You said you had to have reverse. Banshee doesn't have reverse and only like 04 and newer 400ex's have reverse. Z400/kfx400 does, though.

Banshees have wicked power, powerband unlike anything else. The turning radius sucks, the suspension isn't the greatest, and require more maintenance. The seat feels like riding on a couch, though. Great quads, they just aren't for everyone/every riding situation.

400ex isn't as fast, is air cooled (which has its +/-'s), motor is rock solid, gear for the trails, etc. They really just are very different machines.

All depends on your riding style and preference.

 

The 400ex is gonna have good speed but I say the Raptor 350 I have a Yamaha Warrior 350 and has never failed me (NEVER) and after a Pipe,Air Filter and jet kit it gained quite a bit of power and I love it.

 

Im doing mostly trail riding but i dont mind the maintance. is there any problems with the trx450er other than valve adjustment and no reverse. my dad got and 89 bronco 2 to go through the woods to pull me out if i get stuck so im not 2 worried about reverse.

 

Most of the time when you get stuck with a sport quad you just pick it up and push it over a few times. Iam not afraid to play in the mud with my 400ex and I have never been so stuck I required a tow.

 

Well in the first post you said reverse was mandatory, now u say u don't really care. You also said you want something very reliable, and now you are saying that doesn't matter. You say nothing big like a raptor 700, but banshee and 450 is no different. The type of riding u say u will be doing also doesn't seem to fit a banshee or 450. Need to figure out what it is u really want before we can really give you any good recommendations. Right now it just sounds like you want something really fast and that's about it. Coming from a 250ex, anything in the 400 class and up is going to feel like a jet engine is strapped to it compared to it.