Ive been debating on which new quad to get the Raptor or the DS 650. I keep changing my mind on things like the Raptor has reverse Ds does not the Ds is wider and thus more stable but the Raptor is thinner and thus better for tight woods riding I can eventually fix the widening probs for Raptor but cant decide on which one to buy. I will be doing mostly trail riding and some occasional drag races. Any help from you gus is appreciated especially from those who have both quads or have driven both.

 

One of my buddies owns the raptor and the other the DS. The DS guy is regretting buy it, 500 pounds vs 398, reverse vs. get off and move it yourself. And if you ride trails, let me tell you the DS buddy had to buy new A-arms cause he wasn't used to such a wide machine and crashed it against a rock. This guy isn't some jackass neither, he is a great rider. NO question get the raptor, 2002, not 2001

 

I would highly recommend the Cannondale Cannibal. It has better power/weight ratio than both the Raptor and DS650 and it will take both bikes on the track and in a drag. Because of the weight 370lbs, it is also a great trail bike. No need to update suspension, wheels, tires, A-Arms, etc.. Not sure why anyone looking for power in an ATV would choose anything else. My closing used to say "400ex, raptor, or DS650 coming soon" Well, I did my homework and I'm glad I did!!!

 

I would by the raptor- reverse, lighter, cheaper to mod. It is not as narrow or tippy as some will lead you to believe.

ds650-nice ride but i just did not want a heavy machine when i was looking, BUT i have heard that 650 are selling around 5000 grand new now.

When i was looking the dealers wanted 6995 for the ds vs. 6450 for the raptor. That was my deciding factor. Had the 650 been around 5000 who knows. My own opion is they are close in all catagories as to not make much of a difference except weight.

You need to take most info on these forums with a grain of salt because it is mainly my quad is better than your quad. You can't go wrong with either.

 

I have actually been looking into the Cannondale quads and really like them what did you pay for the cannibal andif you hav any idea what kind of gas mileage does it get

 

<< The DS guy is regretting buy it, 500 pounds vs 398, >>



Were in the world are you getting your weight figures from? When you have to make up #'s[or just out right lie] to convince yourself that you bought the right quad, then maybe you didn't get the quad you should have. The DS is heavyer, no doubt, but the differance is around 60lbs, not 102lbs. I'm not trying to start a battle, but at least tell the truth when some one asks for help deciding

If you would like to hear the opinion of DS riders, why not post your question over there as well.

 

You might find that some truthful facts will help you instead of exaggerations from people like showar94
The DS weighs 460lbs, and not 500.

If showar94's buddy had crashed a raptor, he would have broke more than just the a-arms. Put a Raptor and DS side by side and compare how much stronger and larger the A-arms are on the DS. The only person at fault was showar’s buddy. Breaking something just because you are not USED to it is an amateurs excuse. That’s like saying I crashed it because I wasn't USED to the power it made. BS!!

I would also suggest doing a search in the Bomb and Yamaha forums for common problems. Especially note how the only main problem Bomb has not fixed is the DS chain roller. However, you can find dozens of reports from Yamaha owners on serious problems like transmissions going out (BIG $$), rear axles breaking ($300+), a-arms bending or breaking ($500+), carbs popping off, etc... Take the time to do a search and read for yourself. Yamaha has made no changes to compensate for this.

You will also find in any magazine that has done a shootout between the Bomb and Raptor, that the heavier DS is just as fast (acceleration), if not a second or 2 faster. You will also have a hard time racing anybody when you can do nothing but wheelie on the top heavy Raptor. Notice how the center of gravity is much lower on the DS even though it is a slightly taller ride. This lower center of gravity will also make you a much better hill climber and corner carver. Part of the problem with the Yamaha has put almost the smallest swingarm ever put on a sport ATV on the Raptor. It is just as small as the swing arm on a Mojave.

There is no comparison as far as the suspension. Just read the other recent post called Houser long Travel A-arms. This person just spent over $1675 to make his suspension as plush as the Bomb. Enough said about suspension.

My opinion is that you will also find that the Bomb is just as good a tight trail ride as any other quad. I live in the Black Hills of SD, and can attest to that.

Just my 2c

 

I was looking at them today wondering which I would choose if I had to do it over again. My son has a Raptor and I have a DS, we've had them about 6 months. They replaced a Polaris H.O. and EXP. We love them both. They both have some aftermarket goodies and will get more. They both NEED a few pieces to be on top of their game. Most notably a wider axle for the Raptor and upper A-arms for the DS. Then there's all the rest of the stuff that just makes them both better.
.....The choice is tough. They are both great quads. Most of their shortcomings can be fixed...except that you cannot add reverse to the DS and you cannot trim 60 lbs off of it.
.....I prefer my DS over my son's Raptor. But if I had a Raptor I would have the +2,+1 A-arms and TCS shocks and a Raptor with that set up might be better than a DS with upper A-arms and good shocks. 60 lbs is a hell of a good arguement. And on the trail and most parking situations reverse is fantastic.
......Right now you can buy a DS for about $5300. That is the best arguement of all. That Raptor with A-arms and TCS shocks is over $8 grand.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

BomBanshee, I paid $6995 and the dealer threw in $300 in gear and the first service for free. Luckily, mine had the better shocks and rims like the fx400. As far as gas mileage, I don't really know. I can run about 2.5hrs on the track and use about 1/2 tank of gas. I'm used the the Honda 250ex and I can ride all day on a tank. I don't think the gas mileage is all that great but what do you expect when you have almost 40hp.

 

bomBanshee; It all boils down on where you ride. Open dune areas, I can see where reverse isn't that much of an issue; I was in Las Vegas, NV a couple of weeks ago.. there's nothing out there. Bombardier DS650 all the way....but if you ride trails/wooded areas then I'll go with the Raptor. Both are excellent quads so in all truth you won't go wrong with either. Whatever rocks your boat.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]