12' yfz450r or '12 raptor700r?

[JoArm]

I'm looking to purchase a new quad & can't decide which to go with. I'm hearing different things from different people & just want to make sure I'm getting the best bike possible for what I'm looking for. I'd hate to invest that much $ into something I'm not going to like in a year.. I'm going to be doing mostly hills, trails, sand, arroyos, etc. Most the research I've done tells me that the raptor is the way to go. But then a couple buddies of mine, as well as the mechanic who works on my quad (banshee), said that a yfz is a far better bike & that raptors are "crap" (which I thought was a little harsh). He comes from a racing background though so I'm thinking his opinion might be a little biased. Just looking for some honest, in-biased opinions. Thanks

[tysonmccrary]

You can find a lot of reviews on both atv's, I was in the same boat as you and I ended up getting a 08 raptor 700 seII.

You are always going to have people that say one atv is better than the other. The 450r sits lower than the raptor and it's a little wider which gives you more stability and its a little lighter so if your looking at getting more air off hills in the dunes or race on a track then the 450r would probably suit you the best.

The 700 on the other hand sits a little higher, isn't as wide but has a crap ton of torque and can handle corners and trails a little better (is what all the reviews say that I've read). I was looking for an all around good atv when I was in the market for a quick atv and they require less maintenance too which was another plus to me.

I haven't ridden a 450r so I can't really speak for that machine, but I love my raptor and it's super quick, although I have a hotcam 3, intake, and EFI on it. Basically for dunes and racing on a track, most people seem to recommend the 450r. For trail/mountain riding, it seems that people recommend the 700 and they say that they still can get good air off the hills in the dunes.