Yamaha Raptor 350 (YFM350R)

Buying a used Yamaha Raptor?

Buying a used quad these days is complicated by the variety available, and the intrusion of some cheap and nasty product from China. The best advice we can give you if you're on the prowl for a family quad is to stick to brands with good reputations, and to buy from a dealer you trust.

Don't buy a 350 Wang Dang if the seller can't tell you anything about it, or if it looks as if it will fall apart on the first sand hill. We know one buyer of a Cheap & Nasty who, when he got the quad home found some of the parts to have been incorrectly installed by whoever put the machine together. And it was flimsy. And it had a swingarm the width of your middle finger.

They don't get much airplay these days but one of the best prospects on the used market is the tough little Yamaha Raptor 350, or to give it the correct model name, the YFM350R. The Raptor was based on the Warrior 350 chassis from a few years back. I've never ridden the Warrior but I've been told the riding position on the Raptor has been improved to make it a much more comfortable proposition.

The Raptor 350 has a nice soft clutch, a transmission with six forward gears and an easy to reach reverse lever. It can make three-point turns on tight tracks too, so it's a breeze for even the most petite members of the clan to handle.

The suspension is made up of the usual monocross-style swingarm out back and double wishbones up front. The shocks have soft dampening settings so the Raptor is a comfortable mount for trail or dune work.

When you exercise your throttle thumb you get very predictable handling. That helps learners master a bit of opposite lock action, while there's still enough poke to get the Raptor over the biggest dunes with ease. There's no way in the world this thing is a race bike but it is a lot of fun and a great entry point to the world of ATV-ing.

INTO THE BELLY OF THE BEAST
As with any used quad, the first thing you want to check for is frame damage. Shut off the ignition and close the fuel tap. Then lift the machine vertically by the rear gab bar. The weak spot on this little gem is where the lower front control arms mount at the rear of the frame. Stand back and have a good look at the frame and make sure it's still symmetrical.

Also have a good look at the general state of the undercarriage. Inspect all the welds for any signs of cracks and have a good look for dents and deep gouges that may betray a hard life. While you've got it sitting up and begging, give the front wheels a spin and make sure they still roll true and have no play in the bearings. And while your down there, are there any leaks?

THE GOOD OIL
Now, with it back on all fours, grab the lever under the back of the seat and lift the seat out of the way. Remove the clips holding the airbox lid have a look at the condition of the filter. Is the airbox ion general clean? Is the filter clean, or is it filthy and ripped as well?

Now check a few other vitals signs. Unscrew the dip stick and check out the color of the oil. If it's a light tan, that's good. If it's dark brown to black, that's bad. The darker the oil, the longer it's been in the engine and the harder it's worked. At this point you should ask yourself: if the owner couldn't be bothered changing the oil, what else has he neglected?

Don't forget to do a quick visual check on the general condition of the brakes rotors, the chain and sprockets and he tyres. They may seem like basic items but replacing them when they're worn or totally shagged with cost you plenty.

FIRE IN THE HOLE
With the fuel back on, grab a thumbful of choke and hit the starter. It should fire up straight away. Slide the choke off slowly and bring it back to idle. While it warms ups, listen for any knocks and rattles in the engine. Give it a few blips of the throttle and have a look out back for smoke signals.

Presuming you have somewhere you can test ride the machine, throw your leg over it, flick off the park brake, grab a handful of clutch and drop it into gear. Some Raptor 350s suffer a transmission problem that makes it difficult to shift between second and third gears so run through the box while you're out on the test ride.

Do a couple of quick stops to test the front and rear brakes. While you're stopped, drop it back to first, then reach under the righthand side of the tank and slip it into reverse. Don't be surprised if it's a little stiff, but slowly releasing the clutch should help.

PLASTIC FANTASTIC
Has the Raptor you're inspecting been well cared for or left in a paddock to fend for itself? The condition of the plastics might well tell the tale. Scuffed bodywork is fairly normal but what you don't want to see are long white ‘stress marks' where the plastics mount to the frame.

Disfigurement like this could mean the little quad has rolled over and played dead a few times, or been left out in the weather far too often. A fresh decal kit can hide a lot of abuse, and that's why you should take in the general condition of any machine you're thinking of buying.

HANDING OVER THE FOLDING STUFF
So you think you found a keeper, but what's it worth? You can head down to your local dealer and pick up a new one for $9299, or $9499 for a Limited Edition. If you hunt around, though, you can expect to pay from $5000 upwards, depending on the machine's condition. The Raptor we used in our photo shoot was picked up for $5500 at a local auction in a fairly good state of repair.

KEEPING IT ALIVE
The Yamaha service manual recommends “120 hours between oil changes”. Compare that with the YFZ450's 20 hours and it turns out the little Raptor is a lot of fun for not much maintenance if you keep it well lubricated and take care of the oil and air filters.

KIDDEE UP
If you're expecting a bit more from your little Raptor, all it takes is a phone call to your favorite quad shop to net any number of aftermarket options like tyres, nerfs and bumpers. The little Raptor engine responds if you improve the breathing with a slip-on pipe and performance air filter. You can even bump up the cubes with a 435cc kit.

YEAH, BUT WHAT ABOUT?
There is not too much I'm going to criticize on the Raptor, although it has to be said that the standard asymmetric rear tyres are a bit iffy on sand, where they make it hard to get the beast moving (point it downhill to cure that problem).

The stock air filter mounts via a couple of plastic tags in the air box and that's a bit iffy too. Personally I prefer one of the better aftermarket kits (ask Hardiman ATV about them). The Hardiman kit a clamp arrangement and a billet mount that does a better job of sealing the airbox.

I have also seen a few rear grab bars come loose but regular inspections and a bit of Loctite should sort that out.

ALL IN ALL
If you're after something that will tear up the local MX track, look elsewhere, but if you're after a quad the family can have fun on, and something you won't have to spend countless hours maintaining, a tough-as-nails Raptor 350 might be the ticket. A god one may be hard to find though. Typically, the people who own them never want to give them up!