i know this has been on here before, but the threads seem slow and i would like to hear other peoples thoughts. my brother bought his wife a raptor last fall and we finally got to go out and ride with each other yesterday, it was a perfect day in the high desert, it snow early in the morning, but melted by the time we got there to ride. the ground was slightly damp so no dust. well we were excited we haven't rode together in about 5 months. so we unload and warm up the bikes and go out and hit a few of the small jumps and see what kind of wheelies we can do. the first thing we notice is the the tires that come on the raptor are much better than those kendas that bomb sent out, they should be embarassed about that. then we went to this kind of sand hill and the races began well with the traction problem it was who ever got the hole shot would win, well after that we started to ride the back cattle roads, there the ds and yes those terrible tires were much better, the tippy thing on the raptor became more apparent, and the tires didn't slide around the corners as well. well we went back to the truck and it was my turn to try the raptor, yes i rode it [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] well the traction is much better, the feel though is completely different, you feel every bump, made think i was missing something on my ds, well i did like the fact that stock you could bring up the front in the ruff stuff the jumping was different and i must admitt i didn't want to get after it on the raptor. well i can see why they like the raptor it has features that the ds doesn't, but i think if raptor riders ever spend much time on the ds they might not have the options that they do. the ride as far as comfort on the ds is much better. well over all the day was great , and i'm sure there will be many more tells of battles with ds's and raptors, but for me i just want to say is this riding stuff is fun[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] besides it wouldn't be fun to only have ds's to run and race with.

 

I love these kinds of posts...spent hours and hours reading them before I decided what quad to buy.
Sandman- so are you saying the stock DS tires aren't good for sand, but hook up decent in dirt?
And what do you mean that the raptor has features that the DS doesn't?

 

razor cat the first ds's came with kenda tires, well they look like itps and maxxis but that is as far as it goes they really suck they spin almost as if you are on ice. they almost take away some of the fun since you know what your machine will do with traction. well the first big difference was that reverse thing, and yes i can make due without it but i would take it in a heart beat if bomb had it. one of the funny things about those tires is one of my raptor buddies wants them i told him he could have them when i get new tires.i would like to be able to post a picture if his look after the first run on thos things, well that was the main differences. and if they didn't make ds's i would have a raptor.

 

I rode the Z400 a few weeks ago on the trail. I was only impressed by the handeling. The power, acceleration and mid range was simply not there. I was not nearly as comfortable as the DS.. I would not ever trade the DS for the Z400. I also smoked it in drages [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I still need time on a raptor to give it my opinion.

 

I just unloaded my raptor this week. I picked up another banshee. I have the ds baja also. I love the baja for overall riding, it is so comfortable. But I really enjoy hitting the throttle on the banshee.

I have 2 banshee's, and they are so fun to ride. I know they have their flaws, but in my opinion, and for a sand rider, the banshee is much better then the raptor.

The DS is a great machine, I just wish it was a 500cc two stroke........[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Raptor, 400ex, DS comparisons,first off let me say that I'm not a pro rider even though it says so under my name, so your results may vary. Trails; I like the 400 ex best, the handling, gearing is right there;Trails with hills, I would take the raptor, I can't go through the trails as fast on the rap, but I like climbing the hills better on one, much more power. Muddy conditions; the raptor, because of reverse. Wide open areas, sand, fields and hills the DS has it hands down..If the trails were wider I would love the ds on the trails, there is much more tire scraping on the DS in the trails, you need better aim to put it between the trees. If I had to chose one, it would be hard to say, they all excel in different categories. Right now with my new motor you can't pry my a$$ off the ds.

I have never rode a Z400 or banshee or Predator, so I can't speek for them.

 

hey guys quick question - is a stock DS as fast as a stock banshee? I raced one the other day and beat him 1 out of 2 runs. We were pretty even. It seems like the shee would go faster in top end (I kept hitting rev limiter), but our drag strip wasn't very long about 1.5 blocks on pavement)
Is this a normal occurance? When this guy saw my quad he says "i have a 4wheeler that will smoke that", and he brings out his month old banshee and I procede to make him look silly on the first race [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I would have put my money on the Shee. Now, if he was an experianced rider he should have beat you stock to stock...

 

Sorry, I kind of got off the subject and decided to move it to its own post.