Guys lets get real, if youve ever ridden with a banshee, you can see their hill climbing ability is better than the raptor. I dont care about the skill of the rider or if he has the ***** to climb it, the raptor just dont have the climbing capabilities of the banshee. That dang 2 stroke just revs too high and is too quick over my stock raptor. Like velociraptor said, ill have to extend my swingarm to have a chance at these hills.

 

If you say so...See you at the top..

 

The Banshee is 10X better at hill climbing than the Raptor. The front end is heavier and the 2 stroke power generates a huge amount of wheelspin on steep hills. Try too climb with an experienced rider on a Banshee and you may wind up wadded at the bottom on the Rap. My $.02.

 

Never climbed with a raptor but I know a 440ex dosent climb worth a dang. More power or not, I would rather be on my warrior, atleast I wont go over backwards. No way you can fly up a hill on a machine with a light font end. extend that joker. Anyone ever considered making a spare bumper just for hill climbing and weighing it down with heavy steel? possibly one with a rod like the end like a weight bar? then you can put varying amounts of weight on it and tighten them down with a set scew weight holder. Anywho, I need to quit giving the enemy with their light quads ideas [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]

 

Yes, a 400ex is not a good steep hillclimber. Way too light in the front end. Almost 2/3 of the 400ex's weight is on the rear.

 

Please explain to me how wheel spin helps in hill climbing.

The banshee does sit lower, I will give it that. I'm not saying it's any worse but I don't see where one has the clear cut advantage over the other.

kyraptor23, if the banshees that conquer these hills have extended swing arms you'll probably need one to, so you answered your own question.

I don't think I would add any weight to the front unless that's all I was doing was hill climbing and in that case I'm sure it's probably been done before.

 

10X better? Not everybody rides in sand where wheelspin keeps you floating on top.

 

Its the same reason why a honda s2000 will smoke a push-rod V8 is most cases....Its the hard hitting, high and quick reving, peaky horse power and power band that makes the banshee scream..as for the spinning wheels; this is what is needed to power up hills, no one goes up hills slowly, momentum and speed is required. The low end torque (raptor and other 4 strokes) is not going to help unless it is made through the whole power band. What i am saying is you can try to climb a steap hill with/out momentum and speed with the wheels shooting dirt and rocks everywhere to get a grip.


my 2 cents
800

 

AND, get a + 6" swing arm or forget about these hills...
800

 

I know how u feel kyraptor. If the places you ride are like they are in Al. where i live there will be a hill with a sheer rock face at the bottom or some where in it and after that a long steep, rutted up trail with trees on both sides. I hate to say it but do like I did, buy a two stroke. I finally gave up and bought a quadzilla and banshee for the really nasty places with the big hills and keep the raptor and 400ex to ride other places. Plus that now i get to play along when the drag races start too.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]