I would like to know everyone on this forum that owns a ds650 and what (if any) modifications do you have. Also lets here some stories about the ds, like if you have beat some highly modified banshees or vice versa. I Own a 00' Ds and i is fully stock. If anyone here has any modifications, i would like to know how the modifications reacted vs. the stock machine, like was it worth the buy of it?

00' ds650, stock. Thinking about getting a sprocket changed?

 

The DS is a purpose built quad (desert and dunes) that is built to last in my opinion. I have a big gun pipe and silencer and a k&n filter and it runs great (the big gun is loud). I have had no trouble making the swap from honda to the DS, it is performance built all the way around and has met my personel expectations in all aspects. I do feel the ds is designed for riders with some experience and not a beginer quad. I personally have no complaints and would not trade it for anything on the market right now, although I would be tempted if honda built something comparable like a liquid cooled 650 like the new xr650 two wheeler.

 

Thank you for the post desertds, but i think the ds650 is more then just a sand dune quad, i think if the rider is able, it would be a great mx quad and awesome trail torque..One more thing, do you still have your rev limiter or did you get it removed? Do you hit it alot more often with the pipe and that?

 

THE DS650 IS DEFINITELY MORE THAN JUST A SAND/DUNE MACHINE. IT IS THE "DOMINATOR" THE INFINITELY ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION AND AWESOME POWER IN ITS STOCK FORM MANDATE THE NICKNAME.AS AMATTER OF FACT I HAVE IT HAD SINCE MARCH 2000 AND HAVE RIDDEN JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE EXCEPT A SAND/DUNE ENVIROMENT.THE DS650 IS GREAT ON A TRACK ..BECAUSE OF THE WIDE STANCE ..VERY STABLE..AND IF DO ALOT OF JUMPING..ADJUST THE SUSPENSION ACORDINGLY..LESS SHIFTING THAN A 2STROKE..YET IT MAKES ENOUGH WHEEL SPIN TO GET THROUGH THE TURNS SLIDING. ALSO GREAT IN OPEN AREAS .. THE SPEED AND COMFORTABLE SEAT ARE GOOD FEATURES. FOR WOODS RIDING [QUAD TRAILS]THE DS SUSPENSION CAN BE ADJUSTED TO A SOFT SETTING WHICH WILL REDUCE FATIGUE ON RIDERS..HAS PLENTY OF POWER AND TORQUE FOR MUD AND CLIMBING HILLS.I RIDE MINE ONA TRACK REGULARLY AND HAVE ENJOYED BEING ON ATRACK LIKE I DO NOW I ALSO HAVE JUMPED HIGHER AND FURTHER THAN ON OTHER QUADS I HAVE HAD IN MY OPINION IT IS THE" DOMINATOR" MODS SO FAR;
K-N AIR FILTER
OUTERWEARS SHOCK COVERS
T-M CHAINROLLER
PRM SKIDPLATES
GRAYDON PRO LINE NERF BARS
TETHER KILL SWITCH
OTHER/OLD QUADS
87 SUZUKI 230 LT
87 HONDA 250R

 

Desertds- You are right about the new water cooled XR 650 it is a bad machine and honda knows how to make a good running dependable engine, but unless it had about the same style suspension as the DS I dont think I would trade (but you never know) As far as the rest of the topic goes mine is currently torn down in preperation for the stage 2 from ron wood. I did not get to work on it this weekend like I wanted I forgot about a golf tournement, and I got a wedding next weekend but I will keep all informed when I get to it.

 

DS650DAVE - The Quadracer 500 is 60lbs lighter than a ds650, has Excellent suspension, and a stronger wider powerband. I enjoy very little shifting like you, I enjoy the stable wide stance like you, but I enjoy a better power to weight ratio. Who's the dominator?

 

man, id love to drive a quad racer 500! ive drivern the DS 650, the 400ex, modified polaris sport 400's, but a 500 2-stroke, what a concept! man the late 80's where a great time for high preformance! the scary thing is that just when it started to to get really great 20/20 almost put us away! dont let gore do it this time!!!!

