Yea but its probaly a stock mojave

 

I really dont think you guys know what you are talking about. I own a banshee. I have ridden a 300ex, the supposed king of the woods. I have yet to ride a 400ex, but I doubt it is much better than a 300ex in the woods. I ride with a group that usually consists of a few blasters, a 300ex, a warrior, a couple rm 125 dirtbikes and a few 4x4's. I ride in alot of woods and I am ALWAYS in front. The other riders are experienced to so that is not an issue. I dont want to here that a banshee sucks in the woods. And as for the magazine articles, the manufacturers monitary donations pick the winner in those shootouts, not the actual performance.

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Jayson Blough '99 Banshee, '97 Warrior, '96 Blaster Yes I like Yamaha

 

Whisky, if you want a banshee buy one. I was looking to buy a new quad when the 400ex came out and planned on buying one. I was way excited until I took a test ride. After riding a lt500 for awhile the acceleration of the ex seemed less than exciting. I am aware that you can probably go faster longer on a mx track or through the woods with the ex, but it just didnt do it for me. I didnt care about racing or having an easy to ride quad so I bought a 99 banshee and have never regretted it. Even in tight woods I have no problem and it always has enough power when I open it up on the straights. If you are looking for an exciting ride and not worried about racing in the woods I would definately recommend the banshee to any experienced rider. It may be "outdated", but it still does it for me.

 

Tegan, you hit it on the head when you said "experienced" rider. Fact is, a 2-stroke motor is more difficult to handle because of two factors. First, you have to know how to keep on top of the powerband in order to manuever smoothly in the woods or when negotiating hills (experience). Second, you have to know when your machine is going to get in to powerband for manuevers like jumping or passing on curves (again, experience). The 4-stroke motor is hands down the best machine for low-end torque and mid-range grunt. 2-strokes are for top-end races. This is why true woods riders on Banshees almost always run a 2-in-1 intake and 2-in-1 exhaust and gear their machines down. These combos give more low end pull. You can make a Banshee a good woods machine, but you better have the bucks to do it!

 

I said i was buyin a used banshee theres no used 400ex that you can get for 3000. And i dont a mojava i want to beat one.

 

A banshee will do fine in the woods, and so will my quadzilla. But they are to high strung, and that is hard to control in woods over, say a 400ex. When I get in the woods on my 500R, I have a hard time with sharp turning and using power too much power and it lifts the wheels a little and off I go into the trees...another is jumping over logs and ruts...last time I stood it up on end..really scarry. Adleast the LT500's have torque on the bottom. The banshee motors are even more `high strung` with much less low end. Very challenging to ride. By woods, do you mean a open trial with a tree every 100 feet, or a real wooded trail?

 

its a real wood trail theres trees everywhere. will a banshee out climb a 400ex.

 

One question how many pro's use 400EX's in GNCC, none!!!!!

 

Hey guys..i ride a banshee on tight trials too...the banshee is good for the trails you just need to know how to handle it. if ya cant make a turn..gas it.it will bring it around...once you get the hang of the banshee power deliver you will fly around the trails. it jsut takes a lot of clutching to keep the banshee in its powerband and when you are in that powerband it is a blast. just my opinion

Loofer
'88 Banshee

 

To actually answer the question of what to do to make the banshee better for woods riding -

First, swap the 14 tooth countershaft sprocket for a 13 tooth, $12, and get some boyesens $40. Then get a head mod from a well known shop (Duncan for example), $100, which will boost the compression and help the bottom end tremendously. Woods style pipes would be next (Paul Turner midrange or FMF woods pipes are my recommendations) for another $400 - $450.

You can keep going (spending), but everyone runs out of money at some point. I would be careful about buying a used banshee that didn't have a pro-design filter already in it. My friend just did that, and as it turns out, he has a nice looking '97 that needs a top end badly.

If you have a few banshees to select from in your area, buy a compression gauge from an auto parts store ($25) with a 14mm thread adapter (standard), and ask the seller if you can do a compression check on it. Expect to do a top end rebuild if the (stock) compression is less than 110 psi. If the seller won't let you do it, then find a someone who will.