Last year I got my first ride on a 2000 Banshee and I absolutly loved it! I will be buying a new bike this summer and the Banshee is on my list, I just had a few questions for those of you who ride there Banshee in the woods, trails, logging roads etc. How is the Banshee on gas for say a day of trail riding? Also, when I road the Banshee I found the suspension to be really good and the faster I rode it the smoother it was, but I read in the magazines that the suspension is soft and not too good for trail/woods riding? Is the suspension on the new sport bikes really that much better then the Banshees? The other bike on my list is the 2005 Z400, so if you could answer the above questions with Z400 for comparison. I'm a little weary to own a two stroke as I never owned one before which is why I'm kind of leaning towards the Z400 (plus it has reverse) but I don't think I would get that same rush on the Z400 as I did on the Banshee!

Thanks for your input

 

I have rode my friends Banshee on a lot of woods trails. Mostly sandy tight trails with TONS of whoops. I will say this, the Banshee is tons of fun and the fastest quad I have ever rode (his is piped, jetted, K&N'd) but it is a handfull in the tight, whooped up woods trails. The main problem I think is the suspension. Although my raptor weighs more it feels lighter through the whoops. I have ridden a Z400 one time in on the same trails as the Banshee. It was a more comfortable ride w/ better suspension, but it felt like I was riding a lawnmower compared to the power of the Banshee (the Z400 was all stock). This is just from my experience, the Z is a great and reliable quad, so the choice is between ease (4stroke, reverse, comfort) and fun (2stroke, fast, no reverse, bad suspension). As for gas mileage, the shee made it almost as far as my raptor on the trails, but we carried gas w/ us anyway to be safe.

 

Thanks for your input. I know the Z would be a better all around trail bike but I'm just trying to figure out if it would be really that much better/reliable. I don't really have a lot of tight trails where I ride, they're mostly older logging roads with a few narrow trails here and there. Deep down I really want to go with the Banshee because of the powerband and the crazy slides and wheel spinning (those things are fun to me!) but the mature side of me is saying go with the z400 because it would be more reliable plus it has reverse. Such a tough decision lol

 

If you ride on mostly logging roads where you can let the Banshee stretch its legs, then I would definetly go w/ the Banshee, it is a lot faster than a Z400 and if you're on roads where great suspension and reverse are not really needed then th Banshee is clearly a better choice I think.

 

Put the 2-into-1 carb on the Banshee and it becomes a lot more trail friendly. My brother never had any reliability problems with his, but the stock suspension is pitiful. He put a set of Works shocks on his along with the carb and it was way, way better on the trails.

 

I have a raptor and my freind has a banshee, As far as the banshee on gas I had 1/2 tank left in my raptor when the banshee was running on fumes. The banshee is fast but I do take it with my raptor,It seems to be fine in the trails I never road it in the trails but I was riding behind my freind and the raptor seems to dance more then the banshee in the whoops. If you ride in mud or any thing like that the banshee dose not have that torque to get out of some mud pits. Hope this helps good luck.

 

I had a Banshee for 2 years and mostly rode trails and loved it.

 

i have a 2003 banshee i ride mostly wooded trailsand open fields it is great on my banshee my friend has a 05 400ex with a pipe filter and jet kit i only have a single 35mm carb and air filter i can still take him but he has more bottom end so you have to keep it in the right rpm and i can get past him i would choose the banshee

 

Do you ride in the snow and the mud??? Keep in mind you will be limited by the 2 wheel drive, I 'm not starting a war here, but I have had several friends buy two wheel drive quads because sliding sideways and donuts and quicknes was fun, only to get rid of them for a 4 wheel drive.
Just depends on your preferance.

 

I Love my shee. I ride it on Trails in the Mud and i mean some Fairly deep mud. and i Have no Trouble With it. I have installed a 15T Front Sprocket on it and That Keeps me From Having to Shift it alot. Im in the Middle of Installing a T.O.R.S Removal kit on it. it has a K&N Filter on it and I can stay Side by Side with my Buddies 660 Rappy. as Far as the Suspension i have No Trouble with Mine.The no Reverse kinda Sucks but thats no big deal.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]