 

DS650DAVE, I ride a 250R. I like to catch air and hit the big hills at the dunes. The R flies very will. I've been thinking about buying a DS but I grew-up in the 80's. I'm 2 stroke breed. I noticed you have an R. Please compare the two bikes.(ie the DS is a lot of weight to jump)

 

BIGBRY...I DONT KNOW IF I SHOULD BE THE ONE TO COMPARE THE TO COMPARE 250R TO THE DS650. WELL HERE GOES...FIRST MY R WAS VERY USED WHEN I GOT IT EXCEPT FOR REBUILT ENGINE/TRANS IT WAS COMPLETELY STOCK,INCLUDING SUSPENSION/SHOCKS ETC.{MAYBE THIS IS MY 250R BIGGEST DRAWBACK}IT DOES FLY VERY WELL BUT LANDING WERE HELLISH AND HANDLING LEFT ALOT TO BE DESIRED, SO IT IS FAST, RELIABLE ENGINE,EASILY MAINTAINED AND IS LIGHTWEIGHT.IT IS STILL FUN TO RIDE.OVERALL I THINK FOR PERFORMANCE IN STOCK FORM IT IS/WAS GREAT{IN ITS DAYS}. THATS WHY I AM KEEPING IT.SO RATHER THAN SPEND ALOT OF MONEY ON IT TO UPGRADE AND REPLACE WORN OUT PARTS WHICH I WAS CONSIDERING { MAY STILL DO IN THE FUTURE} TIL THE DS CAME OUT I CHOSE TO GET THE DS SIMPLY BECAUSE THIS WAS EASIER AND SINCE I WAS USED TO A LOT OF POWER FROM THE 250R AND THE DS DOES MAKE FANTASTIC POWER IT WAS A GOOD TRANSITION FOR MYSELF.YES THE DS IS A HEAVIER MACHINE BUT WITH THE WEIGHT COMES SOME SIGNIFICANT PLUSES WITHOUT EXPERIENCING DOWNTIME WHILE REBUILDING THE R.ALSO BUYING THE DS650 MADE MY LIFE ALITTLE EASIER FOR NOW NO MIXING GAS,NO KICKSTARTING,NO FREQUENT TOPEND REBUILDING AND ALSO LESS SHIFTING TO MAINTAIN POWERBAND ETC.I DO NOT MEAN TO BASH THE 250R,THIS WAS SIMPLY A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE.PERHAPS YOU CAN FIND A DS650 TO RIDE FOR A WHILE IN ORDER TO SEE IF YOU LIKE IT,I BELEIVE YOU WILL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIKE A MACHINE WITH LONG WHEEL TRAVEL AND NICE STABLE WIDE STANCE AND PLENTY OF POWER AND IF YOU HAVE TO START IT A FEW TIMES YOU WILL SEE HOW NICE IT IS TO REMAIN SEATED ON THE CUSHY MOUNT WHILE DOING SO.FINALLY THE WEIGHT THING, A BIG I ADMIT IT BUT ONCE YOU SPEND SOME TIME ON THE DS YOU WILL SEE THAT YOU SOON DO NOT NOTICE IT VERY MUCH AT ALL,AND WHEN/IF YOU JUMP IT, IT DOES FEEL DIFFERENT THAN A 250R IT IS A 4STROKE WITH A LOT TORQUE AND MOST OF ALL IT IS A DIFFERNT MACHINE YET IT DOES FLY VERY WELL AND THE LANDING ARE HEAVENLY .ONLY THING I CAN SAY IF YOU ARE TRULY CONSIDERING A DS YOU OWE IT TO YOURESELF TO TRY IT OUT. THE DS650 A GREAT MACHINE FOR JUST ALL TYPES OF RIDING.

 

I will stick to my original opinion that the ds is a purpose built quad DESERT AND DUNES! Now, I have rode the DS in the mountains and in the thick woods here in idaho and haven't had any trouble, I did scar up my left front rim on some rocks pretty good on a ride in the rocks. It will lug right down and crawl over rocks and over logs, this was not what it was designed for but it will do it with a little patience. To say that the DS is a MX quad is fooling yourself, lightweight quads will always rule in this area. I am not saying it can't be raced in mx just you'll never see gust or farr racing one! In desert racing the DS is a common sight simply because it is built like a desert racer, high, wide and long = desert stance. I also ride mine about everywhere just as I did my banshee, R's, and 400ex because you simply have to ride what you bought. And the rev limiter has never bothered me personally with or without the pipe so it will stay to keep the reliability of the engine intact.