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2008 Yamaha Raptor 250 ATV Motocross Race Review - Test Ride
Yamaha Raptor 250 ATV Motocross Race Test Review
Glen Helen - Yamaha / ITP Quadcross Series

2008 Yamaha Raptor 250
Yamaha Raptor 250
San Bernardino, CA -With the introduction of the 2007 Yamaha ATV lineup there was a noticeable absence of the 200cc two-stroke Blaster that had for so long filled the gap for the up and coming youth rider and the adult rider looking to enter the ATV scene, especially among the racing communities. With new regulations set forth by the EPA, Yamaha and other two-stroke manufacturers new the day would come when they would no longer be able to produce a cost efficient machine that would meet those requirements. After a years absence in this area of ATVs the Raptor 250 was introduced to the marketplace with the 2008 lineup of Yamaha quads.

2008 Yamaha Raptor 250
2008 Yamaha Raptor 250
The all-new Yamaha Raptor 250 styling & ergonomics has dramatically improved over the Blaster, which is very apparent even in side by side visual comparsion, and amazingly it is 15lbs lighter than the Blaster ready to ride at
The Raptor 250 has been successful since its introduction, appealing to both the older youth market and beginning adult riders. After a year on the sales floor and with the second year model out, Yamaha had had several requests from the media for an event to see the Raptor 250 in race action, according to Van Holmes, Public Relations Manager for ATV & SxS Operations for Yamaha Motor Corporation. “With all the requests from the media we had, we decided to invite some riders and media from across the country to test the new Raptor 250”. The event was held during round 6 of the Yamaha/ITP Quadcross at the famous Glen Helen MX in southern California.

2008 Kendall Webb - Yamaha YFZ450 ATV

Kendall Webb races a Yamaha YFZ450 in the Extreme Dirt Track Series

In the racing communities there have been many unanswered questions about the Raptor 250. We were fortunate to have Kendall Webb participate in the race, as he has won multiple National titles in the ATVA Extreme Dirt Track Series, including one on a Yamaha Blaster in 2006. Kendall has also raced cross country on a local level on a Yamaha Blaster, so he was the perfect choice to race the all new Yamaha Raptor 250 at Glen Helen, so after the race, we caught up with Kendall Webb about his Yamaha Blaster & Raptor 250 experience.

ATVriders.com: Kendall, first off, tell us about your experience with the Yamaha Blaster 200, which was replaced by the Raptor 250.
Kendall Webb: I first got a Yamaha Blaster when I was about 12 or 13 years old—just to play around on at our house, and I rode it about every day. A friend of my dad’s, Bill Stuart, kept trying to get us to go to racing, and at the end of the summer, we went to our first TT National in Texas, and I was hooked on racing. I came in 6th on basically a stock Blaster. Over the winter the Yamaha of Harrison shop helped us build a race ready Blaster, and the following year, I raced the entire TT National series and finished third, and the following year, I won TT National title in the Youth Production class on the Yamaha Blaster.

ATVriders.com: Before this weekend, did you have any experience on the Raptor 250?
Kendall Webb:: No, this was my first chance to ride the Raptor 250. I do have some four-stroke experience though, as I have been riding a YFZ 450 the past two race seasons in the Extreme Dirt Track Series.

 Kendall Webb - Yamaha Raptor 250 ATV
ATVriders.com, #8 Kendall Webb, lined up for the start of the Media Class Raptor 250 race at Glen Helen, and a total of twelve racers participated in the event from various media outlets along some Yamaha employees

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