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View Full Version : HOw do you guys feel about the ds650's?



01-09-2002, 01:03 AM
I havent noticed much talk about the ds650. alot of talk about rapters but not much on the ds's. My friend I work with has had 2 DS'S. And i can vouch that those things are fast. dont get me wrong i have a 400ex and love it but when it comes to pure speed an torque I think the ds650 is insane. All he has done to his is added a stage one ron woods kit to it. His new baja was clocked at 90MPH in a 1000 feet. Maybe i just like them so much due to the fact that im a big guy and it seems to fit me better than my 400ex.I'll post a few pics of his quades to see what you guys think.

01-09-2002, 01:07 AM
here is his black one witch he sold to buy the new baja edition

JustRace
01-09-2002, 01:24 AM
Even though I have never gotten to ride one I really like them. I watched them mess around in the sand and it looked like that was the perfect machine. I really want to ride one. That will probably be the next atv I get just because no one around here has one and I like to be different. Plus I like the fact that they are bigger too. I'm not as lucky as some of these people on here that way around 150lbs.

MarkyNark
01-09-2002, 07:54 AM
I love the Bombardier DS models. Now, like you said, dont get me wrong as I have a 400EX too! I love the Honda for the trails. But for open sand! OMFG! Pretty much my whole internet site is dedicated to the Bomber. Check it out at www.markynark.com (http://www.markynark.com) .

barbwire44
01-09-2002, 09:59 AM
Hey, i to am a little to big to be comftorable on my 400ex and would gladly trade my ex for a baja edition. Anyone interested? It's in excellent shape!:D

4punksdad
01-09-2002, 03:51 PM
I have never ridden a DS. I considered one when I bought my 400ex, but the dealer was willing to deal on 400's and not on the 650.

I rode with a guy who owns one, and he spent the whole day working on it. it seemed like a nice ride, but for some reason he kept fouling plugs & blowing the carb boot off. I guess he had his jetting all fouled up or something.

I am glad I chose the 400........I think the DS would be a little too wide for some of my tighter trails. wide open spaces seem to be the best place for the dune sport 650.

bombardier makes a solid product.........planes, boats, snowmobiles, quads etc.....

01-09-2002, 04:00 PM
I think that they are sweet. I have already told many people that the Baja DS650 might just be my next toy!

01-09-2002, 06:48 PM
:) :(
I 'm not sure about the looks they haven't caught on with me. I've never rode one so i can't say much, but I'm sure the power is nice.

01-09-2002, 11:49 PM
here is a pic of my friends baja 650 with a few extras. it has graydon nerfs and holeshots all around. he bought the hole shots smaller than the stock size witch really helped it stick the corners. stock it can be a little tippsy due to its high center of gravity. he said stock it was still more stable than the raptor he has owned them both. he felt the raptor was too narrow.

01-10-2002, 09:49 AM
Even thogh I never rode one I'm fond of them. But their a little too heavy.:macho

MarkyNark
01-10-2002, 10:17 AM
Originally posted by QuadKid250EX
Even thogh I never rode one I'm fond of them. But their a little too heavy.:macho

They're only too heavy if your underneath it! I've trimmed mine down to Raptor weight, but a solid frame is a good thing for a Baja style quad. They could have made them lighter with chromoly or more aluminum, but then the price would have been too high for most folks. But, for trail riding, I like my 400EX better, lots of low end torque and a narrow stance is best for trails.

NJ300ex
01-10-2002, 02:42 PM
If i lived in california i would have one. I think they are awesome. They look so cool when you take off those front fenders, put on holeshots xcts, and put on a new bumper and grab bar. I wish i had one sometimes.

01TRX300EX
01-11-2002, 06:19 PM
I think they are cool looking, I have only had a chance to sit on one, at first it was weird, but its actually pretty cool once you settle it, as with all the Bombardier's I have sat on (except the mini's I dont have a desire to sit on them). I think they need bigger tires, those 20 inchers look so tiny on it. And I guess they could shave some weight. But I just would love to have 12 inches of travel, that would be awesome. I am saving up money now so I can buy wider a-arms, new shocks, longer swing arm, and new wider axle. After that I am thinking of a new pipe, but I dont want to go into the motor, I don't need anymore power unless I start racing.

