I am selling my banshee to get a ds 650 or the raptor Are you happy with your ds performance and reliability if you had to do it over again would you buy another ds or wait for the raptor everybody says the ds is too big and heavy is this true or dont you notice the weight also have all the ds all had problems or has it mainly just been with the first prouduction run models.

thanks
(99 banshee onits way out)
(ds or raptor for replacement)

Have you ridden someones DS650 and talked to them about it. I think that will answer your question fairly quickly.

Why are you selling the banshee?

Its all just a matter of opinion and personal preference. We can sit here all day and talk crap but it really comes down to what you like to ride and how you like to ride.

I love my DS since the day I got it. The firts real ride was in Wisconsin on some trails up near Hurley. I and two other DS`ers had a blast.

No problems here. Getting ready to put on Ron Woods stage one kit. Think Ill love it even more.

One thing you need to know is the DS is not like your banshee. It is faster as I have proved that but handles more like a dune buggie. It has darty steering and the front end stays planted to the ground. If you need to loft it for obstacles and such forget it!

I am selling the banshee because they require too much work to keep them up also it is an absolutley terrible trail bike they are too high reving so im looking for a bike that can do a litttle better job on the trails.can you whelly the ds down dunes it is a blast on the shee

thanks

No I have not riden the ds but ive seen them at the dunes and ive sat on them I can get one for $6100 over here I really dont want to spend the extra money for the raptor but if there going to be way better I guess I will. Does anyone know what will be changed on the 01 ds.I can get a used one for $5800 would it be smarter to get a new one otd for about $6500 or get that if I get the bomb how longs the warrenty.
Thanks

The DS is NOT a trail bike, make NO mistake about it!!!! No you can't easily pop wheelies and ride them down the sand drags like I see banshees doing.

hey bomberds,
If you want trail quad go for Raptor. Atv Action said that the raptor is the fastest quad in woods trails. And also if you want to alot of wheelies go for the Raptor too. They say that the Raptor wheelies like the king of wheelie 400ex.
I would go for the Raptor.

Wolverine16
01 Raptor
99 Wolverine
97 King Quad sold
00 Cat ZR600

If all you ds owners ds 650s were stolen and you had to buy new quads would you get the raptor or the ds knowing what you know
thanks
99 banshee on its way out
raptor or ds for replacement

If all you ds owners ds 650s were stolen and you had to buy new quads would you get the raptor or the ds knowing what you know
thanks
99 banshee on its way out
raptor or ds for replacement

I would buy another DS .... period. :)

I got a chance to ride a DS in Albany Georgia once before they closed it. I would say if you have to have reverse get a raptor, but if not the DS was really cool, AWESOME suspension and all the aftermarket upgrades on it stock. If I had the money I'd get one for sure but I'll keep my good old payed for 250R's. The DS is really a step up from anything else stock for stock in my opinion.

CT250R.......1988 CT270R...1986 CT310R (1998 Georgia Flat Track League ATV Pro Champion)

atvinstructor,
Where do you ride near the Phoenix area? Out by Saguaro Lake? Is your DS the best set-up for the trails/riding areas near by? I will be moving to the east valley within 2 months and I am looking at getting another quad. My 440 is set up for motocross and I don't want to change it into a desert bike. Plus, I'm 6'5" and the DS fits me perfectly. Any info and opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks, RT

I think you will like the ds a lot.

00 400ex - ac mudscreen front bumper, nacs headlight covers

http://www.geocities.com/cory_14/

Coryatver,

You never rode the DS before!! Bomberds said that he want a trail quad!! so everybody out there don't listen to Coryatver!! He knows nothing.
Peace out!

Wolverine16
99 Wolverine
01 Raptor
00 Cat ZR600

Hey Wolverine16YamahaPimp, stop bashing. Go back to the Yamaha forum until you can say something usefull.

