I live in northern Iowa and am considering a DS to replace my 500 scrambler. I like the DS a lot and am wondering if it will handle any snow at all. The snow around here is extreamly deep and going threw it is not an option. You have to go over it. I like my Scrambler because it gives me a litle sport while being able to have 4x4 when nesasary. I however am not impresed with the reliability of the polaris. I found a dealer that will sell me a ds outright for $6800. The only problem is I have to sell my Scrambler first. There are no trails around here so during the sumer i drive a half hour north so an old sand pit to ride. It is not a large area only 40 aceres or so, but ther is a lot of hills and some sand. I have looked at the raptor but they are to hard to get around here. I decided that I like the DS better any how, and if I was going to get rid of 4x4 I was going to get the best sport i could. Thanks for any replies.

 

I have taken my ds out on the snow and it did terrible it has too much power it spins the tires.I think the main problem is that the stock tires dont get very good grip. I think that if you put sme realater tires on it it would do fine in the snow. For tight trails the raptor would be better than the bomb but I would not trade mine for a raptor.

 

The funny thing is the ds has the most ground clearence of any high proformance machine. More then raptor, 400ex, banshee...SO if you wanted a snow high prof quad the ds would prob be the best choice. We have about 3 ft of snow in the fields here (drifted snow) and no machine will go through any of it. Not even out 01' sportsman. The ds is terrible at snow riding, but the 400ex and banshee and raptor are prob even worse because of the less amount of ground clearence on the rear end (where it gets hung up). Reverse doesnt help much in the snow, i mean if your stuck your STUCK. Usally its caused by bottoming out so larger tires on the ds (22 inchesrs) would be awesome and help it out alot. I ride with banshees, 400, 440ex's, polaris scram 400 and 500s. The scram 500 is easly the best quad in the snow, because of 4x4 but in the dirt...its a totally differnt argument.

00' Ds650
Ryan

 

I just whent out and tried to ride a bit. Even if the DS is worse in the snow the scrambler has got to go. I am sick of something breaking every time i get on it. The front hubs are the main sore spot for it. I have had to fix the right one three times because the spring in it keeps breaking. Now today it decided to three wheel like a honda with a diferential. So now the right front needs its third spring and the left only goes into 4x4 when it feels like it. It is time to leave the polaris behind and get a 2wd sport machine that has les parts to break.

 

Damn that really stinks that keeps happening to your scram, its a shame. Why dont you wait for a few more opinions on this and see what you'd like the most. Just be prepared for an argument. Somone always starts one

00' ds650
-graydon nerfs
-xc holeshot
-.190 douglas rims
-custom endcap

 

while the DS is better than the scrambler, i would go with the Raptor. it is lighter so you won't sink into the snow as bad. it has reverse so you at least have a chance of backing out of the snow if you do get stuck. it has a broader powerband. it has more low end power. It also can rev to 9000 RPM compared to the DS's 7500 RPM. It would be a better all around quad for you

 

i live in northern idiana and have as much snow as anyone here, i have a ds and a my wife has a raptor, the ds650 is by far a better quad, get the ds you wont be sorry.

 

Hondaboye - The raptor won't sink in the snow? Dude,it has a butterfly weight of 400 lbs wet- of course it will sink in the snow. My 400ex use to sink in the snow. How much snow do you ride in at Le Grand?

 

I don't think a 100lb quad could avoid sinking in the snow. If you put a snow trax kit on it, then it'll ride on top. Last I heard they are developing a snowtrax kit for the DS. (Likely the Raptor as well) that'ed be about the only way *I* could imagine getting around in heavy snow.

 

I'm not real sure why you are here hondagye. If you dislike the DS650 so much, why would you go purposely into a forum where people who like it would be lurking? If you like the Raptor so much, why not go into the Yamaha forum and talk to people who share your views? People in here like their ATVs and converse about facts (no, not without some bragging, pride or exoneration) on how the machine works, while you come in here and post pure speculation, because you have some predisposed opinion on why this machine is bad and another is somehow so far superior. I'd like to think you could go through life enjoying your ATV(s) and allowing others to enjoy theirs without trying to bash everyone who doesn't happen to agree with you.