Hey Guys,

Well, for the last two weeks I have been really looking at Banshee's hard. I have found a few good ones, but today I think that I might have made my decision.

I just checked out a 1999 Banshee. It's stock except it's got a Ceet Graphics kit (Blue) (how much horsepower does that add [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] ). Anyway, there are a few minor (I think) problems with it. It seems to have gotten flipped over backwards (or at least onto the grab bar). The right rear fender has a 4" crack in it which they zip-tied to prevent further cracking, and the grab bar has gotten bent up a fair ammount. I checked everything else I could think of besides the rear bearings (it was in the back of a truck when I was looking at it) and everything "seems" okay. I talked to the owner and we came up with the price of $3000 (I haggled him to $2975 actually...hehe). Anyway, tomorrow I'm taking the money out of the bank, and I'm heading back up to take it for a test drive and check it out some more. If it runs good, do you guys think that I should go for it?

My original plan was to look around for a 2000 that is in great shape for around $4000, which I have found, however that's $1000 more than this one, for basically the same quad.

I guess I just need some suggestions on what to do. To me, if this one runs good enough, then it's worth the cosmetic damage if I could save $1000 on it. What do you think?

I have talked to 4 other people who I have been friends with, and who also know the kid with the quad, and they all said it runs perfect. The kid is selling it because he just bought a car and his father loaned him the money for it, and won't let him drive it until he pays him back. Boy, that brings back memories....

Thanks for the help everybody.

-Josh

 

Just check it out real good, take it for a nice long ride (if you can) if not at least take it for a ride.. Check the big things along with the little things like is the carb clean? Does it look maintained? Check out the frame/a-arms underneith, thats usually a good way to tell how its been ridden.. Look for leaks/etc.. Make sure equal amounts of smoke are coming from both pipes. If all looks/runs good buy it, if not dont waste your money. Alot of times banshees are either well maintained or beat, rarely in-between. Good luck! Shee's are so much fun.. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

yeah thats a good price id buy it for that.

 

Yup, I just picked it up tonight. Man is that thing ever fun. Even better than I had remembered. I was still a little skeptic about it, until I found out how the plastics got damaged. It got stolen. The guy who stole it only made it about a mile up the road, then he went up a bank and flipped it over backwards. After he got it back up it was flooded so he just left it. The original owner was very meticulous, and you could tell that he took care of it really well. It runs good, and I'm happy with it. My friend and I had a friendly drag race (he's got a 2001 Banshee with a k&n filter). It was dead even all the way, so I suppose that it's as good as it should be. Thanks guys.

-Josh

 

Congrats on your new ride. It sounds like you already have a fast ride with the Polaris Sport but there is nothing like that 2 stroke kick with a 6 speed for a real rush. Put some pipes on that thing and it will be like getting a new ride all over again.

 

Thanks Duner,

It's really hard to compare my Sport with the Banshee. The Sport will get it in a drag race for a little ways, but the Banshee has so much mid-range and top end I couldn't believe it. When I raced my friend before I got my Banshee it didn't look like he was getting me by much on top end, but I have to admit, after topping out in 6th gear on the Shee it really feels like 20mph difference at least (but it really isn't).

I still love my Polaris, and I can't say anything bad about it besides the fact that it is heavy. It has been very reliable, and performs well (in a straight line, or a wide open trails/road). But when it comes down to it, I think that I need what the Banshee has to offer even more.

Thanks for the comments.

-Josh