I was considering buying a Bombardier DS650. At first all I heard was how bullet proof they were and how good the suspension and everything else was. Then I read your guy's post's about shocks breaking, cooling fan's failing resulting in overheating, engine nocking, rattling noises........ Is this machine really as good as the magazines make it out to be? I was considering buying a used one at first but it sounds like the warranty is a good thing to have. So if I buy one I think it will probably be a new one. What do you guys think? Those of you who own them, if you had it to do over again would you still buy one? Tell me what you like and don't like about your machines. Tell me if you think I would be happy with one. I just got rid of a real nice and real fast LT500R because of reliability problems. I do a lot of dune riding, some mx (where I think I would love the wide chassis and 12" of suspension)and a little trail riding. Give me your opinions. Thanks!

 

I love mine, and would say that I would buy another one. The shocks seem to be only a isolated problem as well as the fan. I think that the 2000's had the most problems but so far mine has been solid as a rock except for the shocks and that was not really that bad it gave me a reason to get new works shocks that are ten times better. I love that way the DS rides and the power it has is great (put on a pipe and filter and it is a whole new ball game) I ride a lot of sand and a little trail and it is a blast for either. I really love the quad if you can't tell and all my friends that have rode it also really like it ( they all have dirt bikes and one has a banshee). The bottom line is it is a good quad and a lot of fun.

 

The only problem that I had,that wasn't self inflicted was the chain roller,and yes I would buy another one.Wish they had reverse or I would get one for the wife

 

Other than the shocks the only problem with mine was the....the...oh yea, that was the only problem. With a few mods, this thing will fly. I do a lot of mx riding and it does great. Once you learn how to shift your weight you can fly around the corners. I have not riden on a track yet and had another fourwheller beat me, I also pass over 3/4 of the bikes, usually in the air. This thing lands like a feather, unless you go about 15ft high. I really didn't think I was that good, maybe they just suck...
Yes I would buy another one, or two.

 

My son has a Raptor, which I ride some, I like my DS a lot better, he likes his Raptor better. I'm 6' 210 lbs. He's 5' 85 lbs. The DS is great for me, it is too big for him. The Raptor is light, but little, fragile feeling, it handles way better than I think it should considering it is so small. We put a durablue axle on it and that's pretty much it. A stock Raptor with a wider axle is a great ride for a talented 12 year old. He wants a K&N and a pipe.
I know that if I had gone with the Raptor I would have full A-arms, shocks, maybe a +2 swingarm etc and I would have a bunch more money in it than I do in the DS. I've put a pretty good little wad in the DS getting it to where I want it, and am pretty happy with it the way it is now. I am going to add a second cooling fan in front, I want the insurance. They are both great quads, no regrets. Only the Cannondale has any appeal to me compared to these two quads. I do like the way Cannondale has come out with different purpose versions of their new quad almost right away.
Honda will come out with something interesting like a 450EX, but when? I know the DS could be 30 lbs lighter, which would make it more attractive for the competitive types, But it's kind of like a Ferrari. It's not really a racer, but it sure feels like a racer, actually it feels better than a racer. Racers aren't always that great, sometimes they go real fast but are a bear to ride. The DS.. feels... really... good.

 

Well thanks for your info guys. Tomorrow night I am going to look at a 1990 LT500R that is as close to a new quad as a 1990 can get. Every part in the motor is new, I mean every part. Plus it's ported and polished (low to midrange). All new bearings and seals in the entire chassis. New works pro series shocks and ultra cross rear. Renthals, nerf, I could go on and on. New plastic, new tires and wheels. OK I'll stop. Anyway it comes with a lot of extra parts and is only $4,000. I think I would probably like a DS650 but only after I have about $9,000 into it. I just can't see spending that much money on a quad (that's me personally, if I could I would). If I don't do that I am considering a NICE 250R, a pure mx type race quad. Well thanks again for all your guys help anyway and I'm still open to suggestions and opinions about anything.

 

Lets see; your buying an 11 year old quad for $4000.00 and a brand new DS650 is going for about $5999.00. If I were in your shoes I would definetely go with the DS650. Just my thoughts...

j/t
01 Raptor[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Yeah, the Quadzilla is 11 years old but it is like new. It also has everything on it that I could possibly want. I would not have to upgrade to any aftermarket parts becuase it already has them all. All the DS650's that I've seen have had a higher price tag than $5,999, but maybe I wasn't looking in the right place either. After I got it I would have to go with some aftermarket shocks, the upper a-arms you all talk of, and some motor mods. I could be off a little on my prices but the way I look at I'm looking at $6,499 for the quad, $600 for the shocks. How much are the a-arms, $400? Plus another $1,500 for motor mods and $400 for some paddles and razorbacks. Now I'm looking at $9,399. Plus maybe a cooling fan and some other things like that. I could be off a little here or there on my prices. If the DS650 came off the showroom like that I would buy it in a heartbeat. I just think it would cost to much to turn it into the quad I really want. Plus I don't have that much money anyway.

 

11 years from now, you may be able to buy a DS with all of the mods on it that you mentioned for $4000. The difference is that with the DS, you would have all of the new technology that comes with a new quad and items like your frame wouldn't have 11 years worth of were on them.

Don't get me wrong, it sounds like your getting a good deal on your LT, but I feel your getting what you pay for. If you could afford to spend more on a DS, I feel you would be getting more. Maybe 11 years from now we will be having the same words compairing the newest, trickest quad to an old DS650.

 

Think about this. If you buy new, the quad has only been ridden or screwed up by you and no one else. Its brand spanking new, yours to de-virginize. You get to tweak it and build it exactly how you want. And from day 1 the quad is pretty darn badass anyway.