With all the bad luck I have had with my DS I think it is time for ane quad, I just due not Know what to get.

 

The 400EX is a great back-up quad for DS owners. Pick up a good used one for about $2500. Then, if you build up the EX to a 440 for another 3K your ready for all kinds of fun!

 

bills, what kind of trouble have you had? the only ones i have seen with major problems are myself and roughrider, that sold his Pile to buy a 450r....
a SHORT list of my problems...
Battery (x2)
clutch
clutch shafts (actuator and the long one coming out of the case)
starter gears (all but one)
starter clutch sprag and the big main gear.
STARTER (that one was pricey)
crank bearing (froze up...)
and a few others i dont even care to think about...lol

i think there are just a few lemons floating around...as my buddies bought a used 01 (the first guy i knew as well, and he TRASHED the thing..) and then my buddies are VERY agressive riders, and theirs ran like a top! mine is an 03 and has given me nothing but problems
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i too am contemplating selling mine (it finally runs without problems.... im hoping its the end of the trouble with it, but i dont want to risk it on one or our long 20+ hour trips)
i looked at the predator for awhile (almost had cash ready to buy one...) then i actually rode one and put a big cancel on that plan. (ergos werent too great, and power seemed flat, even a piped one)

my buddies all have yfz's (all 3 of em) and even the nicest one (2k in suspension, and 1k into the motor) i still cant ride for very long as im so uncomfortable on it (im only 6'2 240 and i know there are some 300 lb guys on yfz's i just dont know how...lol) so right now its between a new 05 ds, and an 05 450r. i got to ride a 450r for about 3-4 mins, first impressions were it was pretty comfortable (fit much better than the yfz and predator) really tall first gear...hopefully would be cured by -1 on CT. kick start was kind of nuicance, but it does turn over very easily. then the most important things for me, were that it was light as heck (was VERY easy to throw around..) and it also put a hurting on my DS in a drag. we dragged 3 times and every single time he was within 1 bike length or dead even with me (this one was BONE stock!) my ds has pipe/filter/ported intake/cdi and a couple other small items.

i found another guy that used to have a stage II ds, who now has a 450r (found him on trx450 forums) and he was very happy with his new purchase.

what bikes are you looking at getting? just a ds or somthing else? i really wish there was another big bore out there (like a honda big bore) i just prefer the low end torque over the high rpm's of the 450's.

 

The Ds is not going away Just want a back up that I can take on to the track. I foud a used 06 450R for $5800 in good shape. New 05 Baja X for 7065 OTD. and some 04 400EX for $4800. Just looking now should have my DS back up next weekend with stock 05 axle. I have to cut off the sprocket hub now to get the old axle out.

 

that sucks about the axle. i beleive the 450r is probably a 2005, as im 99% sure the 2005's are the ones that have been out for only a few months now. (i think 06 models come out in beginning of summer)

have you checked your local honda dealers? mine has 3 left over 04's that he will get rid of for 6k OTD... (they charge 6400- 65500 for the 05's)

for the price difference i think a new/slightly used 450r would be a better backup than a 400ex

also, the msrp on the 05 standard viper DS is 5999 even my local rip off dealers will go as low as 6100 OTD on them.

 

05's are going for about $5899 now

 

im still considering another DS...but dont know if i want to spend the extra 800 or so o the X package. The main things i want are the tach and shocks.... dont know if its worth all that extra weight (20 lbs i beleive) for stuff i dont really need.