DiceMan400
01-11-2002, 07:20 PM
They are super fast but they are real bad jumpers....... The same goes for the raptor........ They cant cut turns or jump with the ease of the EX or the R...... I know this from experiance...... Even banshees handle turns and jumps better...... They are just too much bike and too much power for track racing...... But in sand pits and dunes they F-ing rule....... They kick the *** out of just about any quad on the market in dunes and sandpits......

DEAL
01-12-2002, 09:48 AM
Quadkid250
How do you know they're too heavy you've never ridden one?

MarkyNark
01-12-2002, 09:55 AM
Originally posted by DiceMan400
They are super fast but they are real bad jumpers....... The same goes for the raptor........ They cant cut turns or jump with the ease of the EX or the R...... I know this from experiance...... Even banshees handle turns and jumps better...... They are just too much bike and too much power for track racing...... But in sand pits and dunes they F-ing rule....... They kick the *** out of just about any quad on the market in dunes and sandpits......

Diceman,

If you want to see how they jump, check out these videos on this guys website (http://www.parrett.net/~jimg/) . I've never seen anything like it! with some suspension work, they can jump, turn - they just aren't narrow enough for some trails.

MarkyNark
01-14-2002, 07:23 AM
Yepperz, some of the DS guys live for jumping! Check out this dudes new jump. :eek: .

MarkyNark
01-14-2002, 10:39 AM
400excrasher,

Hey I did notice that your heat sheild on your Baja was upside down! The Big end goes towards the back. Just FYI! Dealers dont always know what goes where. Also, did you get rid of the reinforced rims?

Marky

01-14-2002, 10:58 AM
Thanks markynark,
I'll let my buddy know about the heatshield.He put the Ron Woods exhust on it so he might of put it on backwards. He still has the stock rims and tire they are back on the quade now he just uses the holeshots when he's doing a little mx riding. Have you noticed any problems that these bike seem to have? On his first one the clutch and rear bearings whent with in a couple months. He hasnt had any of those problems with the baja but he did install heavy duty clutch springs just in case.

MarkyNark
01-14-2002, 11:50 AM
I think I heard about his bearing problem from this other forum - is his name Clif? Mod Quad has a fix for the clutch problem. You got to get the HD Clutch Springs (Go Ultra Heavy duty with Ron Wood (they are brand new)) or Team Pami. Then, you got to get different oil. Right now I run Redline 10W50 Synthetic, and am fairly happy with the results. I was thinking about goint to a semi-synthetic next.

Marky

DiceMan400
01-14-2002, 06:54 PM
MarkyNark
Like I said they cant be beat in the dunes...... Those are some sweet jumps that dude was hitting...... I was just sayin that they can be beat easily on the track and trail...... I do know this from experiance...... I aint knockin the quad at all....... I like most of the high pro quads out there and the ds is up on my list......:D

MarkyNark
01-14-2002, 07:10 PM
Originally posted by DiceMan400
MarkyNark
Like I said they cant be beat in the dunes...... Those are some sweet jumps that dude was hitting...... I was just sayin that they can be beat easily on the track and trail...... I do know this from experiance...... I aint knockin the quad at all....... I like most of the high pro quads out there and the ds is up on my list......:D

Oh, nothing wrong taken at all from your post :D . This is just good honest discussion. Everyone is open to thier opinion, and we can agree to disagree on the jumping thing. While I dont think they are the best jumpers (when stock), I actually think they do ok, even better with some mods. That's why I'm changing my DS suspension for jumping. Works triple rates with rezzies all the way around and TimmyBoy chromoly front AArms and +2" Entended swingarm. For trails, I agree with you 100%. However, I do like the power I have in the trails with the Bomber, the darn rims get a little bunged up once in a while from nicking the trees :huh . So, I got those new Carbon Fiber Rims and they are nearly indestructable! But, I certainly enjoy riding my 400 in the trails, its much less of a work out!

You can post whatever you like anytime! :D I like opinions like yours!

Tommy 17
01-14-2002, 07:23 PM
Originally posted by MarkyNark
Yepperz, some of the DS guys live for jumping! Check out this dudes new jump. :eek: .

haha u got me thinkin i dunno if u ever watch the show atv television well one day like last year they were showing all the sport quads jumpin at a race and u have to jump over a mud puddle thats like a mini pond well the ds over shot it by like 5 ft hit so hard he fell off and the quad rolled over u got me thinkin about taht... that was one of the funniest wreckes i have seen....

