Your best bet for information on a new quad is an impartial 3rd party. The most recent copy of the magazine "Atv Sport" did a shoot-out with the DS, the Raptor, the 400ex, and the Polaris 500. The magazine had professional racers ride all four atv's though both a woods track and a motocross track and recorded the elapsed time for each. The 400ex won both. The extra power of the other quads could not overcome the superior handling of the ex. I sound like I am bias but I assure you I am not. I have a Quadzilla but if I were to buy a new atv it would be the Raptor. Therefore, you can definily accept this information as impartial. Is there anybody out there that feels they can out-ride these professionals?

 

Everyone should ride LT500s. I own a 400EX (it is actually my wife's) and it is a fine machine. It is however not as awesome as my Suzuki.

 

The 400ex is a nice bike, but the DS650 is much more of a machine. Bigger, better looking, and did I mention much faster....!!!! Go with the DS650..!!!


j/t
01 Raptor Blk/White (stock)

 

Id go with the DS650

 

get a Ds, this will solve all of lifes problems and you will live happily ever after.

 

I don't know why everyone is saying "the DS is worth the extra money" I got my new Baja edition, out the door for $6700, and last time I checked, the raptor was $6999

 

hey BigCrashChris
i have never herd any one saying there ds over heating . maybe a bad fan but never over heating abd for the remark about not reliable .. pleaseeeeeeeeeee why do you think they won the baja.


for the type of riding you are doing get the ds . for all the money you put in to a 400ex for shocks and motor work you could of had a ds that is still beating the 400.. go with the ds and make life easy on your self ..

 

nothing like reviving an ancient thread. Holly man guys.

 

Enough said right there -------> http://www.atvnews.com/output.cfm?id=33571

 

...and back to the topic...

I bought a 400EX when they first came out in late 1998. Great bike, easy to maintain, mellow yet strong power, awesome handling.

Last summer I bought a new '01 DS. It was 6.4k out the door. More expensive than an EX, but a lot cheaper than a new Raptor. It's so much more fun to ride than the 400EX, there is no comparison. It's simply a much, much faster machine, and a lot more comfortable too. I would never go back.