z1 zonly Posted March 14, 2009 Report Posted March 14, 2009 Hi all, brand spankin n00b here. I'm really into vintage cafe motorcycles and recently completed a '75 Yamaha RD350 build (pic). In the quest for more power though, a Banshee swap has caught my eye. 4L0 LC cylinders will bolt on to the air-cooled motor and are good for ~70hp ported, but on top of being extremely difficult to find themselves, a water pump from a rare vintage 2-stroke has to be sourced, pushing the cost into Banshee engine territory. Basically what it all boils down to is that I'd like to come away with 70-80+whp, streetable gearing, pump gas ability, pretty reliable, etc. What setup should I be gunning for? Do I need to go with Cheetah or Cub cylinders to achieve this? I've been researching this for a good bit now, but it's hard to find consolidated (or reliable!) figures for power/fuel type/setup. Also, do any options exist for compact radiators? And will the Banshee charging system sustain street lighting equipment (50W headlight, turn signals, LED taillight)? Will I need to run a battery? Thanks in advance! Quote
peterlocal22 Posted March 14, 2009 Report Posted March 14, 2009 great job on your build. as far as the charging system im pretty sure you would be better off with a battery for the street. Quote
z1 zonly Posted March 15, 2009 Author Report Posted March 15, 2009 Thank you, and thank you. Really hoping this comes to fruition and I can stick around. Quote
grizzly700 Posted March 15, 2009 Report Posted March 15, 2009 Thank you, and thank you. Really hoping this comes to fruition and I can stick around. welcome to the hq. if it were me i would run a battery and have the stator rewound at a local electric shop. i would have the battery just so i could have the lights on while the bike is not ruinning. Quote
Powerstroke Posted March 15, 2009 Report Posted March 15, 2009 Here is a thread that might help you out or get you in touch with other people into these bikes. Click Quote
z1 zonly Posted March 15, 2009 Author Report Posted March 15, 2009 Thanks a bunch for the thread Powerstroke. Suffice it to say that I'm disappointed that it takes a wrung-out 421 on high octane to make 100hp at the crank. What can I get out of a stock-cylinder Banshee engine that's ported with carbs and chambers on pump gas at ~600ft elevation? Same setup with Cub cylinders? Same setup with Cub cyls and 4mill crank? Quote
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