If you are talking stock for stock the ds will win in most races if the riders abilities are about the same.I have raced my friends raptor quite a few times on my baja and the baja is stronger from top to bottom.We have raced on the sand flats for probably a half mile and at the end he was at least 100 feet back if not more and we got a very even rolling start.The rotax motor has more potential than most people give it credit for and if you ever see a properly built and tuned ds you will be impressed.To further illustrate the strength of the rotax motor i would point out that i am 260 lbs and my friend on the raptor is 205 so the ds can be quite a performer.There are so many factors that determine the outcome of a race ,gearing,tire selection,tire pressure,rider ability,that it is hard to say from just a few race results but i have raced my friends raptor on my baja many times and i have never lost on the flats or up a hill so the answer seems clear to me but you should go race and see what results you come up with.

 

I got smoked by my cousins Baja Ds 3-4 bikes in a 1000ft drag... Still getting used to the raptos tricky shifting....

Travis

 

Thanks for all the help guys. My friend's dad just bought a DS650 and I was wonderin if i could beat him in a drag. I really appreciate it, i love these forums!!

 

No problem what we are all here for

Have a good time!
Travis

 

These quads are so close in performance that I think you have to look elsewhere as a deciding factor.
Handling, weight, comfort, suspension, what kind of riding are you doing? The Raptor is so much lighter, smaller, stiffer, harder, better for jumps, tight trails and MX.

The DS is a big desert sled, cruiser, soaks up the bumps, but stay out of the whoops, and don't jump it unless your takeoffs are perfect, because once you launch it, that's where it's going.

Nobody ever complained about the DS tranny or gear spacing, IT is the slickest shifting quad out there. It is a massive machine, and for the Big and Tall set, there is absolutely nothing else out there.

I am on my 3rd DS, my son went from a Raptor to a Z-400. I often refer to the Raptor as a big freakin' motor with handlebars on it....The Z is more nimble, lighter, even better at the tight trails, MX style riding,
jumps, wheelies, but....has a big horsepower disadvantage....

They both are great duners, horsepower matters,

 

The DS piped/jetted with a bigger front stroket will take a piped/jetted Raptor with a bigger front sproket from start to finish by at least 1/2 a quad length everytime, Just my experience racing them.

 

I have 2 friends w/ DS's 03-04 Baja's and, I can get them up to 5th gear then they gain and, eventaully go ahead in top speed... I weight 40lbs and, 60 lbs more than them though. This was in a corn field and, several races... I will say they launch better by not standing straight up like my Raptor... And, this was also while i was stock piped, filter'd and, jetted.