Midway USA

All is well with it now. I pull the choke all the way, turn the kill switch to off, kick it a couple times, turn the kill switch on and it usually fires by the second kick. Rode in the snow the other night but the tires are shot and all it did was spin. Now to decide if I want to keep it or sell it. Got my carb kits for the 98. Dropped the seat off at the upholstry shop, and will order my crank kit on Monday. The goal now is to get the 98 up and going. Got an extra plate kevlar clutch on E-bay for $47 shipped. Are these clutches good? Thanks for the input and help in solving my starting problem!!

Ok Changed the pilots back and checked the needle setting. It was second notch from the top which would be leaner, correct? Also noticed something in the slide that I question. There is a hole to one side under the needle retainer. When you put the needle retainer back in is this hole supposed to be covered by the retainer or does it matter? On one it was and the other it wasn't. Got it all back together with the needle clip in the center notch and with both holes covered by needle retainer. Sync'ed the carbs and gave it a try. Seemed to start much better so we will see. It is very cold here so there won't be any riding for a while. So I am now at 220 main, center clip on the needle, 25 pilot, 1 1/2 turns on air screw, new plugs, 125 psi compression. It would seem I can't do much more than that for now. Suggestions, comments?

I've got a bud at a local tire dealer and I paid around the same for my last Blazer tires as what 4 tires for this Banshee will end up running me. Tires are low on the list right now. Have a crank and pistons to buy first but just planning ahead. Been looking on Rocky Mountain ATV all evening. The Kenda and Maxxis are pretty close in price and I printed all the info. Thanks for the input. I'll post back when I get it running and decide what tires.

98 has a nice skid plate on the rear. 95 has stock skid plate. I am going to need at least one set of new tires for the 95 front and rear. What are some decent tires reasonably priced? Looking at some Maxxis Razor. Sad when I can put new tires on my SUV for about the same money!!

What are the stock tire sizes on a 95 and 98 Banshee? What tire/size would be good for dirt and rock with 13/41 sprockets. Don't do mud unless I have to. Hate to have to wash my stuff after a hard day of riding!! I currently have Pro Trak 21x7-10 fronts and Mud Shark 21x12-9 on my 98 and are in good shape. The 95 has 21x7-10 Bridgestone front and Dunlop KT865 21x11-9 rear and are about 50% tread and full of plugs.

I didn't change em back yet. Too cold and I didn't feel like firing up the heater in the shop. I should have known not to change them since the 98 still had 25's with 270 mains with FMF pipes and K&N filter. It ran pretty decent and air screws were at 1 1/2 turns out. Maybe when I get the 98 back together I'll put the 27.5's in with my new 290's and try it there. Supposed to be finalizing on my mortgage refi so hoping to have the funds to get both Shee's up to par after Christmas. I miss the sound of the FMF's on the 98. The stock exhaust is just too quiet. I do have to say the stock pipes seem to work better for trail riding and low end torque, though. I'll post back when I get the pilots changed and some riding time in.

Yes it was hard starting before changing jets but not as bad as now. It was definitely lean even when warmed up. I think I made a mistake going to the 27.5 pilots and may change them back. My 98 had 25's with better intake and exhaust and was ok. I think the bad plug may have been a big contributor, though. Thanks for all the input. I'll change the pilots today and see how it does.

Have about 5 hours ride/run time on the engine since honing the cylinders and replacing the damaged crank seal. Would have ridden longer but poked a hole in a tire so had to head to town to get it patched. Ran a compression check and it has 125PSI both cylinders. When I pulled the plugs the one on the rh side was damaged and the porcelain center literally spun in the steel shell. You could see where it had been leaking cylinder pressure around the porcelain. That cylinder was smoking a little more but the engine didn't seem down on power at all. I put new plugs in and so far it seems to start better. Not many warm days coming so probably won't get to ride for a while again. Guess we will see if the hard start issue is gone.

