Released with much hoopla in the '01 model year (which seems like a short time ago), the 660R Raptor was yet another victim of the quickly changing landscape of sport quads. Sporting the biggest motor and a respectable weight, the Raptor won some strong supporters in the polling, but no first place votes. Testers simultaneously cited its ease of use and its ferocious power delivery. If not for a few bad habits, it might have finished higher.
Yamaha's Raptor had a true 660cc of liquid-cooled power. Although far from the first to introduce it, one of the surprising creature comforts on the Raptor was the inclusion of reverse in its five-speed transmission. That the system offered an easy-to-use mechanism mounted on the right fender was just icing on the cake. The radiator was mounted stylishly in front of the steering stem, up high above the low-mounted lights. That, plus the Raptor's long-travel suspension and narrow stance, made for a tall feel and an unsettled mount at times, but one that also encouraged big wheelies and big smiles.
Nothing was quite as comfortable in the dunes with a wide variety of riders as the Raptor. The snappy power of the big engine was well suited in the dunes; it was appreciated by casual riders for its ease of use and abundant power, while more advanced riders employed the grunt to launch the machine skyward. Landings were especially plush as well-damped shocks absorbed landings adeptly. One tester did complain that power surged on big-jump landings because of the carburetors' vacuum-operated slides slamming shut.
Sand whoops were also tackled easily by the big machine: Big travel, big power and relatively light weight (about middle of this pack) made for easy whoop skimming. The only time the high cg reared its head was with a tendency to wheelie on the throttle, but even the most timid riders weren't intimidated in the sand. No hill was out of easy reach with the Raptor. The Yamaha was perhaps least suited to motocross. Its tall stance served it well only in whoops. Cornering was best done by slowing to a crawl with the very good brakes, flicking it around the corner and opening up the big powerplant, as carrying any speed in the corners was asking to be dropped on your head. Adding to the Raptor's pain on the track were its Dunlop radials (also mounted to the Suzuki/ Kawasaki), which were particularly ill-suited to such duty--grabbing too much when you least wanted them to, yet letting go when you needed the traction most. Jumping was good, with long-travel, plush suspension, but as stated before, the stock carbs could cause some sputtery landings.
Ironically for the big-motored machine, technical trail riding was its forte. Wide-open trails and washes made it handle nervously so it never felt very settled in corners. In uneven terrain, however, the torquey powerplant, trail-oriented tires and long-travel suspension all conspired for a fun, controllable ride. On our day in Nevada's mountain trails, it was a fast favorite of all assembled. One rookie learned to wheelie on the Raptor, while one of our racers mentioned that he'd forgotten how much fun the Raptor was in stuff like this.
While excelling in dunes and tight trails, the tall-feeling Raptor was a dramatic let-down in any sort of high-speed maneuvering. This big-time motor (uncorked with minimal money) needed a big-time chassis--wider, shorter and lighter--to let it really shine. Still, a real winner in the areas it worked best in.
Yamaha 660R Raptor
Retail Price: $6499 (Limited Edition $6699)
Engine
Type: Four-stroke
Displacement: 660cc
Carburetion: Mikuni BSR 33mm
Cooling: Liquid-cooled
Lubrication: NA
Ignition: CDI
Starting: Electric
Drivetrain
Drive System: Chain, 2x4
Transmission: 5-speed manual clutch with reverse
Suspension (Type/Travel)
Front: Dual A-arms/9.1 in.
Rear: Swingarm/8.7 in.
Tires
Front: 21x7/10; rear: 20x10/9
Brakes
Front: Dual discs; rear: disc
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 49 in.
Claimed Dry Weight: 398 lb
Ground Clearance: 4.5 in.
Length/Width/Height: 72.0/43.3/45.3 in.
Seat Height: 33.9 in.
Fuel Capacity: 3.2 gal.
Electrical
Taillight: NA
Headlight: Dual high/low beam
Instrumentation: NA
Colors: Black/red, Team Yamaha blue; black/blue flame graphics