i don't know if it is true or not. has anyone else heard anything?


Well I got back from the Yammy dealer not too long ago and heard some interesting stuff . I know the guys there pretty good cuz the old man is friends with a bunch of them and we were talking about me getting a new bike . I was trying to decide wether to get a Raptor or a Banshee . Well I told him I didn't really want a banshee cuz everyone around my area has one and I started explaining all the things I didn't like about the Raptor . I told him that I was also considering either the Z400 or the KFX400 . As soon as I said that he asked me when I wanted to buy a new bike . I told him anytime within the next few weeks . He then said " How long would you be willing to wait to get a new bike ?" I told him until the end of June . Then he told me he wanted me to read soemthign and to come up into his office for a few minutes. He pulled this Memo off the bulletin board and handed it to me .

Well heres what it said in my own words ( cuz they use all the big language crap) .

" Do to the ongoing success of the atv market , and an extensive demand in the High Performance market , Yamaha will be unveiling an all new redesigned Sport ATV . The Ban of many 2 stroke ATVs in numerous states and provinces ( aka places in canada) , has lead Yamaha Corp . to release a four stroke Sport ATV that will change lead the way in the ATV Industry. This ATV will phase out the decade old Banshee that has dominated the 2strokes since it's release in 1987 . We are very pleased to announce this , and hope that you will help us celebrate the release of this all new Sport ATV before summer is in full swing "


Thats a summary from what I read . I asked him when he thinks Yamaha will be releasing the bike and he said that he figures it will be towards the end of May to mid June ( Yammy did the same style Memo/Press release thing with the Raptor and the 660 Grizzly)

Unless I hear promising news from Honda before Yammy does release it , looks like I might be ridding Blue ( or whatever color they offer) by mid summer or next fall .

 

im sure something will be coming out soon. Im still satisfying with a 660 engine, even if the 450 handles better. And its gonna be hard to top the looks of a raptor! jmo

 

Nothing will ever replace the banshee, ever. The frikin 250r's havent been made in 10 years and they still seem to dominate every MX race out there..

-nick

 

Sorry to bust your bubble Nick but the Shees days as a production quad may be numbered, when the 2 stroke ban starts in 06 Yamaha will have a hard time convincing the EPA that the Shee is a compitition only quad, with them unable to sell Shees in the states prouduction may end.
The rumored 450 may be it's "replacement" in Yammy line up (or may be the Raptor is & the 450 will just be anothe quad).
If they use the YZ engine instead of the WR engine it should be a killer quad.
the Shee will never dissappear, look at the 250R (only made from 86~89) it's still around & tons of parts can be had.
I went with the Raptor instead of the Shee for my own reason but there is nothing like the hit of a good running 2 srtoke!!!
The Shee may be sacrificed to the tree huggers but it'll never dissapear!!

 

any guess on what the new bike will cost?

 

Prolly be priced competative to the other 400 class quads.