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COPYRIGHT 2004 Ehlert Publishing Group
"We based [the Raptor 350] on the old Warrior 350," said Travis Hollins, Yamaha ATV product planning manager. "We wanted to improve the sport performance or sport capabilities of the machine, as well as keeping or enhancing the comfort and convenience items."
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Yamaha also didn't worry about changing the Warrior name. Like its sibling the Banshee, the Warrior has been in the Yamaha fleet for more than 17 years, and its name is one of the most highly recognizable names in the industry. So not using the name was somewhat daring. Yamaha grew its Raptor family, however, with this redesign and name change and now has a Raptor for the entire family. Don't fret Warrior fans, your quad isn't dead, it's just moving to the next episode of its life.
UPGRADES
With the current crop of four-strokes, it was finally time to give the Warrior some attention. The planning for the redesigned Warrior began a few years back, but was delayed due to the introduction of the 660R Raptor, YFZ450 and the minor redesigns of the Raptor 80 and Blaster.
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The most significant changes for the Warrior include its reconfigured handlebar-to-seat ergonomics and its relationship to the footpegs. Yamaha engineers longed to improve the Raptor 350's comfort levels and the rider's body positioning. The Raptor 350's seat is roughly 2 inches taller than the seat height on the Warrior, but it's also narrower and has a lower profile than the...
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