You guys don't get it. Yamaha made this thing so that it would fit down trails the the Bomb never would. When my Raptor arrives, I'm gonna slap on the Douglas wheels with Sand Skates and Dune Trackers that are already on my Banshee. You know what? Those wheels that I already have widen my Raptor by 3" and now I'm par with a 400ex in width. Better yet, that 400ex is gonna eat my dust.

Considering the praise given to Honda's chassis design, Yamaha would NOT introduce a completely new quad if the handling wasn't top notch.

 

Come on now, Yamaha has never had a quad with excellent anything. The best thing about a Banshee is the motor and aftermarket support to pick up where Yamaha left off. Do you think that aluminum aftermarket A-arms are going to cost the same as steel? And if you get steel ones, there goes your weight savings. I just can't see plunking down over $6500.00 dollars with the intention of putting over $1000.00 more in after market stuff to make it 'right'.

 

ridzhard:

Well said! You are on track with most folks who have a clue!

Everyone else, run out and buy a Raptor (hurry!).

I hope Yamaha sells more than they can make. Then I hope Yamaha sez, "Hey, this Raptor is selling like hotcakes, screw the Banshee. Lets discontinue making it."

In this scenario, the value of ridzhard's and rob4092's Banshee goes up and up and up......

Remember the 250r?

The Banshee is #1

 

Thanks. I know my Banshee is staying right where it is. I sold my KX500 to make room for something else and it probably won't be a Raptor. I am getting a good feeling about a new Kawasaki for 2001.

 

Remember though, if u wanted to buy a 400ex and try to make it as fast as a raptor u would be spending well over 6,500. From the looks of it, the raptor is by far and away the best thing out now, and no matter how good a stock quad is, it can always be made better with aftermarket stuff.

I'll admit if I wanted to make my scrambler a more sport or high performance quad, it would take a ton! of money. So i'm prolly going to sell my scrambler and buy a raptor or something sportier. Even if i had the 400 engine it would take quite a bit to make as much hp as the raptor.
And its always easier to go wider, rather than go narrower.

 

Remember folks....the "Wheelbase" is slightly more than the 400EX , so what ya gripin about...if you dont like it, then your bashing 400ex's too.

 

No! I hope yamaha keeps making the banshee so when i get older and have a job i can buy one of those screamers.

00 400ex
www.geocities.com/cory_14/

 

It looks like the front end is wide and the rear end is narrow? Could Yamaha be on to something here??????

 

I am not bashing anything, I am just saying wait until a new machine and be tested! Also, since my tastes gravitate towards motocross(I can't be the only one), I want something lighter. I can't see pushing 398 lbs around the track. Same reason I don't own a DS. Maybe once the machine is out and can be evaluated in the flesh, I will consider it, but not until I can actually ride one. I really hope that it is a great machine, but right know I have enough concerns about it to practice caution and not run down to the dealer and hand over cash.

 

I think the Raptor is going to be a good machine but when are we going to see tests of Raptor vs. Banshee, or a modified 250R? I think that both these macines with some healthy mods will give the Raptor a run for its money. I am not ready to give up on 2 strokes yet.