I never checked the compression but probably will tomorrow. It has been sitting for about a week and before that it would start right up. I can tell you that since I honed it and put the rings in it has not been ridden much so the rings may not be seated in yet. It is supposed to be 57 here tomorrow so I plan to go ride for a while. I will stop by the shop on the way home and check compression. I am not an expert tuner but I do know that 270-280 with stock air box and exhaust would be too rich. The Banshee repair manual shows 220 to be the correct jetting for colder temps. I don't run with the air box lid off and never will. Also will never cut holes in it. May eventually get a K&N filter with Pro Flo adapter but that is all I plan to do to modify the air flow. Snorkel is gone, though. I don't drag race and don't need lots of power. Just want to ride and not burn it up. DOn't know if it matters but the needle clip is in the middle and that is where the manual and local dealer told me to run it. One suggestion was to go one notch richer and would be easier than changing jets.

Recently got my secondary Banshee up and running. Jetted it up for cooler winter riding and it is hard to start. Had to ether it a little to get it running today. It is a 1995 engine. Standard bore w/fresh hone and new rings, no TORS, stock air box with foam filter, stock exhaust and silencers with new packing. Jets are 220 main, 27.5 pilot and air screws out 1/2 turn. Spark is good. I can barely push the starter crank by hand and get a great spark. Bosch Platinum 4016 plugs. Once it warms up it starts first time every time and runs great. My other Shee was never hard starting like this. It had 270 mains, 25 pilot, air screw 1 1/2 turns, FMF Fatty with Power COre II silencers, K&N air filter, .020 overbore, and no TORS. Any suggestions?

No I had 270's in it when the crank went away. I think the 270's were maybe ok. I think the crank damage was already done before I got it from debris getting in the cylinder a couple times. FMF sent 250's with the pipes but the guy never put them in. He was still running 200's and 25 pilots. I owule rather be a little on the fat side than be lean and ruin another crank.

Got my 220's today and got them in. Also put in some 27.5 pilots. Only have to run the air screw out 1/2 turn and this thing screams now. Definitely not lean anymore but still cold blooded and takes a little while to warm up. Now for some halfway warm days to do some riding. Hoping to get the 98 engine done and running soon. With FMF Gnarly pipes and Power core II silencers will 290's and 27.5's be enough jetting? Was going to do a 4 mil but decided to stay stock stroke. It will be .060 over. No TORS. Stock airbox with un-modded lid (have no intentions of cutting the lid) and K&N filter with ProFlow aluminum adapter bolted in the box. 13/41 sprockets. Near Topeka, KS

Cool!! I hope it works this time for you. My boy and I got ours out tonight and rode in the dark for a while. Mine still smokes a little but it is the oil residue in the pipes burning out. It is getting to be less and less smoke the more I ride. Probably should take the exhust off and run it back through the hot tank again and might one afternoon this week. The thing runs good for a mix of used stuff and stock exhaust. It is definitely lean, though. I have to run with the choke partially on till it gets good and warm. Probably needs some 220's in it. Anyway I am excited to have something to ride again. Now to get funds rounded up to get the 98 back up and running again. I miss it.

Tore the smokin turd down today. It was the seal and it was bad. Had a big dent in it and the inner and outer springs were off the seal lip. Stopped by the dealer and got seals then headed to work and hot tanked and solvent cleaned everything. Got it back together and running by 6:30 this evening and all is well. Still smokin a little from the oil residue in the pipe but the oil sucking is over. Now I just need to jet it up a few sizes for the winter and see how it all goes. Now that I have done all this I may just have to keep both Banshee's. Since I have this one to ride now the anxiety over the other one has subsided a little. Still would like to have my nicer one going!! Here is a pic of it before I got it running Wednesday night: www.performancemachine.net/banshee_ugly.jpg

If it is blowing the bypass hose off I'd say the head gasket is out and pressurizing the cooling system. Has it done this before? If so maybe you need to check the head and cylinder surfaces for flatness. I usually use a very thin coat of orange high heat silicone on the gasket when I put it on. We do this on the copper head gaskets on race car engines to keep them from leaking coolant. So far I have reused the head gasket twice on one banshee and it never leaked.

Parking brake sensor/switch is on the clutch lever side of the handlebars. When it is hooked up the engine won't RPM if the switch is engaged. On mine all I had to do was unplug the switch and all was well again.

