i was wondering which of your quads is the fastest and best for jumping. They are all nice looking. I was thinking about buying a quadracer, but don't know how good they are with jumping, hill climbing, and drag racing. I was either gonna buy a '92 quadracer 250 or a banshee of some year, don't matter cuz they're all pretty much the same. Or if i can afford it, a YFZ 450. but i'm leaning more toward the 'shee or the LT250R. It would help if someone can give me a good comparison of the two machines, thanx

 

ok here we go.

there was a 85 250 r but it was the ATC....And i dont remenber saying anything about the 85 model trx250r b/c 86 was the first year of it....you wont find it in any of my posts if you go back and actually READ.

show me the LT dominating for 15+yrs....you cant, because it didnt. i like the LT, dont get me wrong, but i dont recall ONE shootout of that era that the suzuki BEAT the honda on in the handling department. it may have won a 50ft drag for being quicker off the line (1988 drag race edition of 3/4 wheel action), but they always have it with near the same top speed. check out atv sport (or 3wheeling) and it use to tell the top speeds. the suzuki always did better on seat design, etc. but i do not recall it weighing 30lbs lighter. if it did, fine. but if it was, why isnt it a total blowout in speed?

in that same issue they took off the plastic and stuff to shed the 30lbs....

I NEVER disputed the 1985 LT250R as being the first high performance 4wheeler. I know they came out in 1985. I have the book...somewhere... i remember the commercials...i dont dispute it...I remember the shoutout with them and the 3wheelers (tri-z, 250r, tecate).

oh and btw, the 86 trx was the fastest year b/c it had taller gearing. somewhere on macdizzy or another 250R website they back up the claim and claim the 86 engine revs faster.... i dont know about that, but i can tell you that mine has suprised alot of people.

the 88-89 trx's were better overall packages, but the 86 engine was closer to the atc's. even though it has the honda electric feel, it does have more of a hit than the 88-89 models. in 89, honda actually put a few parts back on the engine that it had used in 86. go look at the microfiche and see. i do stand behind the fact that any year of the hondas were better than the suzukis (of course, this being a suzuki forum may not be the best place to say that). Sorry, they are the real 250r - not first or last as you allege me saying- but I guess the most lasting,huh? I see more of them than the suzukis still around.

oh and back in that era one of the mags took a STOCK 1986 TRX250R and ran it for 24Hrs straight across the dessert with the throttle pinned. it did fine, nothing broke and in 1988 they rated it, the 1986 TRX250R as the BEST used ATV...calling the engine "bulletproof." The second best was the 225 threewheeler, the warrior, and the rest of the 4 strokes of that day. This is fact. I'll dig the book out and tell you the edition.

Tell me why Gary Denton switched to the TRX250R in '87 when suzuki pulled the plug on the factory race team...If the LT was THE machine, why didnt he keep riding it? I can tell you b/c he said the TRX was a better bike. (remember back then, there wasnt the slew of aftermarket you see now. you had limited suspension makers, a few engine/pipe makers, but no LSR yet, etc- the aftermarket for these was still in large part in it's infancy). He won the majority of his titles on the TRX, not the LT.

But hey, if i can get my hands on a near MINT later model LT250R- id buy it b/c i still like them. Id get a good quadzilla too if I could find one.

 

I didnt mean to rile you up.i am just defensive of the lt's. The ONLY reason the lt250r didnt compete with the trx for so many years was because suzuki stopped major developement in 87'. Now think about this,honda stopped AFTER it had made major changes to the trx.IT just happens that the last trx was better than the LAST suzuki,thats all,im sure if suzuki kept on it that they wouldve been competitive longer. It is EASY to dominate for so many years with no competitors. THe stock trx's arent legendary anyways,the 20k totaly aftermarket 250rs are legendary. I can put am aftermarket frame on my banshee and spend 20k and make it legendary feeling. Just like today you dont see just "one" quad dominating,theres honda suzuki and yamaha all running up in front,because all the companys are actively competing against eachother. OH and FYI,when i say that THere wasnt a 1985 honda 250r,i meant with 4 wheels. Thats how developement works ya know,one company will think of something and it will dominate for a year or two,then the other companies will catch up,and it'll be even again,its just that suzuki stopped making changes and never cought up. Like honda on their two wheelers had a patent on how they ran thier front brake lines,so honda's had the best frontt brakes for many many years,And like how yamaha holds the patent on 5 valve engines for off road vehicles. These are just opinions,you can disagree if you want but you dont have to get all riled up. Im sure if suzuki wouldve kept trucking back then,the lt's would be just as big today

 

I agree with superevil..... with a monopoly it's pretty easy to be the one at the top. Now that this thread has wandered totally away from the topic, let's answer this persons questions.

How much does the '86 LT250R weigh? FACT: 293 lbs. DRY

Which is faster? Banshee in a straight line. Track.... LT250R . Trail..... toss up.

Jumping? the LT250R for the most part.

Hill climbing? stock vs stock very equal. Start modding.... Banshee

Drag racing? Banshee

Overall, me personally I chose to ride my LT250R before the Banshee because the Banshee is just plain tiresome to ride for extended periods of time. The stock suspension sucks $hit, plain & simple. No, the Lt's is not great by modern standards, but it is WAY better than the 'shee. Also that awesome "hit" the Banshee has is fun for about 5 minutes & then becomes very annoying on anything less than open fields or duning. The LT has more than enough *****, but won't wear the rider out like the Banshee.

And finally back to the original question.... weight. The LT is sooooo light & manuverable it's not even funny.

Just one man's opinion here, but owning both machines at the same time I can speak from experience. So take it for what it's worth, but the LT250R would be alot better ride in the long run vs a Banshee.

