Banchetta Posted June 30, 2003 Report Share Posted June 30, 2003 First of all, I couldn't give a shit what magazines say.... What do they know???? I do race and have raced in open classes w/ 250Rs and 400ex's. I usually lap them unless the track is over 2/3 mile long or more than 8 laps. So your asking me if they handle better???? I don't think so. I too used to look up to the Hondas because of the "image" and what magazines say. In the real world, the banshee is better then what they make them out to be. You just have to set the shee up for mx. I agree the shee is a shitbox for handling out of the box, but has a lot of potential when converted over. As far as bulletproof engines,..........talk to my cousin and my friend Matty and ask them what they think. They rebuilt both of their quads within 2 years. Far from bulletproof...Again, I go by real world testing and ride in sand pits w/ over 100 different bikes every weekend. I see quite a bit and these new 4-strokes don't hold up like previous years. If I had to rebuild a 4-stroke that often then might as well get a 2-stroke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastest_Ghetto420 Posted June 30, 2003 Report Share Posted June 30, 2003 i agree with banchetta, plus when a 4-stroke does fuck up it costs many times more than a two stroke to fix. if a 4-stroke blows up u have to buy new pistons, resleeve, valves and got to get the bottom end cleaned of all the shit that goes down there. for a 2-stroke a 50$ borejob and a piston, and ur finished. as for cleaning a 2-stroke crankcase, a can of gas and a wet/dry vaccume cleaner can solve that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ator Posted June 30, 2003 Report Share Posted June 30, 2003 Ator...I've owned many a honda, kawi, suzuki, and yamaha. It's absolutely impossible for someone to own a 91 banshee and have no problem's, with just pipes, stock, whatever. Maybe your buddy should try riding his banshee. Just to clarify, when I say bulletproof, I don't mean indestructable, these quads are just built very tough, yes they can break eventually, but odds are they other mfg'r is going to break first. First of all "bulletproof" does mean "indestructable", perhaps your definition is different. So what youre saying is the reliabilty will be better but not indestuctable(Bulletproof). I once again have to dissagree, It took just as much upkeep on each of the 3 250r's I have owned as the Banshee I currently own. And like I said earlier, it's easy to be reliable without making power, if you take the 400ex make it a 440ex, pipe, bigger carb, ported head, I will guarantee your reliabilty will have just dropped considerably. Second of all are you calling me a liar? Yes my friend does ride his Banshee quite alot, he is on his 6th set of rear holeshots, 3rd set of rings with second set of pistons on stock bore. (My Banshee is also on stock bore - 97) Changed his reeds once, has stock carbs and a pro-flow filter with FMF fatty pipes. That is awsome reliabilty to me, keep youre eye on things and perform the "upkeep" before you have problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BitchenBanshee Posted June 30, 2003 Report Share Posted June 30, 2003 First of all, I couldn't give a shit what magazines say.... What do they know???? I do race and have raced in open classes w/ 250Rs and 400ex's. I usually lap them unless the track is over 2/3 mile long or more than 8 laps. So your asking me if they handle better???? I don't think so. I too used to look up to the Hondas because of the "image" and what magazines say. In the real world, the banshee is better then what they make them out to be. You just have to set the shee up for mx. I agree the shee is a shitbox for handling out of the box, but has a lot of potential when converted over. As far as bulletproof engines,..........talk to my cousin and my friend Matty and ask them what they think. They rebuilt both of their quads within 2 years. Far from bulletproof...Again, I go by real world testing and ride in sand pits w/ over 100 different bikes every weekend. I see quite a bit and these new 4-strokes don't hold up like previous years. If I had to rebuild a 4-stroke that often then might as well get a 2-stroke. Ok... Now you totally forgot what the hell we were talking about. We were talking about how finished a product was and how some of us felt that Honda was better at finishing than Yamaha... I am in no means bashing the banshee. Hell I own one. I am bashing Yamaha for not fixing flaws and spending more time with the "Little" stuff. As we all know the banshee is flooded with "little" stuff that is just plain bad engineering. Put the 400ex up against the banshee, not in a race but in a complete bike comparison, and you notice that Honda is much more bulletproof than the banshee or warrior out of the box. I agree that I would not want to touch the 400ex in the sand or on the MX track. But put me in tight trails with mud and hills / rocks and I'll waste a banshee any day. Remember we are talking a stock 400 and a stock banshee/warrior/or raptor. The 400's handleing is better, frame is stronger, can't compare the motor much because of the difference in 4stroke vs 2 stroke, better brakes, better shocks, better engineering with fenders/plastics, chain tightner.... I can go on and on.. All I am saying is if you put the Honda 450 in the 400ex frame you would have one hell of a bike. Now just imagine more time to engineer! All I am saying is if you are low on cash, and want the best 4 stroke bike possible, at least wait for the Honda to come out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ator Posted June 30, 2003 Report Share Posted June 30, 2003 All I am saying is if you put the Honda 450 in the 400ex frame you would have one hell of a bike. Now just imagine more time to engineer! All I am saying is if you are low on cash, and want the best 4 stroke bike possible, at least wait for the Honda to come out! Honda so badly wanted to put out the 450 in a quad for the 2003 year but was concerned that the 400ex sales would decline. This tells us 2 things: #1) The thing is already built and ready to go so there is no "extra" engineering time. #2) It will be priced with YFZ450, how else could they carry the new quad and the 400ex at the same time? Yamaha took around 5 years developing the new quad, that is what "extra" engineering time is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banchetta Posted July 1, 2003 Report Share Posted July 1, 2003 Thats what urks me.....Everyone always compares the stock shee which is really detuned and setup for dunes off the showroom floor. Compare apples to oranges. The shee was designed for desert and extra wheelbase for paddles. Don't compare a desert machine to a woods machine. Take a shee, put Pt mids on it, shorten the swingarm 2", move the pegs back, then compare. