How It WorkedCT brought the Raptor out while we were doing our 24-Hour test at Gorman, California. We put about an hour and a half on it just getting in a shakedown test before it was shipped to Indianapolis to be displayed at the Motorcycle ATV Dealers trade show. For a machine like this, the course was a good testing ground, utilizing about every feature-with the exception of big jumps (but this isn't a motocrosser so we didn't feel shortchanged).
Even though it has lots of ponies, the CT 700 doesn't act like a high-strung race quad and is very easy to ride. It is deceptively fast, with its high torque power delivery. Yet the Raptor doesn't rip arms out of sockets as fast as a TRX250R that's sporting about 15 less horsepower. It simply pulls well. Heck, it doesn't even ask to be in the correct gear; whereas a stocker would beg for a downshift when slowing down, this one doesn't care. Just leave it in third, even when second would be the best gear, and mash the throttle. The big girl just powers away. And she has plenty on top, too, providing a healthy afterburnerlike acceleration kick from fourth gear to the rev-limiter in fifth, where the big torque of this motor really shines. This quad also demonstrates what perfectly tuned electronic fuel injection is all about, with no hiccups or stumbling, regardless of pilot antics.
The chassis has the normal good-handling characteristics of an ATV loosely patterned after the Honda TRX250R's geometry. We blasted over rocks and miles of whooped-out trails, and the CT Raptor provided a pretty good ride. Our test loop did highlight one spot that needed some refining: the shocks. Set up more for motocross, they were too stiff, and Knowles and company will be making some changes for the cross-country-type program this quad will race. They are going to raise it about an inch to add a little plushness-a good thing when racing for 12 hours. With a good rear shock setup, this quad glues the front end down a lot better than stock. Even with this power, the 700R doesn't act as if it needs a longer swingarm. The Laeger long-shock front end has a little less camber than stock, so it steers more quickly and more precisely. It did rail around corners much better than a stock Raptor does, which allowed us to throw it into the turns with no hint of body roll or tipping. The downside to this slot car or TT racer handling? A bit bumpier in the corners than we'd like; however, that's curable with more time to try different settings on the clickers. But the clock beat us, and we had to turn over the racer before we had a chance to really dial in our preferences.
And what about the lights? If you like to ride at night and have the budget, the Baja Designs Fuego HIDs are the way to go. Sure, it's pricey, but it is the best lighting system for the money as it allows you to ride fast at night safely, and that's impressive. Our tester, who has a lot of night-racing experience, stated that though he outruns most of the recreational lights on the market, it was not a problem with these Baja Designs units. Not only did the Fuegos provide a distinct pattern, but the pair also pumped out a much wider and longer beam than what's usually observed from a flood-and-spot combo. The biggest problem we had with the lights was not being able to run all four at the same time; the engine only charges the battery enough to run the stock lights (left on for emergency backup). So we had to bump-start it after running all four for a while. That, too, is a fixable problem.
The bottom line is that if you have a Yamaha Raptor 700R and are considering taking it racing or just want to ride aggressively, this is the perfect inspiration model to pattern yours after-or blatantly copy.
CT Racing Raptor 700RPartsBaja Designs: www.bajadesigns.comFuego, E-start quad light kit, black HID: $849.95