[raptorrob11]

So, I just bought my first brand new machine I've ever owned. I picked up a 2011 raptor 350 and the Wifey a 2011 trx 250, I am a experienced rider on various machines, mostly 2 and 3 wheels!! But grew up riding anything I could get on! Now I've been reading this forum quite a bit and am curious if I made a good choice with the 350, bearing in mind I will almost always be riding with my wife whom is just getting into it! Hence the 250x with sport clutch, but I figure with the big 3 mods, that the raptor will be loads of fun for me as I've been riding a 185s atc and found it to be a blast! But when riding with her I won't be racing, or getting so far ahead or away as I can't keep a eye on her to be sure she's ok until she gets acclimated, but I guess all I needed to ask was is the 350 a good fun bike for a experienced rider, in trails and dirt roads, and weighing in at 185lb at 5'11" and will the big 3 make a noticeable difference in gains from bone stock? And does anyone have experience with a 12t front for more bottom grunt? Thanks in advance for any opinions on this and keep em rolling!!
Rob

 

[kaper]

The 350 is a very fun quad. I personally wouldnt say you made a mistake. I have been riding since I was knee high to a grasshopper and I fully enjoy riding my 350. There are teenagers and girls riding 350 so you might be teased about riding a girls four wheeler. LOL

The big 3 and a 12t wont be disappointing. With the 12t you will lose maybe 5-8 mph on your top end which isnt enough to cry about and it will want to move a bit quicker. Nice for riding wheelies.

You can dump plenty of money in them and make them run like a scared cat. Most of the post you see about "you should have picked a 450 of bigger over a 350" is merely based on opinion, but you would have to empty your bank account to get your 350 to run like its bigger brothers.

Now get out there and ride!

 

[SegKast]

I think eventually you'll end up wanting to get a bigger bike, but for now - screw it and ride ! The 350's a nice bike.

 

[john jr]

All quads are fun to ride. just ride it how it likes to be ridin and have fun. I ride 3 quads just about every time i go out. A 700, 450, and 400. I have alot of fun on all of them. :beer:

 

[rappy'97]

I had a 12t and it was really nice for wheelies. I gained about 2mph when I switched back to the stock front sprox. I am thinking about doing a "Big 3" and more:satan: Good Luck:thumbsup:

 

[raptorrob11]

Well I can only assume with the type of riding I will be doing with my wife while she's learning the 350 will be plenty to scooter through the woods and trails and a lil mud, I've always been a 3 wheeler guy, but have recently realized that I'm tired of getting beat to death on bumps with no suspension , so I feel like having been riding a 185 for years and never felt impoverished of fun or power then, that the 350 will provide years if fun riding.g and a few mods added to it will definitely pep it up to a satisfactory momentum!!

 

[kaper]

The great thing about your purchase is you can hand the 350 down to your wife, the 200 down to the kids... if you ever feel the need to move up. My wife will ride my 350 but wont touch my 450.

 

[raptorrob11]

That's exactly what I was thinking, however the weather has been terrible here and I did get a hour to to get it out and test it out, and I have to say it was a blast to ride, pulled up in 2nd gear no problem, kills the doughnuts, and handles surprisingly well in a small jump or whoops, I really enjoyed it a lot but I have also been riding a 1983 atc 185s for the last fee years! I did take the opportunity to test her 250x out and wow, it was surprising to me the torque and ridability of the machine, and can see it will suit her needs for a long time, but all in all I'm quite satisfied, but do see a yfz450 in my future!!

 

[kaper]

Glad you had fun. The 350 is a good fun bike. I am sure you will have plenty of fun on it.

 

[rangrdangr_4x4]

I bought my 350 almost exactly a year ago this week and had the exact thoughts you're having.. I thought the 350 would be too small of a bike for me and wouldn't be satisfied. I even went back to the dealer and looked at the YFZ450s and almost traded in the 350. A year later I can tell you the 350 is a really fun and reliable bike to ride. I'm 5'10" 170lbs and hauls me around pretty good without any mods. I'm still planning on getting a 450 or 700 in a year or two, but for now the 350 will do the job for sure

 

[rappy'97]

They are pretty quick IMO for a 348cc, carb, air cooled engine. Mine will do 62mph with stock gearing. There is no such thing as to fast though:lol:

 

[raptorrob11]

That's reassuring!! Thanks for all the positive feedback!! I really was concerned but am far less concerned now!! As I said at beginning, I really didn't see the sense in picking up the 450 since my wife is really just getting into the sport, literally has never ridden anything until now! So with her at a comfortable pace on a trx 250 it really wouldn't be a "couples" ride day with me on the 450!, but I really do see the potential in this quad, I don't race, I don't do sand dunes, and I'm not competing with anybody, just want to ride in trails and some mud! I believe I bought the perfect quad for my needs and I only need to impress one person! That's ME!! I TOO AM 5'11" AND 185LB and yes the 350 pulls me around at substantial speeds to boogie through the woods and run around on! So again thank you guys for all the positive feedback and I will continue to post and read and eventual post yo some pics of us gettin dirty out there!! Ride hard ride safe and have fun!!