I had been feeling a bit cooped up lately so I decided to load up the new DS and head to the Little Sahara dunes. I knew there was snow down there but how much was a mystery. The road on the way out was a blast since only one lane of it was paved. My "I have a bigger truck" philosophy seemed to win out everytime [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]
My initial impression of the DS was that it had less power than my Raptor, partly because I was just breaking it in and partly because it has a power band. -- This is something that my Raptor lacks completely. My Raptor has power NOW right off the bottom that sort of levels out about 8000 rpm. My bone stock DS is a bit weak off the bottom but really comes into it's own in the midrange and gets cut out by the rev-limiter where it feels like it still has something left in it.

Racing Raptors, this was the fun part of the day. I waited until I had a couple of hours break in time before running the hill. There were Raptors everywhere, I would estimate at least 8-10 of them there and I was one of three DS's there and the only one of them racing.
First race I pick with a Stock DS650 vs. FMF and paddled piped Raptor, I schooled him in the whoops and pulled away from him so bad it was at least 15-20 lengths at the top. Re-raced him and beat him but not so bad, he hit the whoops a little harder this time. Pulled away from him on the steep part of the hill both times.
Second Race Stock DS650 vs. GTYR piped and paddled Raptor this guy started in second and beat me to and through the whoops, was leading me about 10 lengths by the time I was through them I closed on him the entire way up.
Third Race Stock DS650 vs. FMF Piped Raptors pissed off brother (I outweighed both of them by 75-125 lbs easy) He beat me to the whoops and through nearly killing himself getting sideways, I need to adjust my suspension it was pounding through the whoops more than absorbing them. I closed on him all the way up but still lost.
Bottom line is, even a stock DS with a big heavy guy like myself can actually gain on Raptors going up the hill I was impressed to say the least. I was bouncing the limiter all the way up the hill in third gear, if I had even paddles or a little taller gear I bet I could have beaten these piped Raptors. I can tell that the stock DS exhaust is very restrictive, I need either a new end cap or a nice slip on. Also a new cdi is a necessity on this machine.
Anyways, it was very cold and snowing but I still had a blast. I was impressed with the dunability of this machine. It felt very stable negotiating the knife edges of frozen dunes and soaked up the bumps well at speed.
My Raptor still has a certain brand of front end raising, torquey power that I love, and it's narrow chassis is fun in it's own way. I'm glad that my DS is so different yet just as kick ***, the size makes it a much more comfortable ride for me. I can't wait to start modding this one out.

Anyway, I'm a happy DS owner [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Almost forgot, if anybody wants to brave the cold with me I am tenatively planning to go out on the first which is a Tues. It's supposed to be a balmy 40 degrees!

 

Hey dunejammer, Glad to hear you like your DS, If you get some paddle on that monster you won't notice the rev-limiter as much, I know it feels like it is still hooking up pretty good, but it isn't. A good set of paddles and a modified endcap(like mine)or a good slip on,and that "grunt" your Raptor has, will pale in comparison to the DS. That motor really is very restricted, I know the more time you put on the DS, the more you'll love it. They findly made a serious machine for us BIG guys.

Biggerisbetter.

 

If your going to change the CDI you might also want to go to a on the carb airfilter/outter ware, the air tube to the the carb will start coalasping <sp?> at about 8k rpm

 

Dunejammer, sounds like you had some fun. I wish I could make it down for a ride. I will be coming down to Kevins over the MLK weekend, but I think we might just ride closer to home. Maybe we will brave little sahara. I don't know yet.

I, like you have been feeling cooped up and decided to go out for a little ride yesterday. It was a nice warm 22 degrees. I only rode for about a half hour, because my hands started getting numb. I need some better winter riding gloves.

I know the baja only has about 200 more rpm in the rev limiter, but I have never hit it on mine. Maybe I am just not riding it hard enough.

Well, maybe we can hook up for a ride over mlk weekend.

Take care and have a happy new year.

Bat

 

Dunejammer next time you go to Little Sahara let me know and our group can hook up with your group. We went down four weeks ago and it wasn't too cold but it could have been better. Let me know how much snow is on the dunes after your ride today if you don't mind. Hope you enjoy the new ride.

 

Guys I will be at Little Sahara with the 703 for Memorial Day.

 

Thanks for the comments guys, I didn't get down to the dunes today but I did get to perform some mods to the stock muffler. I cut the entire spark arrestor screen out along with the two pipe extensions. I cut everything right back to the cap. I was surprised to find that the two pipes that extend in have little silencers in them.
I can't wait to try this mod out, but I can tell you it went from weak and anemic sounding machine to a nice low rumble with a nice bark. Not at all what I would consider loud, but certainly louder and freer flowing than stock. Very impressed with the meaty sound.
3TV I would love to come down and ride Southern Utah with you sometime, it's one of my favorite places on earth [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
Bat, It would be cool to hit Little Sahara while your down here as long as conditions permit[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Maybe we'll end up on 3TV's doorstep if the weather up here is too cold [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

DuneJammer...
I have noticed you have a banshee w/ Toomeys and a Bomb as well.. Can you hilight the pros and cons of each machine as a comparison as well as in the dunes? Thanks!