Have you noticed on the poll question " best sport atv" 276 people have already voted for an atv that they havent even seen or riden in real life yet, now I think thats kinda stupid. Im not bashing the raptor but all this talk of "its the fastest trail quad" makes me wonder who needs to go 80 mph or however fast it goes down a trail anyway. When I got my DS650 I was choosing between it and a 400ex Im 6'4 300pounds I think my reason for getting a DS is obvious.

87suzuki230 "you always remember your first"
94 warrior
99 grizzly
00 DS650

Yes some of the places we ride are out that way. I think your ex (from the sounds of it) would fare well out in the desert here just like it is. Be sure to read through the posts on the DS in here and if you get a chance try and ride one first. It will be faster than your ex but it is gonna handle totally different. You will not wheelie anymore and this is kind of tough when you come across a gully, washout,branch etc. Also I did end up selling my DS. E-mail me if you want more info.

Why did you sell your ds 650 atv insructor also what mods did it have and how much did you get for it what are you getting next

Now the vote is up over 460 for the Raptor....not knocking it but how rediculous can it get? Has a single retail customer even got one yet?

The release date is September, 2000. Judging by that, I think it's impossible to have recieved one.

Combination of reasons
1) have 5 machines in the garage.....4 now.
2) riding in the summer is to hot so it would sit alot.
3) could use the money for other things instead of being wrapped up in the DS (one fast mutha!)
4) wife had a difficult time riding it and griped alot about it...this weighed heavy on decision.
5) and yes the release of other quads info (raptor, cannondale) caught my attention as well.
Sold for $6700
Next quad....taking a gamble on the new raptor

The DS 650 is one nice machine in my opinion and needs to be looked at very, very, hard. I can't really comment on the Raptor as of yet until I actually see it with my own eyes. You will find plenty of articles with plenty of different ratings about the Raptor and that puzzles me....

toss 00 DS650 ($6400)/01 Raptor ($6400)Blk/White
98 Warrior gone

Would any of the 573 people who have voted for the raptor as best sport quad please explain how they came to that conclusion without ever having riden or seen a raptor before.

I think they are just putting 2 and 2 together. Its Yamaha, its new, and it Rated 5 stars in Reviews. Its light, has 45+ REAR wheel HP, is a 4 stroke, and handles and jumps great. The frame is awesome, similar to GOOD aftermarket R frames (rolling chassis). It has reverse, it looks good, and beats Banshees in drags. ( before anyone says it, quotes from testers say - " the Banshee won a few gating runs, but any decent length drag results in Raptor winning every time, even after bad starts.) Remember - Banshee...one of the Fastest EVER quads. A quad that fast, AND with all the other stuff added in..sounds like a no brainer to me. Thats my opinion, but come on folks..you gotta see what Im seeing here ? finally, a quad that Handles, like everyone wants and says is soooo important, plus the torque,Hp, and speed - it sounds too good to be true. Of course people are gonna vote it as best out there, at least for now. I just cant wait to hear a 660 4 stroke, revving to 9000 Rpm, through 5 gear...yow !

If anyone even thinks that this is BS, this is the facts - Not guessing. And rumor has it, that Yamaha is making a last minute sprocket switch, to RIP TOTAL A## outta the hole, and STILL have the fastest top end, probably still in the high 70's.
Just wait and see, the voters who voted it best, might just have voted correctly. Within a few weeks, we will all know for sure. (Maybe, the mags suck anymore).

Later...and hope youve enjoyed my ramblings. But I did answer the question I think.

Cheers.

I haven't voted, but I guess that I need to. Care to guess what I'll pick?

Well, really weibz summed it up, but I'll add my 2 cents. I don't live in the desert, and I don't intend to make a living riding MX. I have had a Banshee and loved the power, but the 400ex flies so much easier over the jumps and handles really good. I have been riding more than once in the woods with me on a banshee and others on a 400 ex, and guess what? Even though the banshee is usually right there with them, they 400ex riders aren't working nearly as hard.

Yamaha has kind of gave us our cake and let us eat it too! Imagine, a quad that has what is arguably the best frame to every come out on a stock quad. Handling comparable to or even better than a 400ex. Power greater than a Banshee or DS650. Electric start and reverse.

