The Yamaha Raptor 700 is the most popular ATV in the industry, laying claim to the title of best-selling sport ATV of all time since its inception in 2006.
While this model has undergone a series of upgrades throughout the years, one thing has remained constant. The Raptor 700 can absolutely fly.
So is it fast enough to land among the 15 fastest ATVs in 2024?
This guide will review the Yamaha Raptor 700 top speed and several ways to increase it, including a detailed look at the ever popular Raptor 700 Big 3 upgrades.
How Fast Does A Raptor 700 Go?
Boasting a 686 cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine with around 47 horsepower, the Yamaha Raptor 700 top speed is 77 mph on flat ground and 80 mph downhill.
While the top speed is impressive, the massive amount of torque the engine is loaded with makes the acceleration even more impressive. The Raptor 700 can go from zero to sixty in around five seconds.
This combination lands it number one on the list of best racing quads money can buy.
For the speed demons out there, this model can hit 90+ mph by way of an upgrade many fellow speed demons have already made to their quads. Allow me to introduce you to the Raptor 700 Big 3.
Raptor 700 Big 3
In order to unleash the full power of your engine, it must be able to breathe properly. By improving the airflow in and out of the engine, you’ll maximize its power and the speed of your Raptor.
The Raptor 700 Big 3 refers to upgrading the main components that affect the airflow and fuel flow – the air intake, the exhaust system, and the power commander.
These three modifications are the most common upgrades you can make to a Raptor 700 in order to increase the horsepower, torque, and overall speed.
By combining all three modifications owners should see gains of as much as an additional nine horsepower, nine added ft-lbs of torque to the rear wheels, and 10+ mph in speed.
Upgrade The Intake System
The intake system consists of the airbox and air filter. It allows clean air into the engine and determines how much fuel the engine can be fed, which both affect the amount of power produced.
By upgrading the airbox and air filter, you’ll enable more airflow into the engine while also ensuring the air is clean so it runs better.
While it has an abundance of low to mid range power, the Raptor 700’s factory intake is known for choking out the top half of the RPM range.
Upgrading the intake eliminates this issue and focuses on adding more power at the higher RPM ranges. This should translate to more top-end speed as well.
By upgrading the airbox and air filter, you should see an additional 1.5 to 3 horsepower from the 5,000 RPM range on, with added torque in those ranges as well.
There are a number of upgraded intake options out there, with the highest recommended being the following:
- Barker’s Performance Custom Intake
- LoneStar Racing Custom Intake
- FCI (Fuel Customs Intake)
- Monster Flow Intake System
If you want to add a separate air filter, K&N high flow filters are among the highest recommended for the Raptor 700.
While you’ll have more air coming into the engine with this upgrade, you’ll also need to send more air out as a result. This is where upgrading your exhaust is crucial as well.
Upgrade The Exhaust System
Upgrading the exhaust system helps provide a more efficient escape for this added airflow from the intake once used up.
An upgraded exhaust system focuses on increasing the horsepower and torque of the Raptor, with riders ideally experiencing the feeling of a higher amount of torque from all four corners of the machine along with an overall increase in power throughout all gears.
Not only that, but an upgraded exhaust will also give your Raptor 700 a much deeper and aggressive growl than that of the stock exhaust when riding.
But it will be louder, as depending on the aftermarket exhaust you go with, it will increase the sound output by somewhere around three to six decibels.
The highest recommended aftermarket exhaust systems for the Raptor 700 are as follows:
- Evo Exhaust
- Empire Exhaust
- Barker’s Exhaust
- Curtis Sparks
- HMF Racing
- Monster Exhaust
While each of them increase the Raptor’s performance by the same amount, they all differ in appearance and the type of sound they emit.
To see how they compare to each other, check out this Empire Exhaust Guide.
Add A Power Commander
To ensure the Raptor performs at its best with the upgraded intake and exhaust systems, a power commander (also referred to as a fuel controller) should be added as well.
The power commander is a tuning device that will provide the upgraded exhaust system with the proper amount of added fuel flow it needs to perform at its highest level.
