mooney Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 "HEY NOW" from south central PA! I found the search button and used it :biggrin: But... I see lots of people stating a Banshee isn't a good choice for an ATV newbie, but no real reasons why. Can someone give me some more info before I decide to buy or not? I've owned the 80's Yamaha RZ350 so I'm comfortable with riding the Yamaha 2 stroke 350 in a street bike. I also have a buddy with a Honda TRX450R to help teach me the ropes on riding. I've taken his atv for a few rides. The bike I am looking at is a 1997 Alba racing Banshee from a local friend who races a cannondale and use to race this Banshee a little. He tells me it's an original Alba Banshee (has the ALBA name on the seat and plastic) with a new top end, CDI box, and stator. He tels me ALBA use to build Banshees with their upgrades already on it, is that true? If yes where can I find info on what may be upgraded or modified on this Banshee. The seller didn't mod it any further then ALBA stock. My buddy and I took it for a ride and it starts up and runs awesome, so seems to be a good runner. He wants 1800 for it. Any thoughts and info would be appreciated. Also looking for places and people to go riding with in the area, so if you're local let me know. TIA Mooney Dillsburg, PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docjcwatson Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Generally people mention not to get a banshee for a newbie because they are expensiveto get started and to run right. Plus you can hurt yourself very very easily on one of these if your not paying attention and the powerband kicks in. I would say that you aren't "new" to two strokes. I say go for it!! Just remember to wear a helmet and you'll be alright. Oh, and welcome to the HQ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanYE west Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Its probably just all bolt on mods. Pipes, filter, reeds and jetted. Sounds like a pretty decent deal for the price. My first quad was a banshee too and you had more riding experience then me. you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiftdT4R Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Generally people mention not to get a banshee for a newbie because they are expensiveto get started and to run right. I dont know about that... The biggest thing is that you have to keep an eye on the carbs. As soon as you et it take them apart and make sure its jetted right. The only weakness with Banshees, and 2 strokes, as far as maintenance go is that it is easy to fuck up if the jetting is wrong. Having the right jetting, and making sure the carbs are right will solve 90% of your headaches. Other than that, a Banshee was my first big quad. I had a Kawie Mojave, and a couple dirt bikes before my shees, and I dont regret it at all. The only time the bike was ever tough to work on was when I was just learning it, and I got a shitty bike to boot. If youve ridden 2 strokes before it shouldnt be an issue. If your not a complete noob, or an idiot it shouldnt be an issue. 1800 sounds like a good deal for that bike, just look over all the usuals, make sure the bearings/seals/engine is good. Maybe even do a compression test if the owner will let you. Good luck bro.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docjcwatson Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 And how is a newbie supposed to know about jetting? Lol. I didn't. But I learned before doing something stupid. Like already mentioned. Your not a newbie to 2-strokes. In fact I was told that the banshee engine is the same as the old 250 street bikes. When Yamaha took those off the market, they had to figure out what to do with the left over motors. Hence the banshee! Just a bored and stroked 250 motor! Does anybody know if that's the truth? Anway, just do it man. You'll be happy you did! :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1Inferno Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 And how is a newbie supposed to know about jetting? Lol. I didn't. But I learned before doing something stupid. Like already mentioned. Your not a newbie to 2-strokes. In fact I was told that the banshee engine is the same as the old 250 street bikes. When Yamaha took those off the market, they had to figure out what to do with the left over motors. Hence the banshee! Just a bored and stroked 250 motor! Does anybody know if that's the truth? Anway, just do it man. You'll be happy you did! :thumbsup: auctually i think the 250 is just a smaller bore and thats it. but yeah my first real atv was a banshee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiftdT4R Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 And how is a newbie supposed to know about jetting? Lol. I didn't. But I learned before doing something stupid. Like already mentioned. Your not a newbie to 2-strokes. In fact I was told that the banshee engine is the same as the old 250 street bikes. When Yamaha took those off the market, they had to figure out what to do with the left over motors. Hence the banshee! Just a bored and stroked 250 motor! Does anybody know if that's the truth? Anway, just do it man. You'll be happy you did! :thumbsup: Yeah, I hear ya, made the same mistake myself. If I can offer any advice to a newb, that I wish someone would have given to me its: Read a little. Save a lot. Actually the Banshee is a descendant of the Yamaha RD and RZ 350 street bikes from the 70s. It's almost identical to the RZ 350 except for powervalves, and a few other minor differences. I've never heard the story that leftover parts spawned the Banshee, I think