let's bring back the old atv sport issue magazine on a dynograph at 41-42 hp,stock banshee.
30-33 hp is for a ltz 400 suzuki,
by the way,a lighter crank make more power,go back to your raptor manual book for inspections.

 

maddog, I've raced bolt on LTR's before, they are fast, but all the other '06s are faster than previous years too. A bolt on Suzuki is not blowing away the Honda or Yammies with the same mods.

As for being able to hang with the 450's riding a stock Banshee, sure. Don't expect to win any drags, but you never know. Throw in a few turns and jumps and you could be eating some dirt(or sand.) Personally, I would like to have a Banshee just for the heck of it, but if you can only have one, any 450 is a much better all around choice.

 

Sorry scooter but that's not what I saw this past weekend. This LTR beat, more than once, well built 686 raptors with extended swingarms and comprable paddle tires in a hill climb. The other 450's were convincingly beaten, when they bothered to line up. Now don't get me wrong it's not like a yfz vs a 400ex here, but there was no question which bike was faster at the end of these races.

 

I've raced LTR's before, got beat but not outclassed by any means. The better start still got the win. A guy with a semi built Raptor kept saying I would get crushed like he did, but it never happened. Actually, I think that Raptor was due for some engine work, as he was having a hard time with a slip-on weilding 660. Of course maybe with some bolt on nitrous.. Anyway, from what I have seen, the 450's are close enough that you can't really say a Banshee will beat one but have trouble with another.

 

I'm not going to say the yfz and trx should start playing with the 400 class, but I'm not ready to call the ltr another run of the mill 450 powerplant. I'm keeping my eyes open for more, I saw 3 this weekend but only 1 that was really lining up and racing. This bike may be an anomolie but I'm not sure that it was. I know these bikes that were racing, I've raced most and even ridden some of them. This LTR succeeded where no internally stock 450 had before. There's a good chance he could've taken me.

 

that's strange. i saw quite a few ltr's out in pismo this weekend and none of them beat their 450 competition. everyone was actually a bit dissapointed as we saw one with a cherry bomb, yosh exhaust, and the air box lid removed get beat by yfz's and trx's all day long. hell, even i laid the smack down on a few with my 700r. i guess the one you saw was a freak.