http://www.botswanaoffroad.com/page4.html

Check out the shootout between the Raptor & the DS. Need I say which one wins.....check it out for yourself.

 

Hi McFly I check it out and you are correct the Raptor won the shootout. All so on the page a derest race is listed. If you check out the results it tell a differnt story. http://www.quadzone.co.za/Racing/desert1000.htm You can win a shootout or you can win what is quoted as the (arguably the toughest quad off-road race that there is)

 

Hi CalDS650
This Is a small world.....the link you pointed me to www.quadzone.co.za is my website here in South Africa. The only reason the Bomb won, is because I came off my Raptor and fractured my femur. But you are right, the DS is the dessert king no question, which is exactly what the shootout article tells us. It is definately more reliable under those extremely tough conditions. hell, its sheer abuse....
My brother in-law has a DS. I ride it a lot, and love it, but would never swap it for my Raptor. We mostly do woods riding, MX riding, and dune ridding. The Raptor is king of all 3.
Another thing....man I cant wheelie the yellow submarine[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
I have the best of both worlds, I get to ride the 2 big guns....love em all!

 

Hi McFly Sorry to here about your leg hope it heals fast. The Raptor has won a few desert races over here. There is stiff comp from Honda 250R bored out to 310 to 350 CC light and fast and the Honda 440ex. The desert racing is getting tuff. In the wood and MX the Honda 250r and the hybrid SUZ DR400 and Yamaha YZ426 are tuff and now Cannonade is staring to make some smoke. The rumors are Honda is coming out with 650 or 450 4-stroke quad only time will tell. Tell your brother-in-law to get the Edelbrock QwikSilver Carb. I help Edelbrock developed it and I have a hard time keeping the front end down. All so IMS will have a desert tank for the DS650 with in the next two weeks.

 

4 months later now, and the leg is much stronger. Im back on the quad in spite of the doctor and physio's objections. Only thing is the friends call me Robocop now because Im full of steel pins and screws. I hit graded earth at speed and went over the handlebars....Raptor landed on top of me....Ooach!
Thank god I wasnt ridin the DS.....the extra 100 pounds and all.
I hope Honda do take up the challange. They are lagging behind, and need to show face.