I am totally new to the sport quad world, I do snowmobile though. Me and my dad are gonna buy some quads after renting twice this past summer.My dad instantly was hooked on the idea of a DS650, after liking his Ski Doo so much. I just need to know if they are a good, fast, reliable quad with good suspension. Speed is important, we like going fast. Suspension is important also, we like to be comfortable when we ride, and of course reliability is the most important thing. I am getting a Predator, though I loved the one I test wrode.

 

Well from everything the DS guys have said, and that I have seen, they are fast stock. One of the fastest 4-strokes stock, they are pritty reliable, but everyquad would have 1 or 2 glitches with it. DS guys will jump in here. I've heard lots of good things about them. Pred 500 is a nice quad as well, have you looked at the YFZ, if you like the feel of MX bike I would look at both, either way im sure you will be happy with a pred 500 and a DS 650, both are good fun rides. BTW, I would invest in a slip on (or full pipes) with filter and jetkits, really is an improvement for only 400$, not much after buying new machines, may even get a good deal on the pipes from the dealers.

 

My friend just bought a brand new DS650. Stock, its fast, with some mods it should fly. The suspension is very comfortable too.

Once the DS guys get in here they will tell you what you need to know!

 

the Ds has to be one of the most comfortable quads made! the seat is good and wide and wraps around the tank so it keeps your knees from getting banged up, unless you fall off[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]. it has plenty of power although i wishmine had a little more on the low end but still very good. the suspension has more travel than any of the other quads, i think it is like 11" in front and 12" in the rear, i think? it is heavy but it sure makes it land smooth. it has the widest front and rear track which makes it very stable but it is also the tallest which makes some riders under 6' feel uneasy. as far as the reliability the rotax is about as close to bullet proof as you can get on a stock motor. i just read an article in the new 2004 model and the only thing i saw that they wish had stayed the same was the length of the rear swing arm, thay said it doesn't handle high speed over bumpy ground as good as the longer model. overall i love mine! the ony thing i wish it did have is a reverse. i trail ride a lot and i have to either bulldozer over the obsticle or pick the front end up and turn it around, and that sucker is heavy. they are fast. everything i have read said they are about the fastest in drag races, they don't take off as fast but catch up and pass on the upper end. i haven't raced mine much so i can only go buy what i have read and heard on the drag racing part. there should be some more folks logging on after a while and some of them really know their stuff on the DS and can set any misinformation straight that i might have got wrong. whatever you buy get ready to be hooked!

 

The Ds is the an awesome quad. Longest travel suspension on a factory quad. Probably the second fastest stock quad ever built, Zilla fastest. All quads have problems, the Ds' problems are minor an easy fixes. The motor is tremendously reliable. Its a larger quad which makes it very stable and handles well. Some claim its harder for smaller riders to throw it around. Then others say they have no problem whipping it around. If I could buy another quad for sport riding it would be another Ds.

 

Don't buy a DS unless you want to run in the front of the pack... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Seriously, it's a great bike. Comfortable to ride and outstanding power. Get ready to drop an extra 400 for pipe/jets/K&N on it though. Even my dealer said it needed the mods to let it breathe!

 

Do you think those mods would be a necessary investment?

 

Not necessary, but you'll get the bug.

Once you start real fast...you'll want to go even faster [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

if you want to just ride you don't need them but if you ride with friends there is never enough mods[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] it's a great quad but they all are if you don't have one.

 

Yeah, you'll want the mods because it will be a automatic thing for you to want to drag race it. My dealer is expecting my DS back in his shop tomorrow morning for the jet kit/pipe/filter/tune installation. I got beat this past weekend by a hopped up Banshee and that really pissed me off! Next comes the Maxxis snow tires... Anyone ever see those used? They balloon on the top end and you get more speed.