What else could you resonably ask for with the sticker price that it carries?

The one thing that the magazines ALL agree on is that it handles like a champ. The race results don't scare me because the are all generic without hard facts, and the facts that they do give don't add up.

Okay, that was my rant for this post. To all those who still have a quad to ride, have fun and be safe.

Wow, I must be in the Twilight Zone, because I could have sworn this is the Bombardier forum. Is this really the Yamaha forum?

Get a clue, buy a vowel, watch your step, get back on the short bus...

I think a 80mph quad better have some width for stability and weight for strength.The Raptor is lighter but you will pay for it at the end.Look at used Quadzillas,TRX250R,LT250R and Tecate 4 the major promblem to look for is always cracks all over there frames.I think the 660 will put it's chassy right to hard work.Light and strong?You can not have it both ways.

weibz, Where did you see a dyno run of the Raptor showing 45+ HP?

I'm not convinced yet that the Raptor has more HP than the DS650 until I see a dyno run of the motor.

Great point Tim1. I am open for reasonable questions like this one. This kind of thing can only be found out after some extended riding time, and abuse. Totally agree. I do feel the frame was designed very well and that it was taken into consideration, but nobody knows for sure. Does look and test like a good aftermarket frame does, so Im hopin she will hold up to the power the engine cranks out. Thanks though, for putting this question on my mind...it will be something Ill keep an eye on.

Also, to whoever it was that asked about the HorsePower....well, its been tested and reviewed, and even though we dont know the actual numbers, the testers, reviewers, and Yamaha, state that it puts out more Horsepower than the DS, (alot lighter too), AND it has "more" HP than the street bike it came from, which HAD 45 , so what number would you say ---- exactly, 45+ . Just for those who havent came across any posts of mine, I will not blatently throw BS out there. I only speak what I find out myself, and trust me, Im doing some heavy research on this sucker, cause I ordered one the day it was released. Gotta know whats up ya know ? And no, Im not a former Yamaha-head - I currently own a 400L Sport (trails, wicked hills, and drags), and never owned a Yamaha - but thats changed now. :)

Later.

FYI: www.holeshot.com/mz/mzsc.html shows the MZ at 41HP stock. 46HP w/42mm single flatside carb w/slipon exhaust. Peak HP does not tell the whole story. We need to see dyno curves to compare different motors. We don't know exactly where in the HP curve Yamaha made improvements. It is possible that there isn't more PEAK HP beyond the MZ, but instead an extended RPM range at near peak HP. Who knows.

You guys want to know what I find really stupid about this HP issue... it doesn't really matter unless your racing for a living and even then it's the guy/girl that can ride that will win. Are you guys really going to sit and drag race each other all day long every day you ride? I'll tell what is important about top speed... getting back to camp in time so you don't S&*# your pants... now that's sooo important. You either have the power to make the hill or not.. but it's the guy with the Ti sack that will make it up there no matter what quad he's riding. I know it's fun to beat each other in a drag race but there are much better ways of riding than that. Lets all wait on this new quad... if you want to flame the lozer go for it but remember it's still not the lowest quad in the pile.

I concure. I am also not sure that there have been any quantifiable results as far as top speed or HP figures. Probably because they are only testing pre-production prototypes. Everybody is just gonna have to wait until the thing arrives on your doorstep.

hey bomberd, if your looking for a trail machine
the ds650 is not the way to go. i have rode the ds650 my buddy has 1, and he is selling it. now before you ds650 owners get your panties in an uproar, i am not bashing the quad.

it does hall some butt thou!!!!!!!

I would have to agree that it is not a 'trail' riding machine. The width would be the biggest problem unless you have really wide trails. In stock form its geard too high for trails in my opinion but that could be changed with sprocket modifications but at the same time lowering top speed. Who needs to be going 70+ MPH on trails anyway. I like the width and weight for stability reasons and its got plenty of HP for the weight for my liking.

Hey scooby did you hear somthing?