I have always loved the looks of the ds650 and I have a guy finally wanting to do a even swap with me , I have a 05 honda 450r aftermarket exhaust other than that bone stock , his is a 05 ds650 aftermarket alba exhaust and bone stock other than that . BUT he was telling me yesterday that it is hard to start when it is cold and that is normal on the ds650s , is this true???? I know on my 450r it could be my valves getting tight but I know knothing about can am products , any thoughts????Also I was thinking it could be he didnt jet right???????Anyways is it true these bikes are are to start when there cold??He said after it warms up it starts easy . Also is there any problems with these years ds650s ????I have read it is one of the best motors for reliability , whats your opion?????Thanks for any answers in advance

 

Also he said the shocks squeak when you set on it but when your driving it doesnt do it

 

I would sell the 450r and then buy the DS. Unless the 450 is trashed you could make more money off of it than the DS is worth. Buy the DS and have some $$$ left. I am 6'2 220lbs and went to the DS because of its size and have no regrets but right now DS's are cheap to buy compared to 450s. A DS motor will outlast a 450 ten times before it needs a top end job and that makes them cheaper to own also. As long as there are parts on Ebay you can maintain a DS cheap if you crash it too. They are very strong quads and the frames rarely bend in a crash. Try that in a aluminum framed 450.

 

When a ds650 starts hard cold, its usually a tight valve.

 

Yep most likely tight valves. Ask him if he has ever checked the valve clearance. I had the same rear shock sqeak on my 04 and found there was little to no grease on the upper shock mount bolt from the factory. Simple fix and the squeak is gone.

In my opinion 04+ model years were the best for the DS. Despite the DS still being a pig they actually made some changes in 04 to lighten it up a bit. (lighter rear axle, aluminum motor mounts, shorter aluminum swinger, etc). If you've never ridden a DS I recommend asking the guy if you can take it for a spin. You will find it to be quite different from your current 450.

 

I agree with this 1000 percent. Mine is hard to start only when cold. Found the Intake Valves too tight. With the squeak, take out the shock bolts and use anti-seize. Problem solved.


Get the DS.

I Love mine. No other quad like it!!!!!

-Moose