I took my new 03 DS 650 to Pismo for 2 1/2 days this past weekend and rode it for the first time. If you are a big guy, you really don't know what you have been missing until you ride the DS. After I dialed in the suspension some, it rode super smooth and makes it much easier and more comfortable to ride fast. Since I am breaking the bike in, I tried to take it easy on the motor and only went past 3/4 throttle a few times (I had to selectively put my buddies 400ex and my brother's stock Banshee in their places). I have some 22" paddles, and they were rubbing like crazy on the footguards every time the rear shock compressed. We used a sawzall to trim the outer edges of the footguards, and that solved the problem.

This quad, even bone stock, seems to have almost limitless amounts of power on tap. It just seems like, the way it is geared, there is a hesitation while it "spools up". In other words, there is kind of a dead spot in third gear. Will just dropping one tooth on the front sprocket help this? I really like the way the seat is designed so that you can sort of grip the tank with your knees and still be completely comfortable. All in all, I am really digging this quad and can hardly wait to take it to Glamis in January.

By the way, the highlight of the weekend was meeting Jesse James. They were filming an episode for Monster Garage out in the dunes that will show a dune buggy race, one of which he drove. He seemed like a fairly down to earth guy.

 

Yeah he seems pretty cool on the show, they should make a monster DS on the show with 830cc, 30 shot nitrous and a 40psi turbo!

 

I put the 14 tooth on and I liked it. Check Rochy Mountain for a good price($14 I think)

DS the only way to GO and GO and GO.

Rob

 

Gear it down one or two teeth and put a good pipe, jet kit in and that dead spot will be gone. 22" paddles are a bit much for a stock machine, but with a few simple mods you can be flying like a madman around the dunes.

Justin