![]() While the handlebar mounted choke is easy to reach on the Raptor, the DS and EX chokes are much more awkward to find in their somewhat hidden location under the gas tank. Electric start is standard equipment on each machine but there are no provisions for any backup pull or kick starters on any of them. ![]() However, the Raptor has a reverse gear while the other two do not. Fuel tank capacities range from 3.5 gallons on the DS to 3.2 gallons on the Raptor and 2.6 gallons on the 400EX.Īll three quads come with manual-clutch, manual shift, five-speed transmissions. The Raptor actually uses two 33mm Mikuni carbs to get the fuel to the combustion chamber, which maximizes the five-valve design. The Sportrax comes with a 35mm Keihin CV carb while the DS uses a 42mm Mikuni. Honda 400EX the Yamaha Raptor and Bombardier’s DS 650. It showed the most horsepower of any of the competitors with 43 h.p. The DS650 four-stroke engine uses Double Overhead Cams (DOHC), four valves and is liquid-cooled. While the Honda and Yamaha use Single OverHead Cams (SOHC) the Bombardier has a Double OverHead Cam (DOHC). All three use dry sump lubrication systems and come with counter-balanced engines to lessen engine vibration. While the DS and Raptor feature liquid-cooled engines, the Sportrax simply relies on air-cooling with an added oil cooler. The extra valve on the Raptor engine enhances the revability of the engine and helps make it much quicker revving than a conventional four-valve design. It comes with an oil cooler and puts out around 28 h.p.Īll three powerplants are single cylinder, four-stroke designs, with the Honda and Bombardier using four-valve heads while the Yamaha comes with a trick five-valve engine design. Honda’s newly renamed Sportrax 400EX uses a Single Overhead Cam (SOHC), four valves, and is air-cooled. While comparing a 660 and 650 to a 400 might not seem fair, until Honda releases their new big bore sport ATV, the Sportrax 400 remains their top-of-the line high performance quad. The Raptor has the largest displacement, measuring out to 660cc vs. The Dirt Wheels test crew and staff gathered up a new 660R Raptor, a 2001 model DS650, and a brand new Honda Sportrax 400EX to see how these top guns of the high performance quad division would fare in a no-holds-barred shootout. It comes with engine, frame and swingarm skids. The question everyone wants to know is how well does it stack up against the other two? Skid plate protection on the three quads was minimal except on the Raptor. It represents Yamaha’s top-of-the line performance quad for the 2001 season, besting the Banshee (see our comparison test in the November issue) as a better all-around track and trail quad. The Yamaha 660R Raptor is the latest wonder quad to debut in the big bore high-performance wars. Now there is a new challenger to both the mighty DS650 and Honda’s newly renamed 2001 model Sportrax 400EX. But put both machines on a fast, whooped-out trail and the DS would walk away from the Honda. About the only thing the DS didn’t have was the ability to handle tight, woods-like trails where the quicker-handling and decidedly shorter and narrower 400EX still held a distinct advantage. More horsepower, more suspension, bigger, longer and wider however, it was also considerably heavier and it also cost more. While the 400EX reigned supreme, there was little in the way of competition for it until the French/Canadian firm of Bombardier launched its ground-breaking DS650 in 1999. It makes moving around on the machine very easy. Note how narrow the seat/tank junction is on the Raptor. The 400EX (middle) puts the operator slightly further forward than the Raptor operator. ![]() Only Yamaha’s twin-cylinder two-stroke powered 350 Banshee beat it out in in drag racing and dune riding situations.Īs you can see from this top-down view, the DS is clearly bigger, longer and wider than the other two machines. The Honda set new standards with its sporty ride characteristics and impressive reliability record. Honda got the ball rolling just a few years ago with the introduction of their excellent-handling and extremely nimble FourTrax 400EX. Not since the halcyon days of the late eighties has there been as much excitement in the high-performance ATV ranks as there is right now.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |