First of all, welcome to the forums, sredish and oldturtle.

The arms I'm looking at aren't long travel, they are just wider. How spongy will the stockers feel? I can easily detain myself from jumping until I can afford the elkas, but that could be next ('05) Christmas for all I know. Would I be able to ride normal dunes with stock shocks and aftermarket arms? Sredish, if you could have done it over again, would you have gotten the arms before the shocks or done it the way you did ? I have heard a lot of great things about elka and their customer service, so I'm sure that if I did end up having to respring or anything that I wouldnt have any problems doing so.

I have yet to hear anything other than "great" when I ask how the elka's perform over stock, but I want some detail, so I was hoping that you could offer some. Basically I have 3 major options, shocks, arms or pipes. Any of the three will greatly improve something, but I want to know which in your opinion would be the best mod for now. I would love more power, but I can live without it for now if the elka's are a much better option. I still need to find out how much I would be spending on elka's and what the benefits are of going all out on them. I could settle for the entry-level triple rates for $465, or I could spend as much as $800, maybe more on the remote rezzy triple rates with compression, damping and rebound adjustment. Basically I have no way of knowing what would be best for me. I dont race but I want soft, longer travel suspension to soak up everything from little bumps so I can stay on the throttle and not worry about the bike bucking around in the whoops, to landing moderate-sized dune jumps. I know elkas are better than stockers, but how much better are good elkas than cheap elkas? If the $465 triples are good enough for a recreational duner then thats what I'll get, I wouldnt mind getting a $350 head start saving for the arms or pipes.

As for your comment oldturtle, I know exactly what riding a banshee is all about, but I want it to be more than just arm-ripping power. It has enough power to get me up the steepest dune possible with the existing laws of physics so I'm not lacking in power, I just wouldnt mind more. As for the pipes there's no convincing me otherwise of toomey's being the best available. No offense but I really dont like FMF's, and their gnarly model, I regret to inform you, is the model designed to improve a banshee's low end torque, not high-rpm power, if you want that, get toomeys or at least FMF sst's. I have seen dozens of banshees with toomeys, even unmuffled drag pipes at some of the places I ride and the only time any of them ever get in trouble for noise is on a crowded holiday weekend, any other time nobody seems to care. Depending on whether the majority of people agree that the arms are going to be a better mod than the shocks, or vice versa, I will base my decision on that.

 

elka and works are not the only shocks out there check out these http://tcs shocks
pep shocks
these are a few more options for shocks and they have some info on them on these websites

 

I just found some prices on alba's website, but they're for raptor shocks. Could I order raptor shocks and bolt them into my shee or does that work? I was a bit suprised at the prices, but I suppose it's to be expected of such quality equipment.

The rec. shocks are $515, and are upgradable for $460 which adds a remote rezzy with compression adjustment. The sport racing shocks are $895, and have remote or piggyback rezzies with SSD and are compression adjustable. The elite racing shocks are $1,345, I would assume they have SSD although that isnt in the description, and they are fully adjustable and have adjustment for high and low speed compression damping.

Also there is a kit that offers +2 +1 chromed arms, galfer stainless steel brake lines and the elka rec. shocks without compression adjustment or reservoirs for $1,125. I dont think that I need the elite racing shocks, I think what I'm looking for are the sport racing shocks. It would take a little time to secure that much dough but I have a feeling that would be the best setup for me. The only thing is, those ones arent listed as being available (on alba's site) for banshees, just rappys.

To anyone who owns elka's, where did you get your shocks, can you order them directly through elka or what? Are the sport racing shocks actually not available for the shee? Would I be better off getting the racing shocks whenever I can afford them but keep the stock arms until I can afford the new ones or should I save up a little more and get the whole kit with the non adjustable, no reservoir rec. shocks?

 

I know that there are other brands, but I've heard a lot of good things about elka, both their products and their service, so I'm inclined to stick with them. Also, being that the pep and tcs shocks are often used in cross country, mx or other types of racing applications, and being that I intend to use the shocks primarily in the dunes I dont need the best of the best. I'm sure that pep and tcs are great shocks, but I dont really need them for what I intend to do.

 

My opinion is that if you don't have pipes on your Shee that should be first order of business, this is not a Quad that needs suspension first, a pipe on a Shee is the best money you can spend and the most satisfaction dollar per dollar, I love my CPI's personally but since you are looking to do suspension work I would think you might be into MX so I would really consider the Paul Turner Mid range pipes they are incredible for that mid range punch that have the bike pointing at the sky in the first 4 gears easily but they just wont give you that over rev you get from a top end pipe like CPIs, but for marked short distance races they are untouchable by any pipe I have ridden and seen race on a Banshee. Just something to look into if you haven't already.

 

all the shocks come setup for whatever ridding you do you can have them setup for mx dunes cross country tt any number of applications. look at the prices of the shocks on the links to not much more than elkas if not the same price.

 

I know that a shee wakes WAY up with pipes, but I want more than just a fast bike, you know? If I'm racing up a dune and I get bucked around in a set of whoops I'm not gonna make it there very fast, no matter how much power I have. The stock pipes have enough power to take me anywhere, aftermarket pipes will just get me there faster (theoretically). I'm still torn between the two so I'm not sure whether I'm getting the pipes or the shocks, or the a-arms for that matter.

I completely understand what you're talking about and I wouldnt mind keeping a couple hundred bucks in my pocket by getting the pipes. I just need more convincing. I dont MX and unless these shocks change my mind, I dont plan to. I ride about 80% dunes, 20% dry trails. Thats one question I need answered, will the elka rec. shocks be enough for a recreational duner or would the sport / race shocks be much better? Or would they be a waste?

 

Sorry, but this isnt even a question. Pipe and filter the shee.

Elkas as a first mod? Give me a break. You bought a shee, not a yfz.

 

like he said he has enough power to do anything he wants to now but its always better to have more power but if your happy with the power and not happy with the shocks why fix something that aint broke so to speak?and i would do the oppisite if i bought the 450 i would pipe it first the 450 already has some nice shocks on it the banshee on the other hand.

 

If you want better handling on a banshee, get a set of works shocks. Unless you are riding mx you are wasting your money. Most riders wont notice a difference.

Burkedaddy, if he wanted great handling, he should have bought a yfz, not a banshee. The yfz is already faster than the banshee stock, and the banshee gains much more with pipes than a yfz does. Which machine do you think needs a pipe first.

Banshees are made to go fast much more so than handle well. A arms and shocks will make the machine handle better. But at that point you need a longer axle otherwise you may be considerably wider up front. If you want to sink 2 grand plus into suspension on a bike thats worth about 4 grand, go for it. You wont handle as well as a z400 and will get beaten by a z with a few minor mods.