Well, the Ripper really doesn't turn as well as many of the current designs.

But Matt hit the nail on the head. What you'll be flying against really matters. If everyone has HORs or Rippers, then they are both fine designs. If someone has an Avenger or a Phencepost or any number of the various things people throw together, you'll find yourself out-classed.

As for the new Magnum, they do run a lot better than the old ones, but the high speed needle can still leak once the engine ages a bit. I think the O-ring actually shrinks a little. It's easy to fix with some fuel tubing. Other than that, I'm personally playing around with the muffler outlet and head gaskets and other things to try to get them to run right around 17.5K with out using the throttle to slow them down.