I've become annoyed with dirt wheels because they say..

"This 653cc liquid cooled, four valve, four stroke is the fastest, most suspension travel quad ever offered to the general public"

Why is a quad that weights 100 lbs more, and has less horsepower faster than the quadzilla? In what way do they mean faster?
If everyone remembers back when they did the quadzilla vs the banshee it had around a 5 mph top speed advantage....I believe the DS650 didnt even have that...or did it?

What are the weight, Horsepower, and top speed of the DS650...Lets compare facts.
LT500R
68 crank HP
392 lbs dry


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[This message has been edited by Dominator (edited 12-20-1999).]

 

I was ready for all the helpful information and comparison...and I was ready for arguement....but I wasnt ready for silence!

 

Dominator,
I had a reply, but then lost my connection and my reply this morning.. First of all, I did not (honestly) realize the Quadzilla made so much HP. I also believe they are trying to compare currently produced quads, leaving the QuadZilla out.
Heck, I would wager that 80% of the members of this forum dont even realize what a LT 500R is.
One of the advantages the DS-650 has over other quads is traction. In a 100 foot measured race on hard pack, could a Lt 500 hook up well enough to make up for the holeshot the less powerful(?) DS 650 should get? If you recall, YZ 400 can beat the cr, kx, and rm 250 dirtbikes on a regular basis and can hang with the 500's. OUt powered, yes, but with the traction advantage it all comes out. I am a fan of the DS, big time, but I will not say the 650 rules yet, that remains to be seen. Not to mention the magazine did qualify its staement pretty specifically. "This 653cc liquid cooled, four valve, four stroke is the fastest, most suspension travel quad ever offered to the general public". By saying, "most suspended" they have steered clear of the quadzilla vs. ds HP fight. It is fact that the DS is the most powerful AND most suspended quad available.I know picky, but thats politics!

A good fight indeed...

RoostKing

 

I see how they get around that...and I think they say fastest refering to top speed. Alot of the top speed figure has to do with gearing...so thats really no comparison....they dont however say `most powerful`. The banshee says its the most POWERFUL...but they word it "You will simply say call it the most powerful quad you have ever ridden"

Thanks for the reply!
C-ya

 

As an LT500 owner and having ridden a DS 650
I can say that power wise the two machines stock should be a pretty even race. Both machines will put the power to the ground quite well. The LT 500 even though it is a 2 Stroke isn't peaky in comparison to something like a Banshee. Any LT500 or Banshee with mild mods is goint to run away from a DS (if traction is available for the Banshee) however, nothing I have ever ridden even compares to the DS in terms of suspension and keep in mind my LT500 has Works shocks front and rear. It has the brake feel of a 400EX, a turning radius at least as tight as a 400EX, extremely light clutch and thumb throttle action, and comfort unmatched by anything on the market.

I'll finish this up by saying this: Extremely nice LT500 for sale!!!!

 

WOW,
WOW is all I can say.

1st: I get my Ron Wood Racing catalog in the mail , you know, the guy that has raced and won using the 652.8 cc Rotax found in the DS-650. He offers high compression pistons, NiKasil cylinders, a 676cc STROKER KIT, dual carbs, WAIT, Im still only on the second page! Again, this is amazing. Heads, bigger valves, tuned pipes, DUAL CAMS, Timing adjusters, manifolds, K&N Filters, Cylinder and Manifold porting...

It goes on and on..

2nd reason: BadLT500r, if he speaks the truth, has ridden both, and has the 500 for sale. That speaks volumes.

RoostKing...

 

I just cant think of the DS as a race quad, with its tall 4wd like stance. I believe the quadzilla will still have a power advantage, stock to stock. I still am not convinced on the suspension side of the DS because of the added weight. The quadzilla has less travel (9.5") but its close to 100 lbs lighter. I'm not putting down this quad...I want to get facts because I may buy one....I on the other hand could NEVER sell my Zilla.

 

The updated parts for the DS will arrive tomorrow. I am planning on taking both my LT500 and a DS 650 riding Sunday so after Sunday I will have a very good comparison of the handling and power delivery of each machine. I would love to find a stock LT500 to test against because mine has a LRD modified motor(porting, o'ringed higher compression head,carb,pipe etc...) I know in a dragrace my LT will smoke the DS, however, my LT wears me out on aggressive rides because of how difficult it is to ride so overall I feel like I can ride the DS faster and for a longer period of time. Just wait till you get a chance at a DS 650 you'll be amazed at how easy this thing is to ride.

 

Dominator--just a suggestion. Why don't you see who the author of the article was, and write a letter directly to that individual. He or she is the only person who can accurately answer the "what did they mean" question. It won't take much time or effort and I think you may be surpised that you will, in fact, get a response and understand why they published what you read. You may also be surpised that if you express your view and tell them why you have that view, it may influence how future articles are written.

 

Thats a great idea. It'd be great if Dirt Wheels had a web site where you could talk with the authors...but I bet they would be constantly argued against.

Thanks for the thought!