it's just the fact that re-using the mtoor cut down on R&D costs of completely redisgning a new motor. A lot of people actually swap in RZ350 motors because of the powervalves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrMeyer Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Ya watch the power band... I was riding in the woods and it started to rain so we started are way back and it started to rain really hard.. well short story is that I started to come up a hit and it was wet and rocky and i hit the powerband Hard to get up and it hooked up and it flipped back over on me and i was laying in a stream of water with my bike on top of me... just locked my legs and arms out and just rolled back and pushed it off. But ya the banshee is one hell of a fun bike to ride. just take it easy for some time tell you get use to the powerband and then ride the Living hell out of it like they are ment for. and what kind of suspension does it have on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooney Posted September 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 (edited) Thanks for the help and info folks. Looks like I'm going to move on this Banshee and make it mine The banshee engine is pretty much the same engine that was in my RZ350 and as LiftdT4R stated it's just a non-powervalved version: "The Banshee utilized a unique power plant, a non-powervalved version of Yamaha's RZ350" This is from a Yamaha site with some history on the banshee. I had guys asking me if I had any engines or if I'd like to sell my RZ350 back when I had my street bike. They wanted them for their banshees, seemed like the thing to do in the late 90's. If you look at this page: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products.../0/gallery.aspx you can see the yellow and black 50th edition Banshee that is painted just like the Kenny Roberts version of the RZ350. Here is a picture of a bike just like the one I use to own: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/80/1985_RZ350.jpg See the similarities? I'd love to have the 2006 50th yellow and black banshee, then I'd have to find another RZ350 to match it....hmmmmmm....I may just have to work on that for a future purchase. I'll thrash around on this older Banshee first, then I'll find a 2006 version and also a matching RZ350 :biggrin: Anyway, I'll get some pics and more specs on the 1997 banshee I'm getting this week or weekend and post them. Looking forward to posting, Mooney Dillsburg, PA Edited September 7, 2008 by mooney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92 Z71 Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Here's a Kenny Roberts for sale for you http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yamaha-RZ35...emZ250289475227 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooney Posted September 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Here's a Kenny Roberts for sale for you http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yamaha-RZ35...emZ250289475227 Thanks, but you all had me looking for a RZ350 yesterday and I'm already watching that RZ. Problem is my last 2 vintage vehicles on eBay had deadbeat bidders 3 times and I'm still trying to sell them. Anyone interested in 1 or 2 old flat front Ford trucks, one pickup and one panel van for hauling your Quads, LOL? Great Quad haulers :wink: Mooney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragbanshee Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Thanks for the help and info folks. Looks like I'm going to move on this Banshee and make it mine The banshee engine is pretty much the same engine that was in my RZ350 and as LiftdT4R stated it's just a non-powervalved version: "The Banshee utilized a unique power plant, a non-powervalved version of Yamaha's RZ350" This is from a Yamaha site with some history on the banshee. I had guys asking me if I had any engines or if I'd like to sell my RZ350 back when I had my street bike. They wanted them for their banshees, seemed like the thing to do in the late 90's. If you look at this page: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products.../0/gallery.aspx you can see the yellow and black 50th edition Banshee that is painted just like the Kenny Roberts version of the RZ350. Here is a picture of a bike just like the one I use to own: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/80/1985_RZ350.jpg See the similarities? I'd love to have the 2006 50th yellow and black banshee, then I'd have to find another RZ350 to match it....hmmmmmm....I may just have to work on that for a future purchase. I'll thrash around on this older Banshee first, then I'll find a 2006 version and also a matching RZ350 :biggrin: Anyway, I'll get some pics and more specs on the 1997 banshee I'm getting this week or weekend and post them. Looking forward to posting, Mooney Dillsburg, PA All you need is the 2006 plastics thats about the only difference in the bikes. Thats a hell of a deal, got my 97 for 1800 it was all stock yellow plastics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooney Posted September 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Here's some pics of the Banshee I'm buying: The lights and original gas tank come with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docjcwatson Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Uhhhh, yeah. Jump on that deal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeNick Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Thats a really good deal man..Better snag that one...Bike looks good too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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