BenBB

Definitely either eliminate the TORS or at the very least tighten the tops. You can disable the TORS system by unplugging the control box, mounted to a frame rail just above the left cylinder. If you've got pipes I'd go straight to 30 pilots, and start with the airscrews 1.5 to 2 turns out. I'd also double check for air leaks at the reed cages. Good luck.

The spark arrestor is definitely something to look into. I have to have them to race desert (dumbass BLM, wtf are we gonna do, burn down the desert?!!), anyway usually all they do is a "stick test", however they will on occasion look for the official "USFS Approved" that HAS to be stamped on the silencer. I can do some digging and find out what the USFS requirements and approval mechanisms are if ya want me to...

My name is Ben, and I'm a Banshee addict I check on her in the garage a few times a day, sit and stare thinkin' about the next upgrade or the next race, and obsess about the little things like loose bolts and chain tension...can't think of the last time something broke, but I'm sure I didn't take it out on her (that's what co-workers are for lol!!), she still got cleaned & greased and waited patiently for parts...

Ummmkay...

To check the compression, get ahold of a compression tester (ideally a high-quality one with 14mm long-reach threads to match the spark plug depth, but at the very least one with 14mm threads). Take out one spark plug and install the tester, turn the ignition "off" and hold the throttle wide open, and kick it over hard & fast until the needle on the gauge stops moving. On a stock motor you should see between about 110 and 125 psi depending on your elevation (lower pressure the higher the elevation). Typically under 100 psi or more than 10% difference between sides means that it's time for a new topend. Your problem sounds more like jetting tho, low compression usually makes it an absolute bitch to start when cold, but once the engine is even slightly warm the pistons & rings will expand enough to make starting easier. Also you say that using the choke she starts up on one kick... I'd locate the carb airscrews and turn them in a half turn and see if it helps (in is richer, airscrews fine-tune the air/fuel ratio from idle to about 1/8 throttle), and I'd also double check your mains just in case. If you need help finding them and want to learn about jetting, check the Jetting FAQ link below, or just ask here someone will help. Good luck.

As much as I wanted it I didn't even enter, knowing that I'll be running the RZ head soon...BAD FRO!! BAD BAD BAD! Well unless you're gonna build a new one around that head...

With the TORS you'll set the idle speed AND the carb sync with the knobs on the TORS boxes atop each carb, with the TORS eliminated you'd use the cable adjusters on top of each carb to sync them and the idle screws to set the idle speed...

I doubt you'll find much argument here about that, few of us will contest the beleif that a Grizzly is a better choice for crawling through 4' mudholes or an LT80 is a better starting point for an 8-12 year old, but the YFZ450 is always gonna be subject to some sibling rivalry being that it CAN infringe on Banshee territory... Also, the original question was a little vague, "track" could be anything and anywhere that Banshees have proven themselves, and sometimes still dominate, like Pont de Vaux, Pike's Peak, Baja, ST Nationals, and pretty much any drag race. I've seen crazy fuckers on Banshees annihilate built 250R's and YFZ450's on an MX track, and I've seen less experienced Banshee riders get lapped by Z400's on a TT track. The point is, sure we could all sell our Banshees and go buy the latest craze (take a look around, a shitload of members have one of each, best of both worlds), but personally I love my Banshee, shortcomings and all, and don't really care if something else is faster or handles better...to me nothing else comes close in terms of pure enjoyment, from riding to wrenching to upgrading. No shee's not perfect for everyone, but works for me Bear in mind that you're in the realm of the hardest of the hardcore here, that as far as some of us are concerned, everything else is just something to roost on...

I just have a Clymer's at home, nothing on the PC, but if nothing else you can print out the Jetting FAQ below...might not help much with sync & idle adjustment with the TORS system still in place but should help you get the jetting dialed in (BTW a backfire is usually a lean symptom). Good luck.