MarkyNark
01-14-2002, 07:36 PM
400ex21,

HAHAHA :D ! I would have loved to see that! I got a video of a fat chick jumping a two wheeler. Check it out here (http://http://www.markynark.com/Humor.html) at the bottom of the page.

Marky

DiceMan400
01-15-2002, 03:37 PM
MarkyNark,
What do you think of your new carbon fiber rims? They must have lightened up your DS alittle..... That may be the next mod for me...
Oh, and if you dont mind me asking, what did they run ya...... I did alittle readin up on them and like you said they are supposed to be almost unbreakable.......

MarkyNark
01-15-2002, 07:06 PM
DiceMan400,

I get all my stuff from Brian at Mod Quad (http://www.modquadracing.com) . The carbon fiber rims are on his site on the DS 650 chassis section (http://www.markynark.com/ModQuadDS650CP.html). If you want them for the 400EX, the prices are slightly less I think. These wheels can take a while to get and I found out that Brian has more pull with Hiper Tech than I would have just by ordering a set, so I got them sooner than I would have if I had gone to HiperTech, plus I didnt pay anymore. If you're serious. give him a call. They are the best wheels money can buy!

Marky

miahgator
12-28-2005, 10:18 PM
I have wanted a DS since they came out. I was able to buy a new one this spring (05) and I absolutly love it. The weight takes some getting used to on the track. I had a blast this year on the flat track. The first couple of races were rather embarasing but once I got used to it we came a LONG way. I ended up in 6th for the year after not racing in 8 years. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big guy and I don't see a lot of 150 lb'er's having the upper body for the DS in the TT or the speeds of the oval. I love my DS and wish I had the balls to take the big air. I look forward to some trophies this season. The DS is UNSTOPABLE in the HOLESHOT. As for the weight, I got hit a couple of times and those 250 lb quads went the other direction. I recomend the DS over any current machine for all around top performance.

Miah
# 74

Check out www.siouxvalleycycleclub.com SHORT TRACK quad open a & open a TT

tazdevil27
12-29-2005, 03:30 PM
Being a bit bigger than the average jockey the DS is a great quad. Went from a 400EX to the DS and just for comfort it was well worth it. With a couple of small mods the big bomb has been a capable club racer, just need some talent to ride it properly. Might get the hang of it one day.
No problems with the big beast in 2 years, just a bit tricky in tighter trails. The only thing that i would change is to throw reverse in it.

250RNUT
01-05-2006, 07:42 AM
I have wanted a ds 650 since the 02 baja came out. I am actually going to pick up my first ds this weekend and have never ridden one. I am 6 foot 1 and 300lbs and it should be the perfect size for me.I have ridden ex's and feel like a elephant screwin a golf ball. I found a 02 baja for $2500. I thought that was a great deal. What do you guys think?

ltz400rider118
01-13-2006, 09:29 PM
too big and bulky to race in the woods but I heard they rock in the open dunes..

Toadz400
02-05-2006, 03:54 PM
Originally posted by
:) :(
I 'm not sure about the looks they haven't caught on with me. I've never rode one so i can't say much, but I'm sure the power is nice.

Once you ride one you'll love it. Those things are the Cadillacs of ATV's. A friend had one before he traded it in for a Raptor (it was too wide for his trails). I got to ride it on the ice and on some trails and open fields, man does that thing have some torque!

If you are a bigger guy and ride in a lot of open spaces or wider trails, I would definately recommend a DS650.

humblesquirel21
02-22-2006, 08:24 PM
do u tihnk a smaller (maybe even short guy) that has riden tight trails forever if he had good upper bodyor do u alll think it would allways be a fight/burden to ride

Toadz400
02-23-2006, 04:15 AM
Originally posted by humblesquirel21
do u tihnk a smaller (maybe even short guy) that has riden tight trails forever if he had good upper bodyor do u alll think it would allways be a fight/burden to ride

If you ride tight trails don't get one. If you're not getting wedged between trees it will be a fight the entire time to throw that thing around. I'd only recommend the DS650 to bigger people who ride more openly, like very wide trails and dunes.

humblesquirel21
02-23-2006, 05:05 PM
thanx for the reply :)

H0nDo
06-03-2006, 09:46 AM
I just bought one this week and I love it. I'm also 6foot 7 and it is the most comfortable atv ive ever been on.

