There are quite a few engines that have been used by Yamaha'a off road development team for the past few months.
The engine is a 500cc parallel twin with EFI. This engine is almost identical to the R1 engine other than it is missing the two center cylinders.
The question is whether or not these engines are planned for use in a Banshee replacement?? A dual sport motorcycle?? Or is it really just a test of ideas and nothing but playing with R&D money???

 

do you have a link to some info on this power plant?

thank you

 

I dont know if I find it true because in several articles and magazines, 2006 is the last slated year for the Banshee.

 

Yeah .. I think for 2007 it's going to be the Raptor 500 [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

A picture? Are you kidding me. I did good to just get a glimpse of them on the pallet when they came in. Besides, I am not allowed to bring a camera in with me.

 

Sorry, but I don't see that happening............
Ever......

 

didnt ask for a picture but a link to a website with info on it but since you say youve seen it where do you work?

 

A "modernized" version of the Banshee sounds pretty cool, so I hope this is true. I remember reading about a Kawasaki quad that used the EX500 Ninja parallel twin and supposedly went like crazy. What you've seen is obviously similar in concept.

 

i 2nd that....

 

Honestly, where in the lineup would a new banshee fit? The raptor has the big bores covered, the yfz has the 450 class, and the warrior, while it could use a new powerplant, covers the low end of the sport spectrum. I would imagine the blaster will be replaced and a 250 class 4 stroke will be there, but I really cant see where the banshee could come in without robbing sales from other yamahas. A 500? If you have one that size you'll run into the same problems polaris has with the pred, too big to race but not quite big enough to fit in with the big bores.