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Yamaha Raptor 250 ATV Links |
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| 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.
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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.
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Kendall
Webb races a Yamaha YFZ450 in the Extreme
Dirt Track Series
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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.
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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 |
