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25 Thoughts for New Banshee Owners


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25 Thoughts for New Banshee Owners

 

I just finished my first year as a Banshee owner. It's been an incredible year. I've been fortunate to ride in or on some pretty exciting machinery over the course of my life. Riding Banshees is in my all-time top 3 list! Wahoo!

 

I wish I hadn't waited so long to start riding Banshees. But that's another story.

 

Here's a list of 25 things that might be helpful to other new Banshee owners.

 

The thoughts aren't listed in any order of importance. I only numbered them to make it easier to refer to them.

 

1. Banshee ownership gets expensive in a hurry. It's possible you will spend 2, 3, even 4 times the price you originally paid to finally get the Banshee you really want.

 

2. Read BHQ posts, read some more BHQ posts, read some more BHQ posts, and then read a few more BHQ posts.

 

3. Reading BHQ posts can be very helpful.

 

4. Reading BHQ posts can be very frustrating.

 

5. Find out where the other Banshee owners in your area ride. Go there. Get to know them. Become friends with them. Learn from them. Ride with them.

 

6. Search before you post a question on BHQ. Yes, I know it will take some time, just do it.

 

7. As you search for the answer to one question, you'll find answers to other questions you had, or to questions you hadn't even thought of yet!

 

8. Buy a Clymers manual and use it.

 

9. Build your foundation first. Spend money on wheels, tires, suspension and steering before doing any major engine work.

 

10. Buy NEW wheels, tires, suspension and steering parts. Yes, I know there's some good used stuff out there. But when it comes to these parts I like new. My opinion.

 

11. Before you go blasting down the road/trail/dune on your Banshee, take the entire fuel system apart: tank, gas cap, petcock, fuel lines, filters, cables, and carbs. Give them all a thorough cleaning, service, replace wear items, jet, adjust and sync carbs properly and put it all back together per the manual.

 

12. If you don't do #11, there's a chance you'll be spending money on cylinders, pistons and crankshaft in the near future.

 

13. Learn the jargon. Don't know a serval from a swing arm? Read BHQ. Talk with Banshee friends.

 

14. Be humble when posting things on BHQ. Maybe you DO know lots of things. But, if you come on like Mr. Mach 3-with-your-hair-on-fire-know-it-all-macho-dude, you'll likely go down in flames.

 

15. Buy from BHQ vendors as often as possible.

 

16. Buy from the guy who gives you the info. Don't call a builder or vendor for their advice on a particular part, then hang up and buy it somewhere else just to save a few bucks.

 

17. Learn how to jet carbs properly. Do some reading and then experiment. Carefully! 2 stroke engines don't like improperly jetted carbs.

 

18. Learn how to properly build and use a leak down tester.

 

19. Compression gauges are notoriously inaccurate. Borrow 2-3 from friends to check yours. No guarantee any of them will be right, but at least you'll have an average.

 

20. Don't fire off emails to builders and/or vendors with a long list of questions and parts you want answers to or prices on. They get a pile of those emails every day and generally don't have the time to answer them.

 

21. Do try to be somewhat informed before calling a builder, but be prepared to have what you thought was your plan "revised" by him.

 

22. You probably don't need an 80-100 horsepower engine. A well built 4 mil stock cylinder on pump gas with good port work is all the engine most of us really need.

 

23. On the other hand, an 80-100 horsepower engine would be pretty damn sweet and I'd really like to have one some day!

 

24. Take your time deciding which way you want to go with your build. You'll change your mind many times along the way.

 

25. One Banshee isn't enough, you'll want at least two. Once you get the second one, you'll make yourself crazy trying to decide which mods to put on each one!

 

So that's my list. I don't do them all perfectly. I know that there will be disagreement over its value and the items in it. I'm sure there are many more good thoughts that can be added to it.

 

Fire away!

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You guys crack me up! Okay, here's two more:

 

4 1/2. Reading BHQ posts can be very entertaining.

 

26. The guys on BHQ are okay. Some are just a little warped. Probably got dropped on their heads a few times too many as infants.

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the most important which you forgot is youll be lucky to recoup half your money when it goes up for sale

So true, but no problem, not planning on selling any. Besides, I'm spending our kids' inheritance, so there will be less for them to fight over.

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