After building the motor to make some serious horsepower on our 660R Raptor, we were in dire need of a new, longer swingarm to help keep the nose down on the already front-light machine. It not only needed to be 2 inches longer than the stock unit, but needed to be just as strong or stronger, since the quad will be used mostly for trail, dune, and motocross riding. We decided to call up MOTOQUAD Chassis Components, and they had just what we were looking for in a swingarm. We placed an order for one of their new "Motocross" swingarms, powdercoated in the color blue. The price was $545, plus an additional $179 for the round-housing bearing carrier and brake caliper mounting kit (required).
We received our package in a timely manner, and after the initial look-over we were very pleased with the construction. The Tig-welds looked very solid and professional on the crushed-tube 4130 chromoly swingarm. This is one of the "beefiest" we have seen, with very impressive bracing and gussets. It should definitely stand up to the roughest trails we can put our Raptor through. The swingarm is of a motocross style, and it appears to be built plenty rugged for that task. Although very heavily built, the swingarm still maintains a trim and much less bulky appearance compared to the OEM counterpart we're replacing. At a bit over 18 pounds we thought at first it was a little on the heavy side, but after doing a weight comparison it's only 3 pounds heavier than stock. This extra weight could be partly due to the extra pair of bearings in the double row carrier. This small gain in weight is well worth it.
Fitment was second to none. The swingarm was very simple to install and an upgrade that is easily worth the wrenching. A set of very easy to
follow instructions shipped with our swingarm and eliminated any guesswork. The only surprise we ran into was with the lower caliper attaching bolt being too short, but after a quick trip to the hardware store for a longer bolt, we were all set. As the instructions stated, the stock brake line was plenty long enough to reach the brake caliper. We love the aluminum double row bearing carrier. It is a superb upgrade, especially for the task of adjusting your chain. It only requires 2 hand tools and very, very little effort to adjust. No longer will you look upon chain adjustment as a headache.
Riding was definitely improved now on our high horsepower Raptor, and at the end of the day we couldn't be happier with the outcome. Launching was improved, and we could blast through the gears with complete confidence without having to back off at times to bring the front tires back to earth. High-speed handling was improved with the machine feeling more secured to the ground. Shooting through berms was effortless with no backing off of the gas needed. Jumping received a huge improvement, as the Raptor was more forgiving now in the air and felt very stable and controllable. The blue powdercoat held up great after a full day of riding and looked amazing.
Overall we found MOTOQUAD's Motocross Swingarm to be a very well-built piece that is constructed to the highest of industry standards. The installation was a breeze, and the very well written instruction sheet will eliminate any questions. MOTOQUAD makes high quality, custom made A-arms, Swingarms, Frames, and Steering Stems for most ATVs, and if the quality shown in the swingarm is half as good in those products, we are sure you will be very happy with anything they have to offer. You can reach them by phone at 866-461-4356, or visit their website at http://www.motoquadchassiscomponents.com.
Quality: 4/5
Performance: 5/5
Installation: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 4.25/5
|
MOTOQUAD's Motocross +2 Swingarm for the Raptor 660R, in a gorgeous blue powdercoat.
The Raptor's stock-length brakeline was plenty long enough for the +2" swingarm.
Super beefy construction and skid plate mounting holes are evident from underneath.
The split rear axle carrier design saves weight while making chain adjustments a pleasant chore.
Gone is the short, stubby look of our Raptor 660R, replaced by a longer, more sleek profile.
|
REVIEWS
