Need help selecting quad between raptor and ds 650 or maybe even z400 Im about 6'3 90kg would raptor be too small? I ride mainly on dunes and beaches here in AUS. ds is about 14K, raptor 12.5K and z400 11.5K, is the ds worth that much more, and has anyone reversed the rims on the raptor so it aint so narrow?

 

Being that you are 6' 3 " the DS may be a better choice for you just so you have the extra room when or if you need it ..the Raptor would be a good fit but maybe a little small ..and If I'm not mistaken the Z400 will be even smaller. our club Pres. has a 2001 Raptor with aftermarket front rims (Off set) they seem to work great and look cool ..for the rear get some wheel spacers they are cheap and easy to install. Should work good as long as you don't plan on extremely hard riding or racing.

 

I'm thinking that wat too, but reverse would be handy and I have to travel 300mile to the nearest bomardier dealer!

 

Hey man, I have a DS650, I don't think you will be dissapointed. I am getting a Raptor, but still keeping the DS650, because I love it, and hell, I only weigh 115lbs! Some people might say it's crap, and heavy, but has any of those people ever ridden one? They are heavy, but with the power, and the plush ride, huge suspension travel, and smooth powerband you don't notice it. This weekend, at Aledo, a lot of people took their first DS650 ride on my DS650, and they admitted they liked it a lot more than they thought they would. Ask Rod (Rodsquads). I like both, the raptor will need to be widened as soon as I get it though, so the price difference is not a problem. The DS loves powerslides, donuts, and high speed drags. The Raptor loves Wheelies, MX tracks, Jumps, and trails. The raptor takes getting used to, but the DS doesn't. I like both. Both are fast, I can do wheelies on my DS, I can just do them on the Raptor, Better. Both awesome machines, go sit on a Raptor, then a DS, and see which you like better. Oh, yeah, the Raptor is about half as expensive to mod.

 

At our local dunes (Silver Lake) Raptors seem to rule, meaning it's the most popular. Raptor's outnumber DS's by 20 to 1. That being said, I think the Baha DS is a better "pure duner" (you have the Baha edition in Oz?); more suspension travel, plusher ride. There was a single Z400 there last week and it was getting spanked BAD, as in I was embarrassed for the guy. I'm about your size (6'3", 205lbs w/ gear) and I loved my Raptor w/ straight paddles on the dunes. There were three Bombardier factory semi's at the Silver Lake Dunes last week with 8 unreleased models of quads being tried out. Rumor has it that there might be a "400 class" quad with the 650 motor coming soon (read Raptor clone). No idea what this will do to the DS650 price or re-sale value.

 

Hi Hemmi!

You need to sit on, or ride, the quads you are looking at. I'm 6' 4" and weigh 250lbs. I didn't have the chance to sit on a DS. I had thought about a 400EX, until I sat on it. It was just too small. I felt like I was sitting on my kids little 50. I think the Z is about the same size. I have recently made friends with a guy who has a DS baja, he is our size, and chose it because it was more comfortable for him. He had the chance to try it and the Raptor. When I first sat on a Raptor it seemed kinda small to me (I used to have a big utility quad). It took about 30 seconds of riding it, for that "it's a little bit too small" feeling to go away. I ride on some real nasty wood trails, and have yet to have any type of "jammed up" problems trying to control it because of my size. In fact, the first time I rolled it over myself, the first thought that came to my head was, "damn, this thing it big!" lol... In all honesty though, I think when you sit on the two (DS and Raptor), you will feel more at home on the DS. My friend did, and bought the DS. Like I said, I never got the chance to sit on a DS first. If I had, I know I would have bought one. After riding my Raptor, I am glad of the choice I made, and wouldn't switch. The Raptor is the first sport quad I've owned. Man, it's a frickin' wild ride. I love it. My friends DS can't keep up with me on the nasty trails we ride on.

From my friends perspective, he can't stand the feel of the Raptor compared to his DS. His is piped and jetted, my Raptor is stock, and he admits, it is quicker on the trails, and still feels like it has more power. I don't know. I rode his DS, and it is a powerful machine, and really comfortable, but was a beast on the tight trails. There is more difference between the two than just the weight. When you are a big guy, the extra weight of the DS doesn't really matter to you. The two quads just feel different. You will love either one you get. Like I said earlier though, if you sit on the two, I think you would chose a DS. It's real comfortable when you sit on it.

One last consideration though, is the mods. You ride mostly beaches/dunes. You will be able to mod the Raptor cheaper than the DS.

 

Well Said * BlueRulez *

 

Thanks fellas I'll probably go for the ds if I can order one from home town if not may have to settle for the raptor!