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Banshee is a classic now and open to new builds.


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The Sundahl frame is a Baja thing. Its really not useful on anything but the hard desert. They are very overbuilt, and strong. Not really what a guy would want in most applications. They also have a very excessive shock angle in the front and rear. That means big springs, big gas pressures and they valving has to be able to control all the excess leverage. That is actually kind of odd considering the heat generation that would cause IE: bad for Baja and shock life. In their intended application I am sure they are amazing. They are very obviously designed to be able to soak up some very large impacts from the front as well as bring able to handle some air. I am in no way talking smack about them, they are a work of art. Just not the application I am going for.

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I did want to do some testing. I have the laeger trx500 frame sitting right next to a banshee one right now. I have been looking at how the front a-arms are mounted. the banshee is flat in relation to the rest of the bike and the laeger is uphill. I wanted to test mounting banshee arms in the same way. I think that would make a huge difference in soaking up big bumps. It starts loading the skock/spring before the wheel travels up. There is enough room for a dead copy of the 250R front end, but that kills any hopes of putting a battery between the arms. The battery in that location seems to make a pretty big difference in the balance of the bike with a +4 swing arm. I would like to move the upper shock mount forward 1/2" to make things nicer with a +2+1 a-arm setup.  This is just talking about the front end, there is no telling if it would play nice with a linked rear end. 

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The laeger has some neat features, but I do not want the frame to be locked into hard to get parts. Its very difficult to find things like cr500 rear links that are at a price point that I would be comfortable refurbing and reselling. Could I have a run made up? Sure but that drives the initial cost to get started.

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I agree with DDQ, that is what i was getting at. I dont have much interest in a lighter stock geometry/ replacement frame but one with improved geometry and modern technology is appealing for my purpose (duner/trail bike). The frame on my bike is basically the last thing untouched other than removing the unneeded brackets. Eventually will get some JDS footpeg bungs, gusset kit, and fresh powder. All the frames with improved geometry seem unobtanium these days so might be a good slice of the market interested. 

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This is great feedback and food for thought. Do you think forum members would be willing to remount all thier crap on a test roller? I can use the stock leverage angles so that people could bolt their shocks on. I am kind of afraid to send a test frame to people, when you have to cut and change suspension several times it does not stay pretty. Or do I just do a complete bike for people to whore out at Glamis? There isint any real woods around here, just hard desert and soft desert.

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Once I have the frame table finished and setup I will have measurements/drawings. 12-14k would be for a complete bike ish. I cant sell complete bikes because of the legalities. In a perfect world I would take the laeger, copy it, widen the frame rails there the engine sits and add banshee engine mounts. Easy day done deal. But now I would have just created a bunch of cooling issues. As well as having to run 250R plastics. We would be gaining in the fuel capacity area though as well as pipe clearance. The biggest stopping point on that for me is the spindle/front brake availability. Sure the T-Pin stuff is amazing, but now the costs are getting pretty high and I would be alienating a big customer base. A proper forged aluminum spindle with a bolt on caliper mount would be the dream, but that is a significant cost increase for me. I would need to buy 50 pairs at a go. Maybe in the future or for a 2nd generation sure.

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Yes DDQ, I have looked at the yfz conversions. There just isint the room for what I am after. I try to keep in my head that there are people who are going to want to stuff bigger motors and bigger pipes in the Frame. That kind of knocks the 450 out of the conversation. Its even shorter than the 250R.

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Yes DDQ, I have looked at the yfz conversions. There just isint the room for what I am after. I try to keep in my head that there are people who are going to want to stuff bigger motors and bigger pipes in the Frame. That kind of knocks the 450 out of the conversation. Its even shorter than the 250R.



There is a member here who put a 611DM in a yfz ( I believe it was a yfz). Absolutely anything is possible if you have the knowledge/time/money to do so.

Anyone spending $14k out the door is going to want something that looks unlike anything else out there. Building a stock frame lookalike is IMO a bad idea. Build something that looks cool.


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