Has the Banshee just outlived its time? XC/HS

[differentstrokes]

The front fenders are stock, what you're talking about is the carbon fiber hood. It does look like a 250R and there's a few more things you can buy that make it look even more like one. Most people don't realize how much stuff on the 450R was based on the 250R. It's got the HRC kit (cam, jetting, modified airbox lid, crankcase breathers, etc.) White Bros. Carbon Pro pipe and different sprockets. It's also got a bunch of other little things and has zero problems handling a piped banshee. If the weather warms up I'll get a sound clip for you today. This thing sounds badass.

[LiftdT4R]

The front fenders are stock, what you're talking about is the carbon fiber hood. It does look like a 250R and there's a few more things you can buy that make it look even more like one. Most people don't realize how much stuff on the 450R was based on the 250R. It's got the HRC kit (cam, jetting, modified airbox lid, crankcase breathers, etc.) White Bros. Carbon Pro pipe and different sprockets. It's also got a bunch of other little things and has zero problems handling a piped banshee. If the weather warms up I'll get a sound clip for you today. This thing sounds badass.

Yeah, definately, I'd love to hear that thing, I'm usually not crazy about the way 4 strokers sound, everyone seems to have that loud drone noise to it, it always seems like they are getting ready to scream, but never do. I think it's because of the single cylinder though. I like that hood a lot, I'd probably do some handlbar mounted lights too, I do a lot of night riding. Sick bike, I gotta look into one of those this summer.

[mod quad 2]

i love the banshee it got alot of motor right now so im about to work on the suspension i rode an ltr the other day and thought i was fuckin awesome handled tight rev's like a son of a bitch shee was minti had the shee up for sale but then i remember how the shee works and some reason i just wont let my self sell it haha

[Washburn]

Its all about endurance and control. You can Mod a Banshee (Stock geometry) to hang with the 450r all day long but it is bigger and harder to throw around and you have to shift more. If I was racing in the pro class to make a name for myself I would probably ride a YFZ450 because they are eayser. For me the Banshee has that super sweet power delivery I like the ride you dont have to move around on the seat as much and its not bunched up while you might be going slower than a 4 stroke you feel like you are going faster. Thats the truth.

[Kama]

You'd like it alot. Check mine out, I need to try and get a sound clip up for you too.

 

Thats one of the main turn offs for me and the 4 strokes. I hate how loud they are. They are plum annoying when I'm passing them on the track.

[differentstrokes]

Load it up and bring it to hills and woods down South, otherwise there's no point in me even commenting when you're 1,000 miles away.

[LiftdT4R]

Load it up and bring it to hills and woods down South, otherwise there's no point in me even commenting when you're 1,000 miles away.

:yelrotflmao: Just what I was thinking too, everybody's a heckler. I heard that in the vids section, I liked it, might just end up being my next bike. :thumbsup:

[Kama]

Load it up and bring it to hills and woods down South, otherwise there's no point in me even commenting when you're 1,000 miles away.

 

I live in the south, how about you hit up one of our races? www.occra.com

Edited February 16, 2007 by Kama

[differentstrokes]

No offense bro, but Oklahoma is in the Midwest and Alabama (where I'm at) is the South.

[Kama]

No offense bro, but Oklahoma is in the Midwest and Alabama (where I'm at) is the South.

 

I dont talk trash, and I'm not trying to start anything. I just want to see XC grow. According to the weather channel, we are considered southcentral (link), and you are considered southeast. But anyway, I still dont believe the banshee has outlived itself yet... the time is coming soon, but not yet. I also believe 4 strokes with certain pipes are overly loud and hard to ride behind.

 

An invitation to anyone who wants to try out our series in oklahoma. Most races are in central OK and in the Tulsa area. So ppl in southeastern kansas southern missouri and northern arkansas can get in on some too. The more the merrier!

[westexgt]

Go with a yfz, I just sold my banshee to get an 06. I like to ride everything, dunes, mx, xc, trails, woods, etc.... I had one dune banshee and one mx banshee. I could holeshot anyone with that banshee, but tired of clutching and getting beat to death. I went out and found a used 06 450 with everything I wanted for $5500. Last weekend went to my first MX event in a year cased a 40ft double the bike soaked it up like nobody's business. Here is a pic of what I ride now, full PEP LT, with gussted frame.

[Meat]

k, i waited awhile to give my opinion but here goes.

The Banshee's time as a legitamate cross country race machine was over eight years ago, in 1999 when the 400ex came out. Even before that, the vast majority of racers still did NOT race Banshees, Banshee's were NEVER good at XC when you compare them with other quads.

