I read about the stage 3 kit in the latest dirtwheels and was not impressed.It couldn't beat a medium built shee. For almost $4000 I think u should be able to roost just about anything. Also the dyno shows a stock ds doesn't even put out 45 hp, like they claim 48. Whats up with this?

Also i was really ribbed in a chat room when i talked about wanting a 2001 ds. Everyone pointed to this arcticle and said how the ds couldn't beat a mildly built shee.But the guys that were doing the ribing, low and behold were shee owners.It seems like shee owners are really up tight about this new yello beast.

I guess what i am gettin at is i want to know if the ds is for real or not before laying down the cash. I hear so many things from both sides. Anyome race a shee? Let me know if u did. Also let me know if this thing is the real deal or not. Thanx guys.

 

What are you talking about? The article stated that the stage I ds beat everything but a dean sundahl built banshee. That banshee didn't did not beat it by much and the ds had v-paddles and the banshee had straight paddles which do make a difference. I had a stock 96 banshee and a built 90 zilla and now I have a stage I ds, so I know what I'm talking about. I can tell you this a stock ds will take a stock banshee in a drag- that is a FACT. But on the other hand in the tight trails like Leota in MI, the ds will have a hard time cause the trails are too narrow for the wide ds, I just came back from there sat and I could not keep up to 2 400ex and a shee. Don't beleive all the crap the banshee guys are just pissed because they are getting beat in the drags. My buddy in arizona has a stock ds and just got back from glamis and he beat every stock banshee he raced, and he even raced one with toomy pipes and porting up comp hill they were neck and neck and right at the top of the hill the ds started pulling on the shee but ran out of room, That one just barely beat him. Read all the reveiws on the ds they don't lie and also they tested a stage I ds not a stage III they just put the dyno curve wood rotax supplied them. I talked to elliot from wood racing.

 

I would have to agree with LUBA. The dyno readings from Bombardier (on the assembly line & also posted on their website I do believe) show the DS to have roughly 40-50hp AT THE WHEELS. The chart has very large increments so it's hard to tell exactly, but it looks like 44hp to me.

Anyhow "at the wheel" horsepower is MUCH different than if you're dyno'ing at the crank HP.

In Dirt Wheels mag [I do believe] the DS only came in behind a 250r [heavily mod'd] (on a MX track mind you) by 2 seconds. Thats says a lot, remember you're talking stock vs. modified.

Also, I don't know why people are SO wound up about HP!? Horsepower is derived from Torque! And I will guaren damn tee, you will not get "DS like" torque out of any other ATV motor! Also the Stage III kit by Woods increases the DS's stock torque 100% (which comes to roughly 80-100 ft. lbs.)

In other words, that's a s@#t load! That's like starting with a Chevy pickup with a 305 V8 and putting a Cummins Diesel in it!

More torque means you can run taller gear ratios also a broad power band, unlike 2-stroke motors whose power band is above 3000-4500 rpm. Which boils down to a much easier to ride heavily modified motor.

My Tecate is heavily modified and it's horrible in the trails, riding around in 1st and 2nd gear (because of the above mentioned power band issues) sucks! I can barely ride an hour before the whole tank of gas is sucked dry.

'87 Mojave
'87 Tecate
'00 DS650 [bigger IS better]

 

Luba: i have the arcticle in front of me right now. It was a wood stage 3 kit that they tested. Also I see nothing about a sundahl banshee. It says they ran the stage 3 ds against a alba banshee withfmf pipes, v force reeds, cool head, boost bottle, k&n filter, and alba porting. You must be thinking of a different magazine.

 

Sorry I thought you were talking about the 4 Wheel action article, you should read that one the results are a little different.

 

What I don't understand is how they can say "Our Ron Wood Stage 3-modified DS650 had beacoup power for full-lock powerslides on the ovals or motocross tracks. It hit like gangbusters from the lower mid-range up to a high-revving top-end surge," top page 43, and then say, "The power is smooth . . ." last paragraph, page 46. Contradicting.