This device monitors the air to fuel ratio of your quad and calculates the correct fuel adjustment needed to achieve the optimal proportions.
The addition of this tuning device will ensure the proper air to fuel ratio at every RPM, throttle position, and engine load level will result in improved throttle response along with increased horsepower and torque.
The addition of the Big 3 should translate to better acceleration and a higher top speed of closer to 85 mph for the Raptor 700.
Most aftermarket providers offer Big 3 packages with each component needed for the Raptor 700 upgrade, but each upgrade can be purchased individually as well.
MORE: Yamaha Raptor 250 Top Speed
More Ways To Increase the Raptor 700 Top Speed
Outside of Raptor 700 Big 3, there are several more minimal modifications you can make to increase its top speed.
Increase The Gearing
A common process for adjusting speed and power in machines with chains, such as ATVs and motorcycles, is to replace the front and rear sprockets.
If you’re looking for more top-end speed, making a change to a smaller rear sprocket and bigger front sprocket will help.
The Raptor 700 comes stock with a 14-tooth front sprocket and a 38-tooth rear sprocket. Moving to a 15-tooth front sprocket and a 37-tooth rear sprocket is your best bet for more speed with the Raptor 700.
But there’s a tradeoff, as doing this will also decrease the Raptor’s acceleration.
Remove The Clutch Sensor (Pre-2015 Models)
For Raptor 700’s manufactured before 2015, there are two cables that run up to the clutch lever on the handlebar.
One is the clutch cable, and the other is for the clutch sensor. You can disconnect the clutch sensor by pressing in the safety clip on the bottom and then sliding it out of its connection.
Removing the clutch sensor will disable the speed limiter that exists in top gear, adding anywhere from 5 to 8 mph onto your top speed.
Once removed, you’ll want to zip-tie the clutch sensor down in the same area so that it still looks natural and does not flop around while driving.
Keep in mind that doing this will enable your Raptor to start while in gear, so you’ll want to ensure it’s in neutral when starting it.
Add Bigger Tires
The Raptor 700 comes fitted with 22-inch stock tires in the front and 20-inch stock tires in the rear.
Replacing these with larger-diameter aftermarket 23-inch tires in the front and 22-inch tires in the rear will have your quad moving just a little bit faster at top-end.
Make Sure Tires Fully Inflated
Underinflation leads to less speed. Per the owner’s manual, the recommended tire pressure for the Raptor 700 stock tires is 4 PSI in both the front and rear.
Run High Octane Fuel
Run a high octane gas in your Raptor 700, preferably 91 or 93 octane. A higher octane gas will result in higher engine performance and speed in these models.
You will absolutely be able to tell the difference in the way your quad runs on high vs. low octane fuel.
Check The Spark Plug
If the spark plug is worn or fouled, it may not be igniting fuel in the engine at the proper rate which can result in a lower top speed.
If necessary, replace it with a high performance iridium spark plug.
MORE: Yamaha Raptor 125 Full Review
Top Speed Dependent Upon Break-In Period
It is highly recommended that owners of a new Yamaha Raptor 700 adhere to the engine break-in period.
The owner’s manual advises that for the first 15 hours of use, owners should go easy on their machine and not attempt to reach the top speed.
It is important to avoid excessive engine heat during the first 15 hours of operation, as the various parts of the engine wear and polish themselves to their correct operating clearances during this time.
This includes avoiding continuous operation above half throttle for the first 8 hours of use and avoiding continuous operation above ¾ throttle from 8 to 15 hours.
While the owner’s manual advises against using full-throttle operation at any time during the break-in period, it should be noted that the advertised top speed will likely be unreachable in these first 15 hours of use regardless.
Not properly breaking in your Raptor 700 can have negative long-term consequences on the overall engine performance.
Parting Thoughts
This model has long been a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts who have a need for speed.
While the Yamaha Raptor 700 top speed is between 77-80 mph depending upon the terrain, owners who have upgraded some of the stock parts have found that they can reach speeds higher than 85 mph on their improved quads.
For other ATVs with speeds similar to that of the Yamaha Raptor 700, check out the following guides before you head out:
