DS650 VS. LT500R The main event
#21
01-02-2000, 03:17 AM
I said I would offer my opinion when I got some time so here I go.
I spent about 2 1/2 hours on a DS this past Sunday and loved it. We rode on a outdoor track that included long straights, tight woods section, quite a few natural terrain jumps, up and down hill jumps, tight flat turns, and big sweepers. The straights were rough and rutted making for more of a challenge.
The DS was amazingly fast over the rough sections allowing me to hit all the obsticles harder than I ever have on my LT500. Even in wide open 3rd and 4th gear straingts the suspension would keep me going straight and keep the back end from bucking around. The DS also allowed me to carry higher corner speeds with its extra stability and great traction. The brakes also allowed me to accelerate farther into the turns. I could hit the corners and run the straights evenly with a couple of guys on YZ 400's and could even pass them at times. The size does take a little time to adjust to, however, since the DS steers so tightly I had very little problems in the woods. I would say it is easier to ride than my LT500 in the woods because of the tighter turning radius and shorter wheelbase. I noticed someone posted the weight of an LT500 at somewhere around 380 LBS so I wanted to point out that when riding the 460+ LBS DS it actually feels lighter than my LT500. There were only a couple of big jumps on the track and the DS did very well absorbing the impact my 6'2" 290LB body put on it. I feel like the $1000 I spent on Works shocks for my LT500 was a waste.
Comfort wise nothing else even comes close!!
I did have one negative thing to point out. First and second gear are to close. Third and Fourth are to far apart. The majority of the riding I did used the top of second and hitting the rev limiter in third. If you didn't rev third all the way out fourth gear slightly bogged. I think I will try a one tooth smaller front sprocket on mine and see if it allows me to use third gear more.
By the way, The LT500 is now officially for sale. I would love to hear comments from anyone else who has ridden one.
BadLT500R
I spent about 2 1/2 hours on a DS this past Sunday and loved it. We rode on a outdoor track that included long straights, tight woods section, quite a few natural terrain jumps, up and down hill jumps, tight flat turns, and big sweepers. The straights were rough and rutted making for more of a challenge.
The DS was amazingly fast over the rough sections allowing me to hit all the obsticles harder than I ever have on my LT500. Even in wide open 3rd and 4th gear straingts the suspension would keep me going straight and keep the back end from bucking around. The DS also allowed me to carry higher corner speeds with its extra stability and great traction. The brakes also allowed me to accelerate farther into the turns. I could hit the corners and run the straights evenly with a couple of guys on YZ 400's and could even pass them at times. The size does take a little time to adjust to, however, since the DS steers so tightly I had very little problems in the woods. I would say it is easier to ride than my LT500 in the woods because of the tighter turning radius and shorter wheelbase. I noticed someone posted the weight of an LT500 at somewhere around 380 LBS so I wanted to point out that when riding the 460+ LBS DS it actually feels lighter than my LT500. There were only a couple of big jumps on the track and the DS did very well absorbing the impact my 6'2" 290LB body put on it. I feel like the $1000 I spent on Works shocks for my LT500 was a waste.
Comfort wise nothing else even comes close!!
I did have one negative thing to point out. First and second gear are to close. Third and Fourth are to far apart. The majority of the riding I did used the top of second and hitting the rev limiter in third. If you didn't rev third all the way out fourth gear slightly bogged. I think I will try a one tooth smaller front sprocket on mine and see if it allows me to use third gear more.
By the way, The LT500 is now officially for sale. I would love to hear comments from anyone else who has ridden one.
BadLT500R
#22
01-02-2000, 03:49 AM
BadLT500R
Does not really surprise you though, does it! With those specs, it was bound to be bad. Sounds like a great machine.
Couple questions:
Has your dealer sold any other DS's? What about the front fenders. Do they seem pretty sturdy? What about fit and finish?
Do many other quads ride at the track you do?
OH yes, Is the still 500 for sale!
RoostKing...
Does not really surprise you though, does it! With those specs, it was bound to be bad. Sounds like a great machine.
Couple questions:
Has your dealer sold any other DS's? What about the front fenders. Do they seem pretty sturdy? What about fit and finish?
Do many other quads ride at the track you do?
OH yes, Is the still 500 for sale!
RoostKing...
#23
01-02-2000, 07:16 PM
#24
01-02-2000, 08:09 PM
So far we have delivered 5 of the 10 we have between our two dealerships. There are three more with deposits leaving two available.
The fit and finish is excellent and even the fenders work. I truly believe they do just as well as any other sport atv if not better. The fenders have very heavy supports so they are not flimsy at all.
I ride at a few different places but on this particular track I'm one of 3 people allowed to ride an atv on it. The track definitely favors the motorcycles because of the ruts but the DS worked very well.
If anyone is interested in my LT500 it is for sale. I am posting it in the classified section or you can e-mail me at bikedlr1@aol.com
------------------
The fit and finish is excellent and even the fenders work. I truly believe they do just as well as any other sport atv if not better. The fenders have very heavy supports so they are not flimsy at all.
I ride at a few different places but on this particular track I'm one of 3 people allowed to ride an atv on it. The track definitely favors the motorcycles because of the ruts but the DS worked very well.
If anyone is interested in my LT500 it is for sale. I am posting it in the classified section or you can e-mail me at bikedlr1@aol.com
------------------
#25
01-02-2000, 08:09 PM
WOW! This thing looks to be nothing short of AWESOME!!! I personally am not sure how I like the Cyclops looking headlight (some projector style one's similar to the 400EX would be nice) but it's just a minor detail. I was just about to buy a 400EX but now that I see this I might just try to get my hands on one of these! Only about a grand more. Do you guys think that they will be hard to get ahold of? I also worry a bit about getting one the very first year they come out, I wonder if they got all of the bugs worked out of it already. Decisions decisions, maybe I should just get a 400EX this year and buy the DS650 next model year. I planned on getting a couple of Quads anyway. About time somebody got off thier *** and made a totally new design for a sport quad!
#26
01-03-2000, 03:24 PM
#27
01-03-2000, 04:29 PM
I own an 87 quadzilla paul turner port job aftermarket carb and fmf gold series pipe i also have works all around i have about $4000 into my bike and love it i would never spend 6999 plus tax and prep work tax will run 490 in phila pa plus another $150 for putting it together so you are up to 7640 what will this beast cost out the door? i would rather save my money after ridin 2 strokes i dont think i would enjoy a 4 stroke . And what will people do when honda comes out with the 650ex that should stir up some more conversation
#28
01-06-2000, 11:57 PM
lets see the LT500 (quadzilla) is a BANSHEE EATIN , 250R SPITTIN MACHINE !!! it can kick any other sports quads ***, unless u like throw a superbike enjine in something!. But one matchup that i would love to see is dirt wheels get a LT500 stock and a DS650 and let them two BULLS into the ring and watch em duke it out! it would be a matchup evryone is wanting to see. It's like for the world championship. and u banshee riders just go home already cuz your no match for them. I really don't wanna say anything about the 250r cuz i like em.
and plz reply!
and plz reply!
#29
01-07-2000, 01:13 AM
My two cents...
The debate the is going concerning a DS vs. the rest of the hi-perf quads is interesting. My riding is strictly done in the dunes on the Oregon coast. There is much contention on the DS's part the 4 stroke's smooth power puts the traction to the ground. True, but apply that to my area of riding and that isn't always the best. With paddle tires, the more wheel spin, the better, if you're spinning the paddles, you're moving sand, if you're moving sand, you're moving as well...simple.
The heavier weight of the DS is a factor. Weight, sprung or unsprung is the kiss of death racing.
Simply put 2 stroke motors offer more power for less dollars spent that any 4 stroke engine builder will ever be able to do. A stroke of power every crank revolution, versus one power stroke for every 4 crank revolutions. There was an very excellent post earlier I believe in the project quad forum about rotary motors, most interesting, especially the explanation of crank rotation and power strokes in single, twin, and triple cylinder engines. Well written and very informative.
Dirt Wheels Rag-Mag claimed that the DS produced 52 HP at the flywheel. Not an accurate measurment. Easily there can be losses of power between 10 and 15 percent by the time it reaches the rear wheels. 52hp X 10%= 5.2 HP; 52hp- 5.2 hp= 46.8hp "best case". Most piped and carbed Banshee's produce numbers very close to that, lighter in weight, and a twin (go read that rotary post!!!).
When the 400EX first came out I saw many, rode one, and raced against several Thanksgiving of '98. At first you saw some lining up to race the hill against other 250R's and Banshee's; it wasn't long after that that they realized, the 400EX, and now even the 440's and some 500's, were not capable of the feats described in the mag's. They simply were not fast enough to race the hill. My opinion is that the DS will befall the same fate.
While I do agree that all of the new quads are a step in the right direction (400EX, the DS, etc.) they don't fit my needs. The cost of a new machine is difficult to swallow, when very fast and gorgeous sand purpose built quads can be built for nearly the sticker price of the others. Go read Eric Gorr's site sometime about his opinion of the "dirt-bike" magazines, much of it applies to Dirt Wheels and et. al. I quit buying them due to thier extremely biased and often blatantly wrong articles.
The debate the is going concerning a DS vs. the rest of the hi-perf quads is interesting. My riding is strictly done in the dunes on the Oregon coast. There is much contention on the DS's part the 4 stroke's smooth power puts the traction to the ground. True, but apply that to my area of riding and that isn't always the best. With paddle tires, the more wheel spin, the better, if you're spinning the paddles, you're moving sand, if you're moving sand, you're moving as well...simple.
The heavier weight of the DS is a factor. Weight, sprung or unsprung is the kiss of death racing.
Simply put 2 stroke motors offer more power for less dollars spent that any 4 stroke engine builder will ever be able to do. A stroke of power every crank revolution, versus one power stroke for every 4 crank revolutions. There was an very excellent post earlier I believe in the project quad forum about rotary motors, most interesting, especially the explanation of crank rotation and power strokes in single, twin, and triple cylinder engines. Well written and very informative.
Dirt Wheels Rag-Mag claimed that the DS produced 52 HP at the flywheel. Not an accurate measurment. Easily there can be losses of power between 10 and 15 percent by the time it reaches the rear wheels. 52hp X 10%= 5.2 HP; 52hp- 5.2 hp= 46.8hp "best case". Most piped and carbed Banshee's produce numbers very close to that, lighter in weight, and a twin (go read that rotary post!!!).
When the 400EX first came out I saw many, rode one, and raced against several Thanksgiving of '98. At first you saw some lining up to race the hill against other 250R's and Banshee's; it wasn't long after that that they realized, the 400EX, and now even the 440's and some 500's, were not capable of the feats described in the mag's. They simply were not fast enough to race the hill. My opinion is that the DS will befall the same fate.
While I do agree that all of the new quads are a step in the right direction (400EX, the DS, etc.) they don't fit my needs. The cost of a new machine is difficult to swallow, when very fast and gorgeous sand purpose built quads can be built for nearly the sticker price of the others. Go read Eric Gorr's site sometime about his opinion of the "dirt-bike" magazines, much of it applies to Dirt Wheels and et. al. I quit buying them due to thier extremely biased and often blatantly wrong articles.
#30
01-07-2000, 07:47 AM
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