I haven't been much of a Bombardier fan, but I must say they are moving in the right direction with this updated DS. I actually looks pretty cool! The thing that kills it for me is even MORE weight to contend with...now if they could just lighten that thing up! So how does everyone think this new beast will stack up against the 2002 version of the Raptor?

I just bought a 2001 DS650 off ebay. Left over brand new with a factory warranty. I got it for $5300. Stock vs. stock the DS is worlds better
than the Raptor. Even with all the mods on my Raptor I like the DS better.
It's alot more fun. I don't know how much the Baja is going for, but for the price I got mine, I got about $2,000 to play with until I'm up to retail.
Wanna buy a Raptor cheap???

Joey9

You bought that bike? how didi the transaction go?

Can't belive you didi it though. I had an ATK with a rotax engine and the thing just blew up after awhile. I took the engine apart and the cases were cracked..piston exploded


Lets hope you have better luck

The transaction was great. It came when promised. The bike was brand new never even out of the crate. Factory warranty and everything. The only thing was I had to prep it, but it wasn't bad. Adjusted the chain, set tire press etc. You must have had a very defective Rotax engine because they have a very good track record. They've bean putting those engines in BMW enduro bike for years. Later

Oh so i see..they saved money by having you do the prepping

Yeah i don't know..i would like to ride one, one of these days..i am curious

The rotax that was in the ATK406 was a 2 stroke also. And the design was 10 years old to begin with it so who knows..i have heard that the bombadiers have good engines....

How much you want for the Raptor?

Last guy I saw on a '01 ds650 was riding trials and said he hated his bike and regretted buying it. Wonder if he felt the same on sand, or if the '02 is suddenly more agile.

Scot-I notice that you live in Az, so I assume you are a desert rider. See my post titled "Desert Cross Country vs Desert Racer", in the "Other ATV Topics" section of the forum. What Bombardier built is a big wide desert racer, that is poorly adapted to any other kind of rideing. The DS is a great bike in its element, but most desert recreational riders need a less specialized machine (and most people aren't going to enjoy the bikes large size). If you are a big guy and just want to bomb down fire roads, then it might be a good choice. The stock Raptor on the other hand is more of a trail bike. Widen it and it should make a good desert XC machine.

With all the tight trails we have around here in southern Indiana a machine that wide just wouldn't work. In the last couple of years I have only seen one(yellow) in this area. Chet

IMO, The DS is a better bike stock vs. stock. Like you said the only thing the Bomb doesn't excel at is TIGHT trail riding. I mean only tight trail riding where the thing won't fit in between tree's and such.
Because I've been trail riding with it multiple times now and have yet to overheat the clutch unlike my Raptor. THe gearing is alot better as opposed to the 2001 Raptor for trail riding. I've been riding quads for 14 years so I do have a little expierence and what I'd like to see happen to the Raptor is this. Fix the gearbox (which they may have done this year), Widen it 3-4",
Better clutch that doesn't melt from slipping it, 2" longer swingarm, and more suspension travel. I think that would make the Raptor undisputed King of the Hill. I sold my Raptor yesterday cause I got the Bomb. THe main reasons I did this was I got the Bomb cheap and I'm moving out to Vegas. SO instead of putting another $1500 into the Raptor(a-arms, axle, & swingarm)and sending my shocks out to get revalved. I figured I'd go for the Bomb and I do love it.
Later

What didi you wind up getting for bike if you don't mind me asking?