Hey guys I'm looking to buy either an all stock 88 banshee, it looks mint from the pics I've seen, owned by an older guy so I'm guessing he took great care of it, or an 03 Polaris predator 500, with a bunch of extras like nerfs, bars, engine work, high comrepession piston or something like that, full fmf power bomb exhaust, and a couple other extras, both run great apparently and both look great. Just wondering if anyone has owned these machines and maybe give me a little review or something lol. Like maybe the power of each of them and the pros and cons. Thanks a lot guys.

 

Just my on this. The Banshee will always be worth more than the Predator in the long run as a collector atv alone.It's engine is a version of the old RZ350 and the RZ dates back all the way to the old RD350 and 400.I had an old RD400 and I know what those things could do. Predators track record isn't that long,plus was a complicated machine to work on. Just depends if you want a screaming two stroke or a 4 stroke. Both are high maintenance machines any way you look at it.

 

Ok thanks, I really do want a 4 stroke but a banshee is a banshee, what about top speed ? Anyone got anything on that I know the predators are harder to work on, they're both 2 grand, the banshee has 20 hours on a rebuild and I'm not sure about the predator I just know it has quite a few mods and the shee is stock

 

I imagine times have changed,(just like I have.. but here's what one magazine said about the Banshee at one time.Probably doesn't hold true in todays' atv world..
"The Banshee remains, to this day, Yamaha’s greatest-powered ATV. Even 600cc ATVs from Yamaha can not match the sheer power offered by the Banshee's high-revving two-stroke twin." Here's a couple videos that may help you decide. They're both pretty close.

 

Nice sweet man thanks a lot for the vids, one other thing is that I'm going to be using it for mainly trail riding, how does the banshee hold up on the trails? And I've never owned a 4 stroke so a breath of fresh air would be nice is kind of what my mind set is.

 

For trail riding I wouldn't consider either one of em then.. Stick with something like a Polaris Trail Boss 330,a Honda 400ex or a Yamaha Grizzly 350..You'd probably be happier in the long run..

 

a 400ex is definitely a possibility, I can get one for 1900 it's bored to a 440 and has a few upgrades, but the guy said he's seen it puff smoke occasionally I'm not too sure I like the sounds of that lol, anyways, thanks for the help man much appreciated!!!

 

One of the guys I ride with has a Banshee and a Suzuki 450. I haven't seen him ride the Banshee in awhile. It's a good quad for going fast but not the best for some of the trails we have. I think it would be better in sand dunes where you could open it up. Where you ride makes a difference in what quad works best.

 

I think the worked predator is probably going to be the faster bike between given that it was built and maintained right but if I had to choose between the two, I'd go with the banshee simply because of its track record and the fact that it's a Yamaha. In stock form the banshee only makes about 35 hp but they can achieve incredible gains by just porting the cylinder, changing to a freer flowing exhaust system, and properly jetting the carbs.

The predator will outperform a stock banshee In just about every performance category from acceleration, top speed, handling and suspension action but it's a finicky machine that's prone to complications and it can be a hassle to work on. The banshee is also a finicky high maintnence quad but it's been around longer, has an extremly large and experienced fan base and will be worth more in years to come. The aftermarket for it is also endless.

 

I stay away from machines that have been modified. If they have been heavily modified, it usually means that they have been raced/ridden hard. For me, the closer to stock, the better. Now, if I know the history of the ATV and the owner, that can make a difference. Carefully inspect them and make sure you ride them both and pay careful attention to any irregularities. Good luck.