i am tired of my 400ex i still want to keep putting mods on it but i want somthing bigger i was thinking of getting a ds or a raptor i have plenty of driving time on both but dont know how reliable they are which one do u think is better

 

lol well since this is a bomb forum, pretty much everybody is going to tell you a ds is better, which is true though, mines a 2000 and i've had very little problems with it that, i think i replaced one gasket because some bolts rattled loose, but going by how loctite was used on every other bolt on my machine i think it was just a fluke, and i've put clutch springs in it, but this was after agressive 22" tires,pipe and filter where added, but its only about $35US so its no big deal, theres rarely ever a time when i can't walk outside, turn the key, push the button and go for a rip, if you like the size of the ds i highly suggest going with one, and i can't blame you for wanting to upgrade from the EX, my buddies have them, they're lots of fun and all but after awhile you get tired of pinning it just to go fast

 

This is a bomb forum so I am parcial to the DS but I have some more info for you. I have been doing research on the 2005 line up of quads for months. I too am a recent buyer and I have had my many questions about the different bikes. The guys here on this forum are a dream come true when it comes to information and getting great advice.

I have done a lot of research on the Raptor and the DS650. The DS650 is a much safer bike but also gives disadvantages in weight and width ( in some peoples opinion). The same reason the DS is safer is the reason the Raptor is not. The raptor is very narrow. You will feel a tippy feeling when riding, even with some experience. The raptor is a good drag bike or a straight shot racer, but not good for the desert or MX track racing with outspacers, which for good ones will cost you 250 bucks. If you like to jump the spacer may hurt your bike.

The raptor is okay for trail riding. The motor is very decent, but the Rotax motor from Bombardier is bullet proof and has fewer problems in the long run, but it is harder to find mods at decent prices. Both transmission are good, on both bikes the eariler models had some problems with tranny failure, but these problems have been worked out for both models. Some riders say that the Bomb is not good for trail riding. In reality the Bomb is not much wider then the Hondas. 3 to 4 inches overall is not a big deal when trail riding.

The raptor has reverse and the bomb doesn’t. But how much do you realistically use reverse. For me it was almost never, so I that was not a factor for me.

Either bike you pick you will get a good bike. All quads have their problems. When making my decision, reliability and stability was more important to me than reverse.

 

well, my friend Mike Smith has a raptor 660R and His Dad has a DS650,and he rides both alot, he and his dad perfer the Raptor, they say its smaller, and handles better, and they feel uncomfortable on the DS, they say its a tank. When both bikes were stock the DS won by like 3 bike lenths, but since then mike got a LTE exhaust and theirs no competion, matter of fact, their selling the DS now and getting another raptor. + these are not my oppinions, they came straight from mike.

 

The newer DS650s are a little shorter and narrower than the pre03s, the difference in size is very minimal between it and a raptor (width wise). Weight wise it's heavy.. but she dances much better than you would think for a big girl[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I rode a Raptor and I hated it. The DS is so much more confortable. I feel more confident and safer on the DS. In the raptors defense I am a beginner and someone with good experience might not have the tippy problem.

 

After ridfiing my DS my friends rapter feels like riding a buckboard, i really prefer the feel of my DS, Three of the four times we have been to Pismo in the last three months he has broke down i have pulled him in twice.... the last time even his back up rapter broke. Rear Sproket bolts sheared the first time , second time carb problems, third time header bolts snapped off flush with the exhust port. Just my two cents.

 

I would trade u my ds but were no near each other

 

I have heard that heavily modified Raptors don't do well. You have to hire a mechanic full time. I don't know much about the DS when in comes to mods, but if I was going to mod the crap out of it, I wouldn't get a raptor.

 

hmm, thats weird, i don't here of many ds trannys failing, mines a first year and after 4 years of abuseit still runs like new, now i can't say i've heard the same about 01 rappy trannies