Bomby650
06-07-2006, 10:08 AM
Hey, i got my bomby about 5 months ago and love it.. somtimes i do run into the problem of a tight trail.. but its VERY seldom and u do not needa be a bigger rider for this quad.. im 5'10 147 pounds.. i went from a Honda 500 Rubicon to a DS650.. over night ill admit it has "owned" me somtimes but all around i love the quad.. and it dose just fine for the trail round here in Kentucky.. besides its a chick magnet.. and who dont like the power win u pin the throttle :blah: Just my 2 sence thanks for listening :)

BasicBajaX
06-07-2006, 12:56 PM
You will like your Bombardier and just think...you have the Horsepower Research guys very close to ya. Owners and builders of the fastest single cylinder 4-strokes in the country.

lvlenace
06-07-2006, 10:28 PM
I think it's a nice machine outside of the trails. In wide open spaces like the dunes I'm sure they're one of the funnest bikes you can buy! But idk about super fast stock. I have a Polaris Outlaw and my friend has an older 2001 DS650 and it's not that fast. Everyone tells me they've got a stock top speed of like 80mph, but I can keep up with my friend's DS650 no problem. I have better low end power compared to him and so I start off faster, but me and him have the same exact top speed. Literally, SAME EXACT top speed, so he can never catch up to me. I think they're awesome machines and they can deffinitely take a beating, just not a machine I would buy.

Bomby650
06-08-2006, 11:30 AM
ya the 01s are slow but in 04 they became light and have tons more power... i dont know if u knew that but on 04 the DS underwent ALOT of changes.. making it a machine that is on top.. once again :) thanks and.. they can take a hell of a beating.. ROTEX all the way!!!!!!!!!!

Jay87
06-08-2006, 04:05 PM
i think they should come out with a 250-300 2 stroke :D

†2005 400ex†
07-04-2006, 12:55 AM
I would like to see this thing with fuel injection

Joe Rock
07-04-2006, 11:44 PM
Hey, for those of you riding the DS 650...how do they perform engine wise against the new quadracer 450 or yfz 450? Who has the edge in power? I realize the Bomber is giving up some weight in that battle but does it make up for it in engine size? Anyone riding with any 450 racer atvs?

Thanks,

Joe

Bomby650
07-05-2006, 03:18 PM
in a short run they beat me.. i gotta 05 DS650 but in the long run i can get the honda and the ltz450 but i dunno bout the yzf id like to try it somtime.. but non of them leave me on a trail.. i dont know what people are talkin bout.. the 650 is only good for wide open places.. i trail ride.. ALOT on mine.. and only on a REALLY tight trail u can notice the difference.. i love the power of the 650.. i wouldnt trade it for nuttin :( to bad its down right now until the shop gets my barrens in but i hope tha answered your question..

Joe Rock
07-05-2006, 04:37 PM
So it seems the Bomber can hang. I am curious, because I am in the market for a new quad and coming from a Suzuki Quadracer LT250R (2-stroke) I am new to the 4-stroke scene and don't want to cut myself short. I am leaning towards the new Suzuki LT-R450 but I rode a DS 650 and was impressed with the torque and overal size of the beast! Thanks for your reply.

lvlenace
07-05-2006, 07:59 PM
why not look at a Yamaha Raptor 700R. They can keep up with the 450's and ds. they have electronic fuel injection and the new '07 Raptor SE has the high/low speed compression suspension. check it out

Joe Rock
07-05-2006, 09:20 PM
I have given a few looks at the Raptor...even the YFZ 450, bill ballance ed. looks real nice...just not a big fan of Yamaha. Reliability in question. Also, local dealer not the best...Harley Davidson is much more important to them...Yamaha doesn't add as much to his bottom line! Initially I started looking at the raptor, but wasn't to sure about it...no test rides allowed, and dont' know anyone in my area who owns one.

Will the Raptor keep up with the 450s or even the Bomber 650?