There are deals out there for sure. I have less than $1k initial purchase price in both of mine. By the time I get them both in shape I will have another $1k in them but should have one really nice one and one fair one out of the deal.

I killed my 98 Banshee a few months back. Working on rebuilding the engine in it but a few months away. Anyway in the mean time I bought a 95 for parts then decided to get it running. The story of what happened to it didn't end up jiving with what I found. Bore is standard and had never been apart. I was told they got it hot and it locked up. One ring was scuffed a little but didn't appear to have overheated. Bore measured pretty decent so I ordered a set of std rings and honed it and put it back together. Got it running then discovered it would not go into gear. At one point it seemed the engine was locked up. No water or anything in the cylinders so explored further. Finally pulled the cover to see why the clutch didn't work. One fiber had literally exploded. The guy had broken a chain and it would seem that it not only damaged the case but worked the clutch over as well. Seems the engine locking up had nothing to do with the engine but instead was the clutch. The clutch from my 98 was in decent shape so I put it in and adjusted it and got that all solved. The engine smoked bad on the right hand side but I didn't think much of it since I had oiled the needle bearings on assembly and thought I maybe got carried away. Went trail riding with my son today and the right hand side never stopped smoking. White smoke by the way. After riding long enough it literally is dripping oil from the tail pipe. Doesn't appear to be the 2R in the fuel either. The cylinder seems to be firing strong and the thing has good power. My question is, would it be safe to assume the crank seal on the RH side could be damaged from clutch debris allowing oil to be sucked into the crankcase? If this is possible, I suppose the case would have to be split to replace it? Any suggestions? Originally purchased this thing for parts but have now decided it may be worth keeping or fixing up to sell. So far have taken the best parts from the two for my 98 then the left over parts went into this one. I got it cheap and ended up with FMF Gnarly pipes with Power Core II silencers both like brand new. Since I may sell it I put my old stock exhaust on it and jetted at 200/25. May or may not keep it but probably won't get decent money with it smoking the way it is.

The $720 shipped is for Wiseco crank, Wiseco pistons, rings, needle brgs, gaskets, seals, etc. Pretty much everything to build the engine back up. Based on the comments so far I think I will just go with the stock stroke kit. I don't really need more power and definitely not the headaches to go with it.

Really don't have the budget for different head and domes or porting. I want to stay with the stock head. It will take all I have just to get the crank/piston kit I am working on. Stock kit $520 4 mil kit $720 including shipping on E-Bay. I am actually working on two Banshees. Blew mine up then the other day ended up with a 95 with the top end out. I am taking the best parts and putting on the cherry 95 frame with the new engine combo then the leftover parts will go on the 98 frame with the stock bottom end. As soon as my rings arrive I will have the 98 together and running. The other one will be a winter project.

Gearing up to put my engine back together. I do a lot of trail riding and not so much wide open runs. Wanting a little more bottom end grunt. With that being said, which would be better, stock stroke or 4 mil? I have FMF Gnarly pipes or the regular Gold series and Power Core II silencers. The bore is .060 over now. Running the stock air box with a K&N filter. I will not cut or modify the box so don't suggest it. Carbs are jetted at 280 main and 25 pilot no TORS.

Mine did a similar thing except it didn't kick the rod out of the case. I had run mine out of gas and my co-worker said running out of gas on a 2 stroke can be bad if it happens at a decent speed. I killed a needle bearing on the crankpin. I currently have 270 mains and I have been running 32:1 2R.

Is this still for sale?

Actually just found a complete new Wiseco crank with pistons, gaskets, and all for $520 shipped. Hate to spend that much but want to start with new stuff. I have spent a fair amount of money on other things and the Banshee is in pretty nice shape. Should I put a new clutch in it while I am there? Any other stuff that should be replaced while it is apart? I want to do it right even if I don't get to ride again till spring.

The only thing that scares me about a used stocker is how long before this happens with it as well. My crank seemed to have a lot of hard hours on it and I knew last time I bored it that the needle bearings were on the loose side. Should have put a crank in it then. Now I have to do another overbore plus a crank. Seen a few new aftermarket stockers with new bearings for $375 on E-Bay.