We were most anxious to test out the 2015 Yamaha
Raptor 700R SE due to all the upgrades that
Yamaha made to the Raptor for 2015. The new
2015 SE edition is very eye catching with a
black/white and red color scheme and the aggressive
styling makes it look fast even when it is standing
still.
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| The
2015 Yamaha Raptor 700R SE comes with
upgraded aluminum heel guards along with
an aluminum front bumper |
We have said it before that the Yamaha Raptor
700R is like the Cadillac of the dunes, and
that still holds true for us, especially with
the 2015 upgrades that almost cater to dune
style riding. The increased power of the 2015
Raptor 700R was very noticeable. The sand at
Glamis is pretty soft and can rob power in an
instant but the combination of the new air induction
system, along with a new camshaft and cam profile,
a new 10.0:1 compression piston, new connecting
rod, new balancer shafts and a new muffler just
couldn’t be beat, even on some of the bigger
hill climbs.
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| One
of our favorite dunes machines is the
Yamaha Raptor 700R SE, which has plenty
of power to conquer the big sand hills
& it is really comfortable to ride
(Photo Credit: Adam Campbell) |
The 2015 Yamaha Raptor 700R SE also has tons
of torque, but it was still easy to lug the
engine if needed, which made it a pleasure to
ride. And did we mention that we are big fans
of the new single port exhaust system?
Even though the sand was rough for our trip,
the Raptor’s plush suspension soaked it up and
made it feel very stable and kept fatigue to
a minimum. The comfort of the 2015 Raptor 700R
SE is outstanding. Even bigger riders will feel
comfortable and not cramped on this machine.
Another thing we really liked was the new 22”
Maxxis front tires. The flatter tread pattern
of the new tires really improves the handling
of the machine but tire pressure is also key.
Too much pressure and your tires will dig in
and too little and it makes it hard to move,
but with proper pressure, about 3-4 pounds in
the dunes worked perfect for us during the ride.
Overall we feel that the Yamaha Raptor 700R
SE is one of the best quads you can get for
the dunes. Its comfort is unmatched and it has
plenty of power for even the tallest dunes.
With all of the upgrades that Yamaha has given
this machine for 2015 and the aggressive look
of the SE package, you just can’t go wrong.