I do like the idea of FI and lower compression for engine longevity.

lvlenace
07-05-2006, 09:40 PM
it'll deffinitely keep up with the 450's and the ds650. reliability-wise, as long as you take good care of the engine, the only problem you'll have is running out of gas. if the dealership is giving you a hard time, take the long trip and go to a different one. you want to make sure you invest your hard earned money somewhere it's appreciated.

Toadz400
07-06-2006, 08:02 AM
What are you going to be using this quad for? If you're going to be doing all trail riding I wouldn't get the LTR-450, obviously because of it's wide stance. It all depends on what you are going to be using it for, but either way I think the Raptor 700 would be a good choice. I've never ridden one but it supposedly handles well on the track while being a good trail machine.

I wouldn't stray away from Yamaha because of reliability because Yamaha has definately come around in that department. Yamaha is now on the same level as Honda in terms of reliability, I have seen just as many problems with Honda's machines as Yamaha.

Joe Rock
07-06-2006, 08:17 AM
Neal,

Appreciate the comments, I will give Yamaha another chance...actually I pulled out the brochure last night to look at the specs. Recently I have heard a lot of good about Yamaha. I do think they are getting it together.

As for the LTR, I have been riding Suzuki since I was 4 yrs old (JR 50). Learned to ride my JR 50 even before a bicycle. And been on Suzuki ever since...serveral bikes and quads...now I am 32 yrs old and Suzuki loyal, I lean toward the LTR-450. Right now my Quadracer LT250R is only 1" shorter in width than the new 450 so I am not turned off by the wide stance. I do some trail riding, but I love to hit the track, dunes, and hills.

I am going to check out the DS 650 this weekend and I plan to look at the Raptor 700r as well.

Thanks,

Joe

Toadz400
07-06-2006, 10:34 PM
Originally posted by Joe Rock
Neal,

Appreciate the comments, I will give Yamaha another chance...actually I pulled out the brochure last night to look at the specs. Recently I have heard a lot of good about Yamaha. I do think they are getting it together.

As for the LTR, I have been riding Suzuki since I was 4 yrs old (JR 50). Learned to ride my JR 50 even before a bicycle. And been on Suzuki ever since...serveral bikes and quads...now I am 32 yrs old and Suzuki loyal, I lean toward the LTR-450. Right now my Quadracer LT250R is only 1" shorter in width than the new 450 so I am not turned off by the wide stance. I do some trail riding, but I love to hit the track, dunes, and hills.

I am going to check out the DS 650 this weekend and I plan to look at the Raptor 700r as well.

Thanks,

Joe

I've never had a problem with Suzuki, as my first quad (LT185:cool: ). The only reason why you'd want to stay away from the LTR is if you rode strictly trails, but considering that you like to hit up the track and have no problem with the width, that's always a possibility for you. I believe Suzuki is addressing the problems with their 450 so buying the '07 would probably be the best option for you, especially if you want to stay loyal to your brand. Either way I'm sure you'll have a blast riding and always remember to be ride safe and smart and wear your helmet.

KTM265
07-24-2006, 09:29 PM
The DS is a good machine...Had the pleasure of riding a highly modified one as a sweep rider on a hare scramble course. They are wide which is a good thing...It sit's so tall that I felt like I was going to tip over all the time but it's very stable. The aftermarket is good for these machines...they have been around a while. I still have an aluminum sub-frame hanging in the garage with the battery relocated under the seat if anyone is looking to modify their DS...saves about 7lbs of weight.

I run the KFX 700 V-Force...another large sport quad that is fun to ride...I even MX race it. I think it jumps a lot easier then the DS but the KFX needs better stock suspension before jumping big...I changed to Elka front and rear.

Toadz400
07-24-2006, 10:33 PM
Another possibility for staying brand loyal is to go with the Z400. It's a great quad for everything and there is plenty in the aftermarket scene for it. I would give that a thought as it's great for MX, XC, dunes or pretty much anything you want to throw at it. Very versatile quad and it's even got reverse and it can hang with the 450's if modified correctly. I believe it's still the best all-around quad out there right now.

400eXr1d3rZ
07-24-2006, 11:18 PM
I think they look kinda goofy. I wouldnt get one, id rather a Cannondale :)