xBarricade

Very good point. There is one other shop that people have expressed really good quality & reliable work from...will pack it up and take it there. Cheers

I bought my very first quad and proud to say it was a Banshee. I took it out after having everything checked out and maintenanced, carbs synced, compression tested and everything seemed good to go. I don't believe a leak down test was done. Regardless, out I went for a short easy ride in the dunes (as I live in Dubai, UAE) and I had a blast. Been out on a Raptor, a YFZ450, and on my motocross bike in these dunes and I must say the Banshee was just a whole new level of fun. Very impressed and glad I bought it even though people here said not to get it because it is a high maintenance money hungry biatch. On the way back to my trailer the throttle began to stick, it was bogging down and no power was being delivered and eventually the engine just quit. Ended up getting towed back to the truck. I took it to the shop and the mechanics had a look and diagnosed that the one piston on the right side was shot so I would have to replace the Pistons and depending on the condition a port and polish. I was quoted and said go ahead as I would really like to have this as a backup toy to my MX bike. They opened up the engine and found that the crank was gone as well as the bearing. So this makes me a sad panda as I thought a $500-600 job would get it back in action...now it will be a hell of a lot more. So now I need to decide what to do, spend the a$$ load to completely rebuild it or just sell it as is and hope someone takes it to recoup some pocket change. Anyway, just wanted to say loved it, best short ride I have experienced, and understand why you all stick by these wonderful machines. Pending on work and whether I stay in country for longer I may just pump out the money to build it back to it's glory.

I have bought a Banshee and was set on buying a 10mm Serval kit as I live in Dubai and it is a paradise for dunes. Recently after viewing a lot of videos on riding the desert here I have noticed there are lots of open spaces and long dunes and generally the rides are 3-5 hours in length. I know that fuel will be an issue but there are gas stations along the way to stop at if needed. What I would like to know is what would be a better engine kit for high speeds and long distance (with the dune climbing and jumping) for the Banshee. A 10mm Serval or a 10mm Cheetah? To be honest I don't know the specifics as to why one engine performs differently then the other aside from the power curve is better with the Serval. Anyone have good insight and experience with these type of engines to give some sound advice? Thanks

Well, I ended up buying the stock 2006 banshee as the big bore was sold before the weekend of me going to see it. So now the dilemma, as a duner should I go for the 4mm Serval or 10mm Serval? Is there that noticeable of power difference between the two and will it drag my f@t butt around the desert in style or will the 10mm have too much power and bog me down in the sand? As far as my budget, at the moment with the beers talking I could spend the money, I got quoted around $5000 for a 10mm but then I also have to get suspension and the a-arm package. As I need to get it assembled here will I need to trench or bore anything with these two engine kits? The issue I am facing is that I will need to buy everything in one go because I will need to transport it with me on a flight back to the UAE....and I think the wife will hand me my butt if I go that far. Just so you know this is my first quad I have ever bought, so should I start with the 4mm and learn how to abuse it and then in a year or so sell it off and go big on the next Banshee or just go big from the start?

Actually this is very useful. I am currently in Dubai, UAE and will be heading back to Canada for the summer. I have just bought my first quad ever (2006 Banshee) yay for me! It needs some engine love so I intend to buy an engine kit for it; a 421 Serval for the massive desert we have here, and bring it back with me on the airplane. Would any of you know if this Action Pack be the wisest choice to transport all the kit needed to rebuild my quad here in the UAE? And on a side note would anyone know the regulations about transporting these type of items on an airplane?

I was unable to go this weekend to pick it up as the guy was unavailable. As I said it is a stock 2006 Banshee with only a T5 exhaust and filters and the frame looks really clean. Now there is another One, a 2005 Banshee that has a big bore kit and some other mods but it desperately looks like it needs new tires, suspension kit. Apparently it has just been rebuilt with 2 hours on it and I know the shop where all the work has been done. I will be visiting it this weekend. What would be a better choice, go for the 2006 stock with clean frame (that I will throw a big bore on) or go for the Banshee with big bore already (he has all the paperwork on the parts & labor)? The price between the 2 is $1000 more for the big bored Banshee. What are your opinions on the 2 choices?

YA, everything is about the best and fastest in the UAE...money is no issue and the don't hesitate to spend it. Most of the Raptors have the power Commander, exhaust, K&N air filters and some have the bore or some other engine mods. The point of my build is obviously to beat these Raptors but primarily I am not about a pissing contest to see who can drive the fastest in a straight line. I want something that is a blast and a maniac for burning up, around, thru the air, and just plain have a great time slinging it through the dunes. If I can build a Banshee that can do that and beat these buggers in a straight line....I won't argue.

K&T, you are referring to this: http://ktperformance.com?

Great help guys. I sent off an email hoping to have some sort of dialogue to get me up and ripping. A quick question; due to the fact that I am over here in the UAE and the hot summer is unbearable and can not ride due to the 118 temperature. But the rest of the year it is around 85-96, how is the Banshee for dealing with the heat and any issues with overheating? Are there radiators, fans, or pumps that I should take into consideration when setting up my quad?

White knuckle, it seems that every search on them is directed to an Empire Industries website. Is this the same people/company you are referring to trickedcarbine and n2otoofast4u?

Sorry, it is a 2006. I was typing too fast on zee iPad it seems

The good thing about buying the Banshee now before the summer vacation is that I will be home so I can get things shipped to myself and bring everything back to Dubai with me. I would assume the engine would be the first thing to tackle? Or get everything setup up first(suspension package and shocks) and get a feel for the bike before doing an engine overhaul? This is the first quad I have ever owned and although I wanted a dirtbike my aging body and injured parts would not do me well when I crash and burn. So, although the Banshee is a quad, it rips and has the exciting feel of something more then just an ATV...right?

Hello all. New to the forums and as of this Saturday a new owner of a Banshee and have to educate myself on what they are and what I can do with it. It is a 2008 ($1400) that is pretty stock except for pipes and I will not know more information until I go to pick it up. I am currently living in Dubai, UAE and is pretty much a dream land for desert and dunes. A 1.5 hour trip and I can be at the largest dunes in the world at about 300m in height. So needless to say I now have to do the research and prepare the quad for some serious sand slinging. That means I have until after the summer is over to go riding as it gets way too hot in the summer to go out. I would really appreciate some sound advice and useful information on how to set the banshee up to be an absolute blast and ripper in the desert. A bare with me as I ask so initial questions and as feedback comes in I can ask for more. Essentially I want to have a bigger engine (421 or 440), new suspension and a-arm assembly, and controls, levers sprocket and chain etc etc to have a beautiful, new, action packed machine. I am 5'10" and weigh 245lbs....stocky, with a little fat or big boned with some fat...not just all fat 1) What would I need to do first to get it into great running shape? 2) What parts should I have on hand in case of...well you know? 3) Eventually I will need to rebuild it, what kind of engine would you recommend for a desert burner with my size/weight? 4) I would like to widen the stance and possibly lower it as well. I will only be in the desert and will not need to worry so much about riding over rocks and fallen logs. I believe that is it for my initial enquiries, I will do my due diligence and research more information. Since I bought the quad for $1400 and from the pictures it seems in pretty good shape, I would not hesitate to spend another $5000+ to get it into a Raptor eating monster. I say raptor because the majority of people here(friends) ride Yamaha Raptors, 450's and motocross. So I want to bury them in dust. I appreciate any and all help and feedback. Cheers