STLBILL

Hi all: A stick insect could lose a leg at the bottom of the hill and regrow it at the top. -Bill

Hi all: To complete the image especially for drivers overtaking you: 1. Stare straight ahead as if that is the only direction that matters in life (it would be). 2. Squeeze the steering wheel tightly with both hands. 3. Hunch over the steering wheel as a futile last effort to gain precious distance. 4. Upon arrival at a stop sign or signal give a big sign of relief as they disappear from your rearview mirror - until you start again. 5. Throw flares. 6. "Invent" ground combat maneuvering (GCM). 7. Wind up and release the tow string to imply you gain a few feet on them occasionally. 8. Scream as you slowly wind up the string. -Bill

Hi guys: I guess I should go then? I seem to recall several people saying it was okay to hang around. I limit myself to general discussion only. Some of you might remember I screwed myself up bad on the 'Shee in 2003. I don't have the balls to ride it fast enough to avoid plug fouling anymore. I traded it for a Honda Aquatrax in 2004. I really like everyone on here. A lot of good descent people out there on 'Shees. I can't say the same for people on the water. It seems like when you add scantly-clad women and too much sun people change into a$$holes in a hurry. Everyone thinks they own the water. -Bill

Hi all: This is the site where they are selling them. However, they are sold out at present. I suppose we can keep checking back or someone can inquire about a dealership. I don't think you'd be allowed to have them trailing your vehicle that far behind in my state. I think some sharks would be fun to tie on my Honda Aquatrax while going down the road too! This might make a good car alarm too. Instead of "Protected by Smith and Wesson" it could be guarded by "Boeing" or "Lockheed Martin". Right up until someone steals the balloons when you're at the mall. Bright side... maybe they would only steel the balloons... -Bill

Damn! I've got to stop thinking so much... All the people wanting to have sex with her and then someone suggested she might be younger than Maggie Simpson! -Bill

Hi all: Please be careful on gravel roads! Remember you just might need to stop. Gravel can be very slick. In 2003, I broke my back in four places because it was too slick and I couldn't stop. I went off the road, the bike stopped on a small stump and I superman'ed - without the bike - into a roadside valley wall at about 45 mph. PLEASE invest in a good helmet and chest protector. I wouldn't be writing this now if I didn't. -Bill

Hi all: That is much better than the other PETA video on here recently! -Bill

On behalf of everyone West of of the Susquehanna River and South of the Mason-Dixon Line... GO COMMERCIALS! Oh yeah and wooo Paul McCartney... -Bill

Hi Limitied: Sorry to hear about this! I don't think your buddies are very good ones. They could have spared you the details in a time of loss. Morbid human curiosity never ceases to amaze and disturb me. Want an example? Just go to Google and type in "Nick Berg". -Bill

Hi guys: I road a neighbor's Tri-Z 250 quite a few times in 1989-1990. I do not know what year the Tri-Z was or what - if any - mods it had. I know the pipe was stock. Most upgrade that before anything else because - I think - it is the single mod that will yield the most improvement and pave the way for everything else (e.g. without a good exhaust, the rest won't perform as well). Someone correct me if I am wrong. Anyway, you decide. It kicked my ass several times. The front end was very light compared to four-wheelers (daa!). It was easy to wheelie for 50 yards or more. Nice suspension and close gearing. Now... back to your regularly scheduled Banshee forum... -Bill

Sorry 'bout that. It isn't all Banshees, but put in perspective with what Doug and his buddies usually take off the golf course it's a lot. I couldn't help but notice there were no four-pokes climbing that loose steep stuff. It looked pretty technical to start that close without a run or when they went sideways across the face. I'd steel it from the TV and post it here in the videos section but Lee would probably get sued for copyright infringement. Especially when you edit out all the commercials on the show. There must more commercials than show on there! -Bill

I think you could describe nitro-methane the same way. I wouldn't burn that in my Banshee. It says no catalytic converters otherwise I'd try some in my SUV just for fun. -Bill

Hi guys: It's on again tomorrow morning at 6:30 AM in Saint Louis. Other time zones and areas might differ. For whatever reason my satellite TV guide search is not working right now so I cannot tell you more. I wanted to get this post in just in case someone reads this in the next eight hours. I'll post more show times as soon as I get my satellite thingy fixed... -Bill

Hi guys: Banshees galore on this week's ATV Television on the Outdoor Channel. The unmistakable twin-cylinder two-stroke sound and performance is displayed at an old stripmine in Pennsylvania. There are two distinct riders showed repeatedly. Maybe it's a couple of HQ members? The Banshee is too much for Doug Meyer and his normal rock-crawling golf-cart 4x4 ATV riding crew to handle. That's for sure... -Biill

Hi BansheeFox: Well, it seems California restricts you to the type of vehicle used to take the test. The California Commercial Driver's License Handbook is here: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/cdl_htm/sec1_a.htm If you already have a CDL you've probably read this before. What doesn't seem clear is how you get an "unrestricted" license. From what I read here it seems if you test in a vehicle with a manual transmission you would be not be able to drive an automatic and so on. I see nothing to suggest a hierarchy or ultimate CDL test vehicle. For the same reason it seems if you test with a manual transmission vehicle you would be restricted to just that. Perhaps some other commercial drivers can reflect on this? It sounds like there might be a few on here. I think Cotton-Eyed Joe drives truck for sure, but he is in Utah if I remember right. Regards, Bill

