Alright Bombardier riders tell me about the DS650!
I recently sold my Honda 400ex that was punched up to a 440. I added lots of mods but although the handling was good it just never had the speed and power that I crave. I currently own a 1987 Suzuki Quadracer with lots of mods...very fun to ride but always...and I mean always breaks down on me. I have decided I am going to sell the Quadracer and purchase a new quad. I am about6'2" tall and weigh around 210 pounds so I like the size of the DS....love powersliding my LT but the Honda wouldn't powerslide that well. How is the DS? plenty of power? reliable? I am looking at the DS650, cannondale, Banshee or the Raptor. Would consider a Quadzilla if it was extra clean. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

3TV, you are really having a lousy run.

It's good that the DS is so robust though, shame you are being used as a crash test dummy to find this out though.

 

I think the Raptor is also worth considering. Though it needs a few to a lot of aftermarket parts to realize its' potential, so does the DS.
And there is really nothing else. The Cannondale is just too not here to consider and the Banshee is so last century. (insert valley girl accent and re-read).
The Raptor has reverse and is 60 lbs lighter than the DS. These features are not available as aftermarket products. The Raptor is going to take more mods to equal the DS as a King of the Hill kind of Quad, but lighter weight will see it in the winners circle with a less tired rider, and reverse will let him back out without being pushed.

 

I own a Rpator and highly recomend it though I LOVE the DS as well. Rode one with a guy I met. He loved the Raptor and I loved the DS. I weigh 24 and he was a bit smaller. I took him every time we raced....not by much, but by enough to get him peeved. He was bone stock, I have a Big Gun slip on with jetting. I don't think the Big Gun makes a huge diff though. My suggestion would be to hook up with someone that has a ride you like and mooch a rip on it...take it out for a spin

 

latervikes,

I would hold off on buying the Raptor and Cannondale. Time will tell you alot about reliability! I own a Raptor, trust me, this thing is not yet nearly as reliable as the DS. The DS is proven to be reliable, but only after time. If you buy a new quad, expect problems.

I am considering selling my Raptor and buying something else. Unsure what yet. I sure miss my 89 zilla though. Biggest freakin mistake I made, selling the Zilla for a Raptor. The dealer has had my Raptor as many hours as I have ridden it (no joke).

Anyway, a word to the wise. Don't buy a first year quad if you can wait it out.

Good luck in your decision!

 

I guess Iam a very lucky man I have both a 88 Quadzilla and a 2000 DS650