltz400 and these 2 bikes are very close in size according to there specs. The Raptor weighs about 20 pounds more but besides that they are around the same.
01Blasterdude and I went trail riding on Saturday for about 7 hours. Both of us on blasters. I'm 6'3" and 295, and I wouldn't say the blaster is too small. Going up the steep grades in 2nd gear, we would just fly! Alot of guys on the trails that day had 4x4 automatic quads, but we were smoking alot of them. There was even a 660 Raptor that I had to help get off of being high centered....the evil blasterd just cruised right over the rutts.
I dunno...I didn't see a single problem riding trails with the blaster...
I dunno...I didn't see a single problem riding trails with the blaster...
get a katoom...they are amazing haha but i would say overall the rappy is your best bet, they are just as easy to control as the others despite its size...its a fourstroke so its gonna get good gas mileage obviously...plus you will OWN the trails and your gonna make your buddies cry when you pass them when your only in 3rd gear haha...if you were good at refabricating you could put a rappy 700 motor in a blaster or a shee frame, that would be the best bike in the business
LOL that would be bad ass with a raptor 700 motor on a blaster frame but that would be a lot of work... I think I'm just going to try and find a goor used Raptor 700..... Like I said though... I'm not getting rid of the blaster.. It's just to fun to ride.
of those mentioned id get a ltz400 for sure and throw a ct pipe and KN air filter on it ,the ltz can be whipped around has reverse is spunky once it can breathe has liquid cooling plenty of aftermaket goodies available and the price difference is alot less compared to some of the others ,they are pretty reliable too which i would not say about the raptor as much
I don't have experance with either of these bikes ( LTZ400 and Raptor 700) but just by looking at there specs there isn't a big difference in the 2 in size... The biggest difference is the LTZ weights 24 pounds less than the Raptor but that isn't saying much when the Raptor has 21 more HP stock (according to CT Racings dyno charts) Everything else is within 1 inch of being the same. The only other difference is ground clearance an Yamaha list the Raptor at 4.4 in and the LTZ list at 10+ inches. They must be measureing from different places. As far as price... on the local Craigs list I'm having better luck finding raptor 700's then I am the LTZ and when I do find them they are around the same price. A lot of ppl are getting rid or Raptors for the pay off b/c they just can't afford the payment anymore.
well a dyno can be cheated in actuality a raptor only has about 8 more hp and the extra wieght and slow reving giant piston dont help matters a pipe and some mods on the 400 can make up most of that difference ,im a yamaha fan but on this debate id find a ltz for play riding ..when it comes to four strokes none of them are ever going to be really fast so you might as well find one thats reliable ,flickable and good for trails
I had a 2003 660 Raptor before I got my Blaster. The 660 was the king of wheelies.
Gobs of tork and very controllable, and a high center of gravity, easy wheelies.
Suspension was nice, but 1st gear gearing was high, not great on rocks.
Reverse on many of these are not very easy to engage, often rev limiters are involved.
I had zero problems with my 2003. Complex, as all 4stroke sports are, but NO problems.
Someone mentioned fuel use? Very easy on fuel surprisingly.
A friend bought a 700 Raptor. Very very slightly faster, lower CG, not so good at wheelies.
Weight was a big issue why I sold the Raptor and bought a Blaster. 100 lbs less weigh.
Much easier to toss a Blaster around, and no need for reverse.
Money is another factor. The Blaster is cheap to run, cheap to mod, cheap to fix.
No regrets.
Happy with my trail Blaster, darned few 400s, 450s, and 700s get by.
Steve
Gobs of tork and very controllable, and a high center of gravity, easy wheelies.
Suspension was nice, but 1st gear gearing was high, not great on rocks.
Reverse on many of these are not very easy to engage, often rev limiters are involved.
I had zero problems with my 2003. Complex, as all 4stroke sports are, but NO problems.
Someone mentioned fuel use? Very easy on fuel surprisingly.
A friend bought a 700 Raptor. Very very slightly faster, lower CG, not so good at wheelies.
Weight was a big issue why I sold the Raptor and bought a Blaster. 100 lbs less weigh.
Much easier to toss a Blaster around, and no need for reverse.
Money is another factor. The Blaster is cheap to run, cheap to mod, cheap to fix.
No regrets.
Happy with my trail Blaster, darned few 400s, 450s, and 700s get by.
Steve
Only reason i'd shy away from the raptor- hear they are nose heavy and set up tall- I prefer to sit a tad lower for a good handeling bike. If your riding aggressive XC stuff- theres a reason you don't see 700's out there.
I ride a 400ex on the trails- it really shines. Very Dependable bikes- easy to work on- cheap parts- pretty fast.
The stock shocks stink though- as many stock shocks do. It will keep up in the woods- but the 450 is going to take off in the open areas. 450's stock gearing is high- lots of shifting in an XC situation.
I ride a 400ex on the trails- it really shines. Very Dependable bikes- easy to work on- cheap parts- pretty fast.
The stock shocks stink though- as many stock shocks do. It will keep up in the woods- but the 450 is going to take off in the open areas. 450's stock gearing is high- lots of shifting in an XC situation.
Of the choices you listed, It would be the 400ex for me. If I'm buying a 4 stroke, I'll take the rock solid air cooled Honda engine over any of the new 4 strokes.
The 400ex motor is rock solid compared to the 450's, but considerably underpowered and heavy.
The proper way to ride a trail machine is to stand on the pegs and plant your weight with your feet, and I can tell you from experience the 660 is very comfortable to ride in this fashion (in part due to the height) and is very balanced in jumps. The 400ex compares poorly in this respect in my opinion. Most of the 450's are extremely well balance in jumps (basically springing and shock values).
Still, all of these weigh so much more than a Blaster it is like trail riding with a rottweiler on the back of your quad.
Steve
The proper way to ride a trail machine is to stand on the pegs and plant your weight with your feet, and I can tell you from experience the 660 is very comfortable to ride in this fashion (in part due to the height) and is very balanced in jumps. The 400ex compares poorly in this respect in my opinion. Most of the 450's are extremely well balance in jumps (basically springing and shock values).
Still, all of these weigh so much more than a Blaster it is like trail riding with a rottweiler on the back of your quad.
Steve
