Ok, here is my input. I ride a raptor, so I am going to try and give you the facts. Take it as you please.

Stock for stock, the DS beats the raptor. Not by much, but top speed is better.

I have dyno tested lots of DS's. The last 3 was set up with the following mods. Bigger intake pipes on the airbox, K&N filters, Dynojet kit, one had a Ron Woods pipe. The other two had Yoshi slip-on exhaust systems. All 3 of them where dyno tuned to the same air fuel mixtures as all the other quads I do. The all produced 41 to 42HP. The one was a 03 model and the other two was 04 models. One of them being a Baja X.

Now to the raptors I have tested. 90% of them push out about the same sort of HP as the DS's. I have seen modified raptors doing 38HP and they had cams, gas flowed heads and high compression pistons. If you race these raptors, then you should have no problem beating them.

But now for the other 10%. I have spent last month doing extensive testing on the raptor. If you equip it with the right exhaust, intake modifications and set those dual carbs up right, you have a different animal.

After some work I was able to get more than 47HP out of a raptor. The motor was 100% stock. No cams, nothing.

I used the same dyno for the DS and raptor runs. The last run I did between the raptor and DS was done 20 minutes apart, so there cannot be any major dyno reading differences. A raptor can make 5 to 7 HP more than a DS with the same mods. If you race one of these bikes, you are going to loose. The DS makes less HP and is much heavier. Top speed is determined by the gear ratio, so I don’t look at top speed.

On a 500 meter sand drag strip the 47HP raptors beat the DS's by about 4 to 5 quad lengths. The owner of the Baja X loves to do some informal drags. He was beating this one raptor all the time. It was equipped with a slip-on exhaust. I took this raptor and set the carbs up right. I did not even change the jetting or the needle positions. Now this raptor is walking all over the Baja X. The X’s owner phoned me later and could not believe the difference in the raptors acceleration.

PS. The 42HP DS's are able to keep up with modified YFZ 450's on the same strip, so they are not slow compared to other quads. The YFZ 450's make around 44HP with a new pipe, no airbox lid, dynojet kit and a new air cleaner and yes they have the cam mods done to them.

If you race those other 10% raptor, make sure your DS is set up 100% correct and you are able to launch real good. They will give you a run for your money.

 

If you aren't changing the needle or the jets what are you doing to the Raptor carb?

My Wife's Raptor doesn't have all it should have.

 

lose some weight and check your tire pressure

 

What tires are both of you running? Tires are a HUGE part of racing, especially in the sand.

And don't waste your money on the DJ kit, they suck.

 

we both have original tires on it

 

there you go, theres the prob. the stock tires suck so bad you are losing to traction get some diff. tires the Ohtsu are excelent ( stock Baja tires) but the do not hold up the best. Razr, Klaws any thing but the stock tires. JMO

 

I take it you are similar in weight and size?

Have you both switched bikes and seen if he still wins?

Definitely need better tires than stock.

 

we are the same size and weight,but what can i do to my ds650 to make it run faster? i don't want to spend more that 100dlls and i don't want to leave my atv for a month in a shop

 

Big John I was looking at the pic of your quad looks nice. What kind of engine skid plate are you running on your bike ? It looks real nice.

 

Yeah switching to a 15/42 sprocket will help you be faster off the line but you lose off the top, its a cheap upgrade.

I have pro armor full skid plates on both of my ds 650s. They can really take abuse and are worth every penny.

We ride areas in the high sierra with big rocks and I hear clanks all fo the time.