ator

I bought a 450 about a 2 months ago. My friends who can beat me in a drag race have: Modified Banshee (coolhead 20cc domes, PC pipes, ported, dual 33mm PWKS, and more) and a modified 250R (FMF pipe, coolhead w/20cc dome, mildly ported, 35mm pwk) I can absolutly waste a z400 It's alot closer against the 250r, between 1-3 bikes, against the banshee its like 5+ bike lengths easy. And I can take both off the line every time, we have to race all out all gears to create those distances too. But for MX (the reason a got this thing) it's no contest, I can eat up both of these bikes, and the 250r was a good race for my MX shee (in MX not drag)

I agree, the Bill's are definetly a better all around pipe.

I had the stock basket grenade, big mess to clean up but the trans ended up being ok.

It does not include the drive gear. What you have to do is grind off the rivits that hold the stock one to the stock basket. Then with the supplied allen screws, you screw the hinson basket through the stock drive gear to the supplied back plate. If you have any other questions I'll be glad to help.. I did this last summer when my stock basket broke into 50 pieces

More than likely in the next few years the Banshee won't be available at all. There might be some racer version available at a premium price but I seriously wouldn't bet on it. thats why Yamaha (and the other companys as well) have been working on 4-stroke technology so stringently. But anyway after a few more years of Banshees there should be plenty used available for those of us who still want one. Up until last year I was one of em. But I have since sold the shee and picked up a YFZ, finally an MX worthy 4-stroke. Now, believe me, the YFZ would hang with my shee untill 3rd gear but my Banshee would lay a serious spanking on this machine thereafter. So the Banshee is still definetly king of Drag racing and 2-strokes.

There was a "Quad Day" (normally only for Dirtbikes) at baja here in Michigan a littles whiles back and that is where I first saw the new Honda. There were some stock ones (Honda riders) and some with their "Hop Up" package (Honda Pro riders). There were also lots of other quads there including the YFZ450. I must say, the new Honda couldn't even hold it's own with a modified Z400, and a stock YFZ had no problem taking it in every situation. Holeshot, out of corners, doubles, whoops, straights, You name it, the stock YFZ was king of 4-strokes

I must agree with Evil

I did the soaking of penetrating oil as well, before work, after work, while I was beating the hell out of the bolt. After I cut it off it still would never come out, I even cut the center of the swingarm to see if I could loosen the bolt but it was (for lack of a better word) welded together. But I just through on the new shortened swingarm with the new bearings and I was done.

I had this same problem last year, I had to cut the bolt on both sides between the swingarm and frame, I was replacing the swingarm anyways so I ended up cutting the swingarm as well. And I beat the hell out of that bolt with a 5lb sledge for like a week before I resoted to cutting.

****SOLD****

If anyones interested just make me an offer.

TTT

I have a full set of Banshee brake pads. I bought them for mw 97 Banshee but I sold it about 2 months ago (getting the new YFZ450 and don't want 2 quads) They are EBC High Performance Carbon Graphite (cooler running) pads 2 sets of FA54X for front and 1 set of FA84X for rear. I paid $21.95 each plus tax. (I've seen em go for $30.00 each) I'll sell all 3 sets for $50.00 and I'll pay for shipping

I run Bill's, you don't have it on there.

ButchenBanshee, I was just watching motocross on speed vision and the Yamaha 250F took the 125 class and the 450F took the 250 class, the Honda's were no where near the top 10. So if they are making more HP then they must have some other major problems to not finish even in the top 10

Banchetta, thats soooo funny. A good friend of mine bought a 400EX in 2000 when they were supposed to be the shit. First time out a Freelin ( www.freelinmx.com ) he blew out the front shocks and bent the axle. I couldn't stop laughing at him, this BRAND NEW bike with blown out shocks and a bent axle. Well here we are over 3 years later an once in a while on a 15-20ft jump (or larger) the intake will fall off and the bike will not run BIG DESIGN FLAW!!! Whenever he rides my brothers Z400 he always says "feels like my EX only it cost me $1200" and he still can't hang with it. Bottom line is I agree with you Banchetta, I have owned 3 250R's and have had problems with all 3 and I am a stickler for maintenence. The only real thing I liked better on the 250R's was the smoothness of the tranny, but a few mods to the Banshee's and it's close enough for me.