Hi there: What state are you in? Driver's licenses are issues by individual states and some variance could exist. -Bill

Hi Fox: Having had personal experience similar to this I am definately praying for him! Cheer up! You're friend will be fine! Twenty months ago a cliff ran out in front of me at about 45 mph. That's how fast I was going. I'm not sure about the cliff. Cliff's must be tougher than deer. I've never seen a hunter taking a cliff home and hanging it on his wall. I'm the vindictive type so I tried, but the girlfriend wouldn't let me. The problem is they will outlaw ATVs not deer or cliffs as a result of this. -Bill

Hi everyone: I vote for scam. It seems to be aimed at people who do not know exactly what a Banshee is and therefore not what they are buying. Anyone who knows Banshee's would know they do not have an hour meter. Banshee hours are always unsubstantiated and based on the rider's personal trip log or similar - which usually means a rough approximation based on a feeble memory. Dayton, Ohio is about a ten hour drive for me. Anyone live closer? Let's call him on it. I'd definately pay $1,500 if it's legit, but I'd want to see it in person and remove eBay from the equation. -Bill

I think that is an episode of Malcolm in the Middle or the other syndicated Fox network show that runs in a time slot adjacent to the Simpsons. The lady in red looks familiar. Since I just bought a new car I definately know how this could happen! -Bill

Hi all: Someone had to mention the weed trimmer dildo. I think I once saw a diesel powered one in a sex shop in Vegas! I have a Honda weed trimmer and LOVE it. Not many people know Honda makes them. They are hard to find. It is a four-stroke. My point is the options are already out there. I haven't yet found a four-stroke blower or chain saw yet. Damn... I added to this thread. I think we are beating a thread horse. -Bill

Hi Trail: Two-strokes of similar displacement perform much better. A Banshee, the only twin-cylinder two-stroke ever produced, is not for the faint of heart. I broke my back in four places on one in May of 2003. I am very lucky to be alive let alone walking and riding again. Now having said that... Two strokes have a personality and act a lot like a woman. They are moody. You will want to learn something called jetting, fuel mix ratios and learn quickly how to change fouled spark plugs trailside. It is not really as bad as it sounds and a skill that is quickly learned but rarely mastered (that's why we all trade notes on sites like this). Plan on more frequent but much cheaper and easier engine rebuilds. Plan on learning how to change your oil while you ride (hint: just gas it ). Plan on a lot more fun and leaving everyone else behind. Now remember a Banshee has two two-stroke cylinders. One way I felt the moody powerband is like this: One cylinder enters the powerband. It smacks the otherone upside the dome and says, "Are you coming with me or are we going to twist the crank and/or throw a road?". When the second one kicks in it is truely a rocket to ride! Your friend should have his brakes serviced on that Blaster. It sounds like you are comparing apples to oranges. Does the four-stroke your were comparing the Blaster to need it's brakes serviced? I never had any trouble descending any hills on a Banshee. Of course you might be just a little more brave/stupid than I am. If you are an experienced ATV rider who likes performance you are making the right decision. Just be careful. All this power has to be respected! Try not to end up like me. -Bill

I thought this was for married guys only?

Hi all: I had a 99 Ranger flareside. I witnessed some guys putting one in a late 90s model flareside once: 1. It took three guys. None were wimps. One was a big 'ol boy. 2. Padding is needed to keep the stock bumper from breaking the back window. 3. If you put it in backwards the tailgate won't close against the bumper. 4. If you have nerf bars or floor boards they will hit the fender wells. 5. It is a very tight fit. Slam the tailgate hard to compress the rear tires. 6. I found it a whole lot easier to get a $500 tilt trailer that can be used for a million other things when not riding. -Bill

Hi all: A GPS does not tell you your current speed. It tells you how fast you went between the previous two points. It is always one update from real time. This technicalityy is important on something like a Banshee that accelerates and brakes quickly. For odd-roading avoid the ones that have roads or street maps in them. Realize that "you cannot always get there from here". It is not like an airplane or in some most cases a boat where you can drive a straight trajectory to your destination. For example your desitination could be on a bluff or ridge. The GPS will tell you drive straight up the cliff. Afterall, this is the shortest route. In reality you might need to find the trail that takes you to top first. The track-back function on many Garmin's helps with this by recording where you were and leading you back the exact same course. You can also program waypoints or routes on almost all of them to circumvent this limitation but it requires work. If you really want to see something cool check out the Uniden Mystic. It utilizes something called Digital Selective Calling and Automatic Position Send and Receive to transmit your location in an emergency. However, this is only for boats. Not for off-roading. The FCC will find and fine you for using it on land - especially if you are interfering with or transmitting false distress calls. I think the advice about using the GPS to make a race track is just plain stupid. You should never rely on the GPS that much! If you can't see where the trail leads you slow down and be careful. Regards, Bill

Hi there: Ditto on finding the right size generator. I like the red or the black/gray. I am not too much for the green. Did you forget about lights? Keep in mind how much fuel you will need for the generator. Maybe you can throw some solar cells on the trailer roof to help. Albeit, solar technology is still pretty pricey. I don't know too many Banshee riders who don't see sunny sandy areas now and again. Ever think about trying to build a regenerative breaking system for trailers? Regards, Bill