I don't think the Raptors ride is bad at all, In fact I was pretty happy with it. I did re adjust the shcks to soften up the ride a little after my last 4 day trip to the Oregon dunes. I'm able to haul azz through the whoops and I fell no loss of control so I guess it's all a matter of personal prefrance. I'm coming right up on 47 and the doc says my bods going on sixty[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img] I'm no light weight, I'm right at 200 an about 5'8' and shrinking [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] I think the 700R is a great Dune Machine. I am very happy with mine but I was a little disapointed with it's stock performace engine wise.
After breakin and a few mods it was like night and day [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] I see a lot of Bombs at the Oregon Dunes but I haven't had the oportunity to ride one yet. I know that they can be made to flat Haul the mail. Everyone I see on one says there very comfortable. I'll have to bum a ride on one next time I'm at the dunes.

 

The DS is the gold standard for ride quality, until you've ridden one (especially back-to-back with another machine) you may think your's rides good [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] A good analogy I can provide is our Z400 rode like a caddillac compared back to back against our Blaster and our neighbor's Warrior, we thought to ourselves the Z was the ultimate in comfort and handling.....then we got the DS and it was literally that much nicer than the Z (or twice as comfortable as the warrior or blaster if you will). As far as no reverse, I never really missed it even though are Z has it, you will just ride the DS in a manner where you don't put yourself in a position to need it (on a normal basis).

Don't get me wrong, I think the new Raptors are a MUCH MUCH better design and product than the 660s were but I personally will not buy any 1st year bike, I don't care who makes it.

 

thanks for the help everyone. i think my friend has pretty much decided on getting the DS. the more we talk about it, the more he seems to like it. we're goig out to apple valley this weekend so his girlfriend can test drive a Z400 to see how she likes it. hope fully next weekend they will be picking up a new pair of quads.

 

I think the both of you will like his choice, on days you get bored with your machine and wanna trade for awhile, It will be a nice trade off. Plus you won't have to stop and wait wondering where he is, cause he will be right behind you.

 

freebird

i think you mean right in front of you....lol

 

yuh thats what I ment lol. =]

 

One thing to really think about is "what the guy drives" or "drives like" in his car or truck. Is he the type that beats the living crap out of everything? I mean, likes to jump his car or pickup 50 feet off a back street in town? You know the type.....right? If he is kinda like this, and at heart most of us are.......get him on something that will take YEARS of this abuse. This was the major reason I picked a DS650, they are so over engineered that you can rely on them through the very worst terrain at any eye popping speed. I am 170lbs and 5'8", maybe I would have liked the other bikes, but nothing else will take the extreme abuse.

Not like this is anything to warn anyone who has a raptor but I have a friend that rides an MX track with his predator and a buddy just pulled his BRAND NEW Raptor out, first time around the track on the big jump the chain blew through the case and snapped the swingarm bolt. It had to be lifted off the track. That would make me go postal on that dealer. Although, he should have checked his chain slack. Who knows, maybe it was a loose factory bolt that snapped....making the chain loose.

 

On the same note - since I'm shopping for a new quad and have considered the DS, what do you all have to say about these comments and questions? First, I will tell you more of what I want. I'm 41 and used to race amatuer level mx on 2 wheelers. Been riding atv's since '84. ATV's owned are '81 ATC110, '87 ATC200X, '86 ATC250R, '99 Banshee and an '04 Raptor. Nothing was left stock. Most thumpers got cam/pipe/filters/jetting. All two strokes got piped, ported as a minimum. I spend 50% duning and 20% of that time hill racing. The other 50% is desert trails and at the Cinders. I'm not a pip-squeek at 6'1" 240 lbs. So why should I buy a DS over a 450R, 700R, or YFZ???

Weight - at over 500 lbs, I have a hard time believing the DS is easy to throw around. I think that after typical mods, it will be slower than the others listed. Reliability - no clue about bombs. Lots of experience with the Japanese bikes and they all were bulletproof. The worst thing I did was snap an axle on the 250R jumping it.

So tell me what I would gain from going with a DS? Ride quality? If it's softer but slower and porkier, then I must be missing something... Thoughts???

 

by no means is it slower, a few mods and you will be competative with anybody around...no one wins ever race---but you will have fun trying..

IT IS THE SMOOTHIEST AND MOST COMFORTABLE QUAD AVAILABLE, this is a fact!

i am 5'9 and 225 and at the end of a day of racing on a track i am beat to $hit..if your looking to race on a track this is not the one...if you want a dune and hill quad this is your perfect ride its a comfy, dependable bada$$ machine ..

a 450r and yfz you will look silly on your to tall, they are very small bikes.

Again...YOU CAN MAKE ANY QUAD FAST, BUT NOT COMFORTABLE!

 

I'm not a pip-squeek at 6'1" 240 lbs. So why should I buy a DS over a 450R, 700R, or YFZ???

>>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>

Thats exactly why, after getting used to it I can throw it around pretty well and I'm only 5-10 200 lbs. The DS has no lack of power, not exactly sure what you meant by that. I can flip mine over backwards from a dead stop even if I'm up on the handlebars. Again, my only complaint is no reverse. These quads were built to be abused......