Honda so badly wanted to put out the 450 in a quad for the 2003 year but was concerned that the 400ex sales would decline. This tells us 2 things: #1) The thing is already built and ready to go so there is no "extra" engineering time. #2) It will be priced with YFZ450, how else could they carry the new quad and the 400ex at the same time? Yamaha took around 5 years developing the new quad, that is what "extra" engineering time is.

First of all "bulletproof" does mean "indestructable", perhaps your definition is different. So what youre saying is the reliabilty will be better but not indestuctable(Bulletproof). I once again have to dissagree, It took just as much upkeep on each of the 3 250r's I have owned as the Banshee I currently own. And like I said earlier, it's easy to be reliable without making power, if you take the 400ex make it a 440ex, pipe, bigger carb, ported head, I will guarantee your reliabilty will have just dropped considerably. Second of all are you calling me a liar? Yes my friend does ride his Banshee quite alot, he is on his 6th set of rear holeshots, 3rd set of rings with second set of pistons on stock bore. (My Banshee is also on stock bore - 97) Changed his reeds once, has stock carbs and a pro-flow filter with FMF fatty pipes. That is awsome reliabilty to me, keep youre eye on things and perform the "upkeep" before you have problems

First of all like I said it's easy to be reliable with out making power!! (Yea lets have the rev limiter come in at 7100RPM on the 400EX) The Banshee does have it's share of problems but calling Honda's bulletproof, come on, how many have you owned? Do you know anyone who only has pipes on an otherwise stock Banshee? I do and this guy NEVER has had any problems at all (91 Banshee) 250R's braking frames was not only on 86-87 but in 86-87, thats why they changed the frame tube style. And their round carrier would strip and slip like a son-o-bitch on the 86-87 (they upgraded in 88) the bolts would strip and brake. (Yes I owned o few of these) And I can almost guarantee that the new Honda won't be as fast as the Yamaha, for one the damn thing is already to go (designed and built) since they A)always detune their engines for ATV's, and didn't think the Yamaha would be as powerful as it is. My point is that Honda's are not "Perfect" and neither is Yamaha, or Suzuki, or Kawasaki, but no one is Bulletproof.

400EX frame based on 250R (which broke like crazy 86-87 better in 88-89) with a lack luster 4-stroke, easy to be reliable without making power Yamaha was first w/ high rev 4-stroke technoligy, not Honda, so the first has problems, easier to make an idea better than to make an idea from nothing! Frame was based on previous CR's which have been around since early 80's, just now in aluminum. Actually earlier models are easier to ride. Again, copied from Yamaha, also most motocrossers will say Yamaha's are easier to ride. Look I'm not trying to get in a farting match with you, you just have to understand that: #1 Yamaha is first to develope new technoligy #2 Yamaha is not afraid to take chances/make mistakes (unlike Honda a Co. that seems to not take chances) #3 Yamaha did take their time on this one and tried to account for possable situations/problems. #4 We will have to wait and see for Honda, they seem to significantly detune their engines before puttting them on ATV's

The thing is that Yamaha has been designing this for 5 years, and they DID pay attention to all the little details, did you even read up on it before posting??

Some news, the YFZ450 quad puts out 45HP stock, and at it's top speed is 2 MPH slower than the Raptor, it will just get there a whole lot quicker. A pipe, gearing change, and a better filter and this thing will have some serious top speed. T The sooner I get mine the sooner I can race it against my shee and give some results.

Yamaha will most likely use the same 450 engine thats in the Motocross bike, hopefully exactly the same, and they will put it in an all new frame. Look for Honda to do the same thing. (Probably EX based frame) Should be competetively priced with the Z400, $5500-$6000 As far as the 440 class goes, look for that to change to a 450 class. Or some kind of exeptions will be made. The 450 is actually 449cc so maybe drop it to 444 and squeeze it in with the 440 class, but they definetly don't want the 426 engine in a quad, the public wants the 450 engine, from what I hear it will tear the 426 a new ass and will also beat the 250 2 stroke. If Yamaha comes out with this bike for 2004 I will definetly pick one up, and of course keep the Banshee as well.

I agree!!

If you are lucky you will fell like 28 when your 30