 

allright, thanx man. I still don't know which one i can get, but if i owned a '86 KX 250 and thought the power was awesome. I think i'll do better with four wheels tho. I still can't decide which quad imma buy, but if i can find a good year 'shee with some nice aftermarket susupension, i'll go for it over the quadracer. I'll mostly be hill climbing anyway, so it should work out good. I don't want a trx, cuz i'm not really a big honda fan, plus the 250R's realy don't look all that cool, the quadracer's look better IMO. but hey, no hate messages, it's just my opinion. anyways, thanx.

 

i was jus' wondering. If i were to get a quadracer, which would be the best year and why? thanx again.

 

i dont know if this thread was about comparing a banshee to a LT since i hijacked it...sorry to the original dude that started the weight question.

But i tend to agree, a banshee does get tiring to ride and the same goes for the hit of it(not to be confused with the aforementioned slight 'hit' of my 86trxR, so dont mis quote me). That's one reason why i got rid of mine. They're fun to take a spin on but riding it all day in 100+ degree heat index gets extremely tiring.


and to super, dude im far from riled up. i just didnt want to be misinterpreted. it's just hard to believe the '86 LTs werent over 300lbs...under 300 is in threewheeler territory. with all our anvanced tecnology and "space age polymers" why cant we get under 300 again with todays' bikes??? im still shocked by that figure and wonder why i dont recall such a revelation...anyway i thought they powervalved it in 88?? They changed the graphics ever so slightly and wasnt that the first year of the T-bone seat? If it wasnt, i stand corrected and am fine with it.

Now this is a pisser, but, i do think that the stock trxs handle better and almost everyone has been saying that for the past 20yrs. so its not just me saying it - its tons of people. Gary Denton said it. But hey, that's ok. You're a suzuki guy, im sorta a honda guy...

But i will buy ANY bike that I like regardless of who makes it. Like i said earlier, i still like the LTs and wouldnt mind having one to add to the stable. I really like the z400 and it is a mean SOB whenever it is modded (especially with a yoshi 450system) and i actually have contemplated on giving up my newer R for one of these(i have mixed feelings about the newer R. I like it, but dont think it was a wholehearted effort from honda)...

I also am looking forward to seeing this new LT450R in action. From what i can tell from my sources (everyone has secret surces, huh?), Suzuki really did their homework. It will be the most technologically advanced and innovative machine so far on the market..

But even though historically i lean towards Honda, if ANY OEM produces the best product, then I will certainly acknowledge it. I still acknowledge --much to the hard-core honda people's dismay, that overall, yamaha made a better 450 and better "250R replacement" than honda did. so far. sorry. truth is truth. it has been quicker, weighed less than the 450R from day one WITH electric start, and they had the foresight to offer a kit to remove it (that doesnt cost an arm and a leg; unlike honda who will offer no kit and will require MAJOR $$$ to switch)... yamaha did their homework and i certanly give them credit for it. i would have bought one but 3 things stopped me:
1. honda maintenance is simpler
2. hard seat on YFZ
3. too stiff suspension on YFZ for me

so once again recap all the babble: hard to beleive dry weight; sorry for hijacking the thread; no hard feelings. if i was you id get the newest, cleanest one i could find. only thing about the newer ones that i dont like is the weird graphics and blue lepord print on the seat cover on the 91-92 models. if you can get any year in mint condition, get it.

 

Guys like this are why I'll never ride red, that and the fact that they feel tiny to most people over 6'. Hondas are nice machines and yes they did dominate the track but unfortunately they have also spawned a herd of know-it-alls that think because they have the same quad as their hero that they are the ultimate authority in ATV's. Regardless of how many people disputed your fuzzy memory with actual facts you can't come to grips with the truth. Oh wait, I forgot all your magazine data, cause everybody knows that a magazine would never skew a test toward the company that purchased the most ads.

The 85-86 LT's did in fact weigh 297 lbs dry. For all the reasons that sblt500r mentioned, plus the fact that they had very light frames. The front end has no side to side reinforcements around the A-arms. This combined with the 12.5" shocks are why their front ends are known to have frame cracking issues, however, I weigh 200+ and never broke anything while I was running stock front suspension, but I didn't ride mx back then either. The 87 and up frames are considerably more reinforced as Suzuki had become aware of the issue.

 

Yes this thread started out as a weight issue posted by whosyodaddy, then whosyodaddy wanted to know how the LT250R & the Banshee compaired. So I answered. Now his next question. Best year??.... 1987 was considered the most powerful. Why, I'm not sure. Maybe the LT experts can answer the specifics. Basicly any year from 87-92 is better than the 85-86. 87+'s had a stronger swingarm & frame, longer travel suspension, 6 speed trans., powervalve engine, & a better seat.

I own an '86 & am more than impressed. Considering it's now 20 yr. old technology & it will walk away from anything 400cc & smaller (except Banshee) Mine even gave a built 440ex a run for it's money 'till very top-end.

OH, and by the way. Believe what you want about the weight there "twentychars" you want to know why with all the modern tech. the manufacturers can't make a quad at or under 300lbs.?? Does the word 4-stroke ring a bell.

 

i guess twenty something didn't read my post. all the facts are right there why the 85 lt weights what it does.

all the new four stokes weight more is kinda obvious. 4 stroke equals more engine parts, plus oil coolers. they would have to make the frame out of aluminum to bring the weight down, and none of the 4 manufactures probably don't want to invest the time and effort into producing a full aluminum frame. even the raptor 700 is half steel.

the 87 lt250r's were supposably faster because of the huge reed intake, and different port timing. they had the same reed intake as the 87 lt500r.