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think you'd ever think the shee could run and handle so different. The stock shocks on both machines are only as good as the person adjusting them. The front shocks on both machines suck. The Hondas do have better brakes and chain adjusters. I have changed everything on my shee that you've mentioned. I know your comparing stock shees to stock 400's and the Hondas do have the flaws worked out for you, but I'd rather change the shee over, get the handling like the Honda w/ the power of the shee. Why not have the best of both worlds??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BitchenBanshee Posted July 1, 2003 Report Share Posted July 1, 2003 That was my point entirely from the beginning. Honda spends more time on the "little" stuff than yamaha. Nothing that Honda puts out needs changing (I'm talking about non-power related items, not exhaust and engine work). They seem to spend more time with R&D than Yamaha. Again like you posted I am not talking about power. I am talking about handleing and durability. These two items should be consistent between 2 strokes and 4 strokes. I know you cant compare a 2 stroke to a 4 in trail riding. But when the coversation goes to handleing and durability that is what we are talking about. Why the hell Yamaha sticks with the same crappy setup on the warrior and banshee instead of a decent setup like the 400 is beyond me. The 400ex will take the woops, out jump, out corner, and last longer than my banshee. This is stuff that Yamaha could change if they wanted to. Honda does it because they don't make crap! Everything they make is tuned and R&D'd until every flaw is worked out! Yamaha, in the past who knows about the new 450, doesn't seem to take the time on this stuff, I guess we will just have to wait and see! All I am saying is just wait for the Honda. The last thing any of us wants is to spend 7500 on a bike and then find out that another company makes one that holds together better, faster, lighter, and better handleing than ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99nhbanshee Posted July 1, 2003 Report Share Posted July 1, 2003 I see what your saying, but Yamaha REALLY did step it up on this bike!!! They did their countless hours of R&D on the YFZ450. Im not just stating opinion here either, I have a YFZ450 as of last Wensday, and Ive studied this thing inside and out, and its a sweet ass ride. Every little detail has been thought of, its the NEW YAMAHA!!!! And, for those of you asking "why doesnt Yamaha change the Banshee". The answer is VERY easy, the YFZ450 is the Banshee replacement. Why change it now, just to turn around and stop producing it??? They arent going to throw R&D money out the window on a machine they arent going to be making anymore, 2006 (or sooner) WILL BE THE LAST YEAR FOR THE BANSHEE, like it or not, its true!!!! The YFZ450 has been in development for 5 years, dont you think they have worked the bugs out of it in 5 years??? Well, so far, all I can say is YES. Ive put 4 tanks of fuel through her, and ZERO problems (other than some minor jetting adjustments). There is no hype on this bike, everything you have read about it is true. It has sick power, crazy handling, light, excelent brakes, one finger clutch, full power shifting, and so on! This machine is the new standard that the others will need to build thier machines to if they want to stay competitive!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banchetta Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 So when will you be in Dayton again so I can check this thing out!!!!!! How do you like it compared to your shee?? Pros?? Minus?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2001SSTBanshee Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 Ha ha 99nhbansh! Way to go. Im like you too, I HAVE to have one. Maybe some of the honda fans in here wanna buy my 250r so I can go get mine too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin_Shee Posted July 13, 2003 Report Share Posted July 13, 2003 hey 99nhbanshee how much did you get your YFZ450 for? i haven't checked at my dealership yet to see how much they are selling it for....i hope they won't try to sell it for 6899...because then i'll never have enough money to buy one, even after i sell my banshee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin_Shee Posted July 13, 2003 Report Share Posted July 13, 2003 and about the whole reliability and about some banshees lasting for a very long time, it's true. it all depends on how you take care of your machine. if you do all the proper maintanence like you're supposed to do and make sure you run high quality oil and use the right octane for your banshee and do all your routine checks the thing is going to last forever! unless you beat the living sh*t out of it and then set it on fire!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papa_smurf49319 Posted July 13, 2003 Report Share Posted July 13, 2003 i havnt had any problems with my 1986 honda trx 200r sx ya i know its the sx but i beat this thing to hell, and i have had no problems, i jump it, donuts, everything u can emagine. I know though that this thing stands no chance to my banshee, which i ride way more then that 250r now, but before i had my banshee thats all i rode, and i was happy with it! Im not takin no sides on whos better but with my experiences honda does make one tough little quad. And yamaha makes one fast mother. So why dont we all settle are differences, and how does anyone know that yamaha has been developing the yfz for 5 years, do you work for yamaha! most likely not any company could be lying on how long it has been in development. thats just my 2 cense, not to argue with anyones oppinion, but one thing i know is that my 1986 trx 200sx is one tough quad i love it! btw i got a link to a picture of my shee in my signature i love that to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budlightshee Posted July 14, 2003 Report Share Posted July 14, 2003 my buddy just came over with one last night it was to late to race him so i'm going to run him today i'll let you guys know how i do, i rode around last night it's real nice but i should beat him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madden Posted July 15, 2003 Report Share Posted July 15, 2003 I agree with (smokin Banshee)! This is a banshee site. Why come one here and bash the banshee you know your out numbered. All the honda lovers can go back were they belong, "THE SLOW LANE"!!! I have buddys with 400exs and i would rather have my shee in every riding situation! I dont know what you guys mean when you say the ex out handles a shee. Mabey at 30mph but pick up the speed and the shee is a lot better. Thats my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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