[localbuzz]

If you go dune riding with your predator and you have not tried it with a 13 tooth front sprocket, the clamp on K&N filter, rejeted and piped, you are missing out. With these modifications, the ONLY thing that can beat you up competetion hill or on a flat drag is a modified Banshee. This weekend, i raced a highly modified Cannondale with a great rider on it and beat it by 2 bike lengths. I raced modified 400ex's, KFX400's, Z400's(some piped, some 440's) and just left them far behind. I raced stock raptors and they were not even close. I raced highly modified raptors and beat them by a bike length. The only close competition out there was a race ready CRF450 quad($18,000 into this bike). It was piped, filtered, geared down and weighed in a 350 pounds(sound similar to the new Yamaha?). Whoever got the best launch would when, but no one ever pulled away. The winning margin was the small lead from which ever bike got the jump at the start. It was sweet. He mentioned that he was surprised at the power of the Predator. He mentioned that he was still faster than the Predator. I reminded him that he spent $18,000 for his and I spent $7000.

I am not worried about that Yamaha 450 anymore. Its made by the same people that make Raptors and those things are just terrible(this is just my opinion based on my experiences of riding one this weekend). I am sure they did better with the 450, but I have my worries now. I actually got to ride a stock raptor this weekend. I will never do that again. It was terrible. No torque at all compared to the Predator. Its got decent top end, but still can't beat the Predator. After riding it, I was VERY happy that I did not buy a Raptor. All the guys in our camp got to ride my Predator and a bone stock Predator this weekend. The mods I have done make a HUGE difference. They are cheap and anyone can do them. None of the quys had anything bad to say after riding the Predator. Most said they would not mind having one. I just smiled. It kind of makes you feel good about the quad you bought when guys and gals that have been riding for many years tell you that they think your Predator is awesome.

I wanted to post all of this so that anyone who has doubts about the Predator or anyone that is considering a Predator could get an idea of what this quad can do with just a couple of modifications. They are fast. They are reliable. I rolled it once this weekend and it did not even bend the plastics. I rolled it over and it started right up and I took off. You would have never known it had been rolled. Nothing broke on it this weekend. It never overheated(engine ice & radiator scoops help a lot). it ran strong all weekend.

Everyone that owns a Predator should be happy about it. I found out that most of the people that talk down about the Predator have NEVER EVEN RIDDEN ONE! They have no idea. All they see is Polaris and they write it off. I let anyone that wanted too, ride mine this weekend and it changed a few minds. Polaris did not get everything right, but after hearing the comments of the people that rode the predator this weekend, I know that they got most of it right and I think that scares some people out there.

I also wanted to mention that it wasn't just the power and speed of the Predator that won people over. The guys and gals that rode mine were also very impressed by the handling and the stock suspension. I had mine soften up a little for the dunes and guys were lovin' it. It soak up all the ruts in the sand and had a nice cushion on the landings.

 

[live4quads]

yup

 

[mdepdawg]

Hey Local, great post. I agree 100%. I have ridden many quads in my life time, and I like my Pred the best, no doubt. I am getting ready to replace my antifreeze with Engine ice too, Does it work well??? Thanks again for the post. I love to hear other people as happy with thier predators as I am with mine.

 

[razorglare]

Where I ride I see a new Predator every week lately, one just last Saturday. Everytime I race down the pavement at about 78-80, 80 the last time, I get all the poeple on the other quads comeing over and asking if it is stock, which mine is, just the PurePolaris slip-on exhaust. THey are pretty inpressed with it and the speed it can go. Some have dumped thousand into a Suzuki Z400 or Raptor and I kill them racing. Maybe as more people see how fast the Predator is out in the real world more will buy them and think more highly of them. I haven't seent he new Yamaha in action yet so the Jury is still out on that until it can be see in real life.

 

[robg]

Ya know, I ended up going back to stock jetting and the drop-in K&N, but now I'm consdering putting the Dynojet kit back in and trying it with the clamp-on filter. Hmmm...

Rob

 

[localbuzz]

mdepdawg, the Engine Ice is definitely the way to go. It is much better than just regular coolant.

 

[robg]

Okay this is gonna sound dumb, but how the heck do you get the radiator cap off this thing? I turned it 1/4 turn to release the pressure, but it won't come off and it won't turn anymore than that. I wanted to remove it so I could put some Redline Water Wetter in there.

Rob

 

[chickenboy]

Push down and turn some more

 

[vortec57]

i agree also, when i took my pred back home to ride with my friends all but 1 were highly impressed at the ride and handling of it and the speed i had bone stock being more than they had, all had at least a jet kit and slip on. the only one who was not impressed said i didnt ahve enough bottom end and a slippery seat. compared to his 400ex i dont have bottom end, but i still smoke him out of the hole, and my seat is slippery compared to his, but he was just jealous that mine is set like it is out of the box and hes got several thousand in mods on his that i can still beat.

 

[darren]

i love my predator cant wait to get on it every sunday. i have had many atvs and the predator is the best by far my opinion. makes me proud for an american company to build such a good quad. robg. my predator run stronger with the clamp on power from bottom to top.