Well, if it's true, then they could have an awesome ad campaign - "The new & IMPROVED Raptor". Settle down Raptor guys, I'm being silly!!

 

I agree will all of you guys...This will suck for big guys like me who WANT a bigger bike. If you read all the reviews in the mags, almost every reviewer bitches about the size and "heavy" front end. I think Bomb is trying to respond to this. I beleive the current guys in this forum bought a DS because it IS the was it is .. not some knees in face raptor. I am sure there will be more changes by release time.

I agree with Angrybajaboy, if anybody esle has contacts, pound them for some info. Unfortunatly , I believe that it will be a smaller bike.

 

I am worried that ALL models will have these changes!!

Surely the BAJA will keep the width and lenght of the current DS!






Biggerisbetter.

 

Ok,
I have looked through dirt wheels mag and I CANT FIND THIS ARTICLE!! WHAT PAGE??
I went to the web site and that is NOT my march cover.. My march cover has the april fools article on the 1400 suzuki...
Did they send me april and not march??
My jan and feb are correct Mine has WAY differant artiles and such....

 

Look at the spine of the Dirtwheels that you have. Make sure it says March. They may not have shipped you the March issue for some reason.

 

I can sort of understand the narrowing, but it still sucks. The reason no other manufacturers make one this wide stock is that a couple of states have a maximum width limit for what can be called an ATV, and the DS is over that limit, so they can't be sold in those states. In the past, bombardier's "follow no one" attitude prevailed and basicly said screw em, we won't compromise. so they don't sell the ds in those states. If this new width is true, then they would have a 50 state model. I like the idea of the 1/2" shorter aluminum swing-arm that DW described, but 2" is just right out! it's insane.

The other problem that I see is traditional word of mouth. It holds true that an happy customer will tell 2 to 3 people about their experience. An unhappy customer will tell everyone they know about their experience. What I see happening is that most people (including all the atv mags) automaticly assume that because of the size of the ds, it won't be good on the trails, or it's too heavy etc... But most of them have never ridden the DS let alone taken them out trail riding. The DS has a rep of a dune machine, (as it should) but it doesn't have a rep as a trail/cross country/motocross machine. This really hinders the DS sales, no matter how good it is.

Personally, I can tell you that I haven't ran across any terrain that my brother inlaw's 400ex could go that I couldn't run faster and safer on.

 

the # for tvi is 503-648-1254

 

I'm glad I went ahead and bought the '03 [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
Width has never been a problem with mine (except the trailer had to be "modified" because the quad barely fit in the side slot). As far as trails go, I have never been unable to go where other quads go.

 

Trailer as in parking your wheeler in your house? or pulling the wheeler behind the motor home??
LOL..
Have to pick on you Arkansas people. My grand parrents lived there.

 

LOL mudstud! I roost in your general direction!
hehe we have a trailer made for 2 quads, one goes on the back and one goes in sideways at the front. Well they designed it for "ordinary" quads [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] It would fit but you had to squeeze it through. So we got out the sawsall, cut part of it off, moved it over and welded it back [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] Also welded a wheel to the trailer jack so you can move the trailer around easily with both quads on it.