Okay, maybe I am "assuming" wrong and I am getting way off topic, but I just get really upset when people that have no idea what they are talking about write articles and actually "lie" to someone who might just be getting into the sport and sell themselves short on a decision that was not based on "facts" but rather on "what sells". I don't mean to point the finger at you saying you didn't work to get where you are. If you have been at the same company for that long, that shows your faithful and for that you deserve respect. I just get really P!$$ED off when I know something to be fact, but the people that are responsible for the journalism of the sport don't know there A$$ from a whole in the ground, but yet they are making tons of money and they are not actually doing the correct research so in my opinion the have the attitude "hooray for me and FU@K you!" They do not really take pride in what they do, they are just there for a paycheck. So to go back to the original subject, yes the DS gets a poor review for weight and lack of reverse and just having sheer size, but those of us who actually have a DS know it is all crap. It just so happens that this particular thing goes on EVERYWHERE and it is just sickening to me and I feel strongly about being honest and having pride in your work and pass that on to the young ones. If not, instead of having 75% of people out for themselves in the years to come you will have 99% of people out for themselves. I guess I can't change the world by myself. Can you understand why I went on my rant??

 

Well I think the magazines are writing for mass appeal and not necessarily to the hard core riders.

This isn't much different then car forums and reviews written in auto magazines. I've owned a few Saturn's as well as a few family memebers. They are better known now but for a long time were not well known, I've had people tell me they "heard they were crap, cheap, break down all the time etc....". The first Saturn my mom bought in 94 never saw the inside of a shop until 115,000 miles and that was ONLY a stupid radiator sensor that was in reality a cheap and easy fix but I didn't have the diagnostic equip. to know this, all other repairs were normal wear and tear, battery, brakes and alternator, 140K the radiator started to leak. New the car was about 10K I think back then....there hasn't been $500 worth of mechanical parts purchased for that car outside the tires/battery. New now, 12 years later the new ION can be bought for about $11,500..........IMO you can't get a better car for the money.


The bottom line is that the only person who can decide what they like/dislike about any particular vehicle is the person buying it. It's all about personal preference and what you feel comfortable with. If a person is more comfortable with reverse and a lighter bike then so be it. The BajaX seduced me with the suspension and raw power....For longer mountain trails I prefer my Rincon, for the open dirt roads definately the DS.

 

Well, the DS is a nice machine. It is heavy and wide though, and in some instances this is not good. There's really no point in trying to argue the point - you can't beat the laws of physics. It's designed for wide-open spaces, like the desert, and it shines there. Stable, good suspension travel, lots of power, comfortable - that's why it's at home there. For tight trails (like here in the NE) or for MX, it's not the ideal machine. Does that mean it can't be ridden in these environments? Hell no! But there ARE better machines for these types of riding situations. I have ridden my Banshee hard on the MX track, and I can tell you that my fairly well-built 5'10"/178lb frame gets tired wrestling the 386lbs worth of 'Shee around the track. I wouldn't want to add 100lbs to that, I can assure you. I have ridden down some trails that my 'Shee barely fit - if it was wider it could have been an issue. My 'Shee is not the best all-around machine out there, and neither is a DS - but they are both good machines, IMO. It all depends on your riding style and conditions.

BRP makes a good product. So do the Japanese. As far as the DS being built stronger or better, I don't buy that - I saw a DS sustain $600 worth of damage to the steering stem and tie-rods after a hard hit to the embankment of a ravine due to the fact that the rider couldn't handle the weight and width of the machine. As a matter of fact, myself and 2 other people had to kick on the l/f tire and pull on the bars to get the steering to move again after this slight mishap, as it was jammed so hard to the left it was stuck. I'd say they are all pretty much the same quality, and that's the same way I feel about the top-of-the line automobiles too (Lexus vs. Caddilac vs. BMW, for instance). The quality gap is much less than it used to be, if almost non-existant.

Just my thoughts.........

 

a guy once told me you dont need a reverse on that bike, you have already seen everything that you just passed and you would be wasting valuable time off your life by putting it in reverse when the trail gets a little shaky. no reverse no turn around. then were gonna see some talent of who really can handle there bikes. well you all know that im one of those idiots that cant keep there ponies under control all of the time.

 

I have a 2003 ds 650 Ron Woods everything and boy is it fast. I love my Ds 650 and love it even more when I kick the crap out 450's 660's you name it. I rode my Ds in the woods the other day for the first time and it kicked the crap out of me. So I would say that the DS 650 sucks on the trails and that is its only down fall. Thanks

 

WOW! That's a blast from the past. Lots of good old guys around back then. Hopefully they are all doing well and enjoying their new endevours.
The Dune Sport 650 still rules the dunes as it was intended and still ruffles the feathers of the girlie men who are too weak to sling it around in the woods. Was never intended for tight wooded trails as DS and Baja would imply. Not sure why three years after production stopped that folks are still trying to squeeze the mighty DS down trails cluttered with trees and rocks. More suited for wide open desert and dunes.

 

Totally agree that the DS is for wide open space. I ride mine on 40 acres of private property which is half woods. 20 acres of wide open farm land with some nice steep hills is a blast to rip around on. I have some trails but don't really use the DS for them. Too narrow and rocky to chance it. That's what the prairie is for. Last year I flipped the DS on my friends property which is over 100 acres with the same setup. The trails were quite narrow and I hit a small stump under some leaves. Nothing more frightening than having 500 lbs flying over your head while your diving head first into the woods. Hurt like a bitch! Bike held up well. Needless to say, that was the last time i went trail riding with it.