 

The 250'r was a better machine to be racing XC with ever since 1986, Banshee's never really had any success at a national level when you compare them to what the other ATV models have done. Bill Ballance raced a Banshee way way way back when he first started, but never had much success till he switched to the 250r based quads. Kim Kunle, another Pro GNCC racer was the last of the great National GNCC racers, he raced em till about the year 2001 or '02 and he's never had any success, out of the 20 Pro GNCC racers he would consistantly finish in 20th place in the PRO class, he was faster than most other guys in the other classes, but in his class, the Pro class, he was always dead last unless someone would DNF.

 

Harescrambles, Banshee's are even worse. A harescramble race is different than a cross country race.... a harescramble course usually has a million turns, some sections of the courses are nothing but S-turns after S-turns in open fields, these tracks get deep ruts and the racing is usually very slow, with alot of shifting if your riding a Banshee. A XC race is more straight line through trails in the woods, the layout of the courses are not as compact as a harescramble race, so XC coureses cover more acreage. The Banshee is a terrible quad for harescrambles, and does better on XC courses. And on XC courses... just about every sport quad model are better than the Banshees.

 

The GNCC series is the Cross Country Nationals and NO ONE HERE on this forum is racing thier Banshee's at a GNCC event if they are racing the series for points. The GNCC races are held all up and down the east coast, and yea you'll see one MAYBE two local guys bring out thier Banshees and race the GNCC, but no one is doing the GNCC series on a Banshee. The last guy to race the whole series on a Banshee was Mike Lucas, who a local Pa racer, and Mike did pretty good in the Open A class. But frankly there's no competition in that class and Mike switched to a YFZ450 in 2004, Mike now races in the Pro-am class which is the second fastest class behind the Pro class. I bought my Banshee frame from from Mike. If you'd attend a GNCC race, you will see 6 or 7 hundred YFZ's, TRX's, and every other sport quad and Utility racing quads.... and if you see two Banshees racing.... out of 600+ GNCC racers, you'd be lucky. GNCC races are known to have a few races that are entire mud-fests and every GNCC\XC race has atleast 2 very big mudhole sections. The Banshees are terrible in deep mudholes, they overheat easier, they don't have the 4 stroke torque in the mud, and the powerband is not mudhole freindly.

 

At the smaller local level, you'll see more Banshees and I'll gaurentee ya that the guys racing on the Banshee's only do so because they are new to racing and\or its the only quad they own. There is NO advantage to running a Banshee in a harescramble or XC race. The 4 strokes will win everytime. Even with less experienced riders, the new 4 strokes are faster on a XC course.

 

The ATV racing scene is VERY different than the Banshee scene. Its a whole different world. Any XC racer that is racing a XC series competitivly, has prolly never even rode a Banshee.

 

Now with all that hot air said..... East coast and West coast XC racing are two different animals. Im an east coaster, where GNCC's are held, Pennsylvania is the worlds XC racing hot spot. Out west, like where BenBB races, they race in the desert and they call it XC. I guess its different than "desert racing' like the Baja races cause they throw in a bunch of twists and turns throughout the course, but I'm pretty sure they're nothing like an east coast, in the deep woods, trees inches from your handle bars, mud holes the size of swimming pools type of XC racing.

 

You can definitly have some fun racing a Banshee on a XC track, but you'll be a better racer and have more fun on a modern 4 stroke, or a nice 250r.

[sredish]

^^^^^ what he said. :thumbsup:

[Washburn]

Ive never raced a true GNCC Race. Most I ever did was a few poker runs and Ice races on my LT250R and I did pretty good and talk about mud Im heavier than most riders so I get better traction in mud pits and if you do get stuck you can throw the ass end out of the ruts you dug. But I am heavier and that is definatly one thing holding me back from competing and my bad leg I dont think it would make a whole series. Truth is I have more fun riding the Banshee than any 4 stroke in woods races. Ive wood raced alot and I still do while its not sancioned its alot of fun and it is growing and I always rode 2 strokes. Now that I have the Banshee I like it even better than my LT250R.You would think the 250r has more useable power but I dont think it holds a stick to the awsome power of the Banshee. I get a feeling of pure addrenilin when Im busting corners in 2nd and mid 3rd then hitting a curve section and gasing it. Nothing beats it. I never get out of 3rd-4th half throttle gear in a woods race on the banshee but the power and the feeling that power delivers to me every time is what keeps me on the Banshee. Call me hardheaded call me what you will but it is my prefrence and the pros outweigh the cons. I am throwing a bunch of money into it to get it to handle better and I am trying to get more low end out of it and Im sure by the time Im done my needs will be met and youll always see me out there on my Banshee. When I do buy a four stroke its going to be strictly for cruising around and playing on but I never did and I cant see ever having more fun on one than I do the 2 strokes espicaly the Banshee.

[sredish]

Washburn, I understad what your saying totally. But, racing is more than just fun, it's trying to win and it's using everything available to help. The newer four strokes give faster times and do it more consistently, just what it is... nothing to do with the fun factor. I agree that 2 strokes in general are more fun, provide more "hit" but that hit can work against you, especially in the woods. Not to mention the advancements in suspension.