Same here led, always wanted to be an Eagle driver or an Apache pilot, got an appointment to West Point but they said I couldn't fly rotary wings with corrected vision...bastards. Oh well. My grandfather (USAF Colonel Retired, Fedex pilot retired) has a homebuilt Glasair that is a blast to fly tho, one of these days I'll get a private pilot's license myself. It's cake once she's in the air but takeoffs and landings are...an experience heh

Mine's failed too, but on inspection I found a broken solder joint, and I avoid water like the plague so in my case it was more of an age issue. For some reason or another stock Banshee stators are sort of a weak point, one thing I think that contributes is the little casting hole on the cases just to the rear of the stator (where the neutral switch wire was on the RZ the Banshee cases were derived from), that lets water get in there and difficult to get out without pulling the stator cover...and we all know what a pain in the ass that is when you gotta pull the footpeg and shift lever just to get it off (and sometimes nerfs if ya got 'em). Anyway when I upgraded my stator I plugged that hole and so far so good...

Hmm for some reason when you said "jump started" I picture someone clamping jumper cables on my leg like that torture scene in "Lethal Weapon" while I'm kicking my Banshee over furiously... but I digress. Hard starting probably isn't the TORS system, but you can simply disable it by unplugging the control box on the frame rail just above the left cylinder. Sounds to me more like jetting (and prolly not much more than airscrew adjustment), or low compression. When you say the plugs are wet, are you using the choke or not? You might see how many turns out the airscrews are, if they are way in or out try starting them at 1.5 turns out and starting it with and without the choke. I'd also check the compression just for grins, oh yeah and also make sure the air filter is clean. Good luck.

Chevron 80W90 here, can't beat my price on it (free from work haha) and I'm still on the stock '96 clutch after I personally put almost 5 years of abuse on it, heh. Everybody's got an opinion on what to throw in there but I think everyone will agree that sticking with one brand/type of oil and changing it often is your best bet...

Ricky Stator +2 a-arms (not caster adjustable) and Works triple rates: No complaints, money well spent I think. This year I'll either add rezzys when I get the fronts rebuilt (and have Works do a heart transplant on the stock rear, which BTW is an Ohlins and a good shock), or upgrade to Works Black Widows. A-arms have been perfect, chances are if they get destroyed I'll get another set of Ricky's.

The only thing I see that ain't a paperweight is the kickstarter lever heh, and mebbe the footpegs...

I agree with Wallrat, radiator looks good. If you're running that and a PD impeller, even in triple-digit temps you should be fine...unless the jetting is off, I'd double check it. Good luck.

Come back safe man, shee'll be waitin' for ya!

Happy Birthday Stan!!!!!!!! Hope you had a good one, late like usual here but still had to say it heh

I don't dilute the Simple Green, but think I'll give the 409 a try and see if it works any better...

Congratulations Yamahammer!!! On Valentine's Day no less, that's cool!

LMMFAO!!!!

Only way to know for sure is to CC the domes, and even then if it HAS been shaved already it's gonna be kinda difficult to tell how much more you can get away with, hopefully someone else can add more... One thing you can kind of eyeball is the domes, if they are inset from the gasket mating surface about a millimeter or 1.5mm, it's prolly stock, if the domes are NOT inset and are flush with the gasket surface, it's already got about .050" to .060" taken off.

I run a Dyna FS, it's not programmable, has a DIP-switch box so you can select 4 different curves (and as superchicken said, I can tell the diff on them even on mine). I can't do any RPM presets on mine, but I don't know for sure how much different the newer Dynas are. BTW I just rewired my handlebar on/off switch to swap between two curves, what it does is use the curve selected at the switch box until a simple switch completes the circuit between 2 wires that go to the switch box, then it reverts to the "top end" curve. That's the one that works best with my setup but it is cool to be able to switch it over to a different one easily (I added a pushbutton kill switch to shut off the motor).

If it's a jetting or compression problem it's not gonna help, but if you don't have alot of wide open places to get into 6th or ride in tight stuff all the time it wouldn't hurt (it'll accelerate quicker but you'll lose top speed). Banshees aren't known for their low-end power anyway, but the way you say it bogs it sounds like it might just be rich on the mains and/or airscrews...

Led pretty much asked what I would have, it literally could be a million things but I'd start with jetting (especially since you don't know what jets are in there now) and checking the compression. Cleaning the carbs and rejetting are pretty simple, most of all you want to make sure everything is CLEAN, take your time and don't force anything. You might scope out the Jetting FAQ below, got some stuff in there about pullin' the carbs and a whole lot on jettin'. Good luck.