Seeking answers (have searched)

[Joshtruction]

ok, I do not own a banshee yet (check my other post in this forum for info) and I have only rode one before. I have been reading and researching them for quite some time now. I had a craptor, and like 12 different 250 dirtbikes from stock to HIGHLY modded. here are my questions....

 

 

I want to ride my banshee year round once I get it. I live in massachusetts so we get some decent snow. I am worried about ditching the air box and riding in the snow. Is there some kind of mod that keeps the water out a tiny bit and still makes good power... or great power?

 

Tires....what tires should I run that cover EVERY terrain. thats what really sucks about riding in my area. One second you are on hard pack hill climbs, then the other side is sand, ythen it's loose dirt, and mud.

 

I was also thinking of getting a set of paddles and ski's or just my regular fronts for the winter. How would a paddle react if it were to cut through the snow and hit the concrete? Would they tear apart fast? I used to ride my raptor in the snow as soon as we got like 4" on the stock tires and they SUCKED. Once I got like 10" of snow I would barely move. 4-6" was cool because it would slide everywhere and be fun, but it sucked because I didn't get crap for speed.

 

 

Also, I am a fat tub of lard. I weigh 280 pounds and I am 6 foot tall. I was thinking quicksand arms, and YFZ450 shocks, but how should I set them for my weight? I had pro action (I think thier site is pro-action.com) do all my two wheeler stuff. I am just curious what exactly it is that they did for a rider like me. I also wonder if it is something I can do my self (I can build a car from chasis up) or if it is something you need specialty tools for. I am thinking get the YFZ shocks, quicksand arms, and bring them and my stock rear to pro action and tell them to have a ball, but if I can save money doing it my self I am all for it.

 

I think first day I get my shee some of the motor mods are gonna be done. "Should" be putting on a noss head, new carbs, intake, toomey t5's, new reeds, and probably a few other mods including a timing computer. Is this bad for a brand new motor with zero hours on it? I know on my race 250's I would just slap them together and go but I was rebuilding a lot. I want to get a good 8 months or so out of the motor before I tear the top end apart for new postons and full porting.

 

Do you think with the mods I mentioned above it will be faster than a highly built RM250? Full race gas, race ported motor.

 

Do you guys have a list of what octane fuel you need per CC head? I don't want to go too high compression just because of gas cost. If there is something where I can do a pump gas/race gas mix that would be cool and somewhat cost effective.

 

 

 

sorry for another long whinded post asking you guys so many questions!!!!! Thanks for the help in advance guys.

[PUSH THE THROTTLE]

Wow, looks like you've been doing your research. I'll answer the paddles touching concrete. I have a set of Paddlemasters they are specifically made for mud and snow. I have run them down the highway and gravel roads at approximately 70mph and they still look hardly used. They are a very stout paddle. If you're gonna run in the snow I definately recommend the skis for the front, I personally haven't tried them but I wish I had a set. In the snow you need to keep the front end up and skis would work the best for that. Oh and many people mod their shees right away with no problems just make sure you do a good break in.

 

Welcome to the HQ

[beaubanshee66]

Riding on ice with a banshee is freaking awesome, How would you get skis on the front?

[bigboybanshee]

For the airbox concern, I would leave it on there with the lid on for when you ride in the snow, and then when it's warm out you can pull the lid off, jet it up a size or two and run it that way. I wouldn't want to risk getting snow in the airbox simply because when it melts, that's a good amount of water near the filter

 

If I were to pick a good "all around" tire it would probably be some razor 2's. They seem to be a pretty solid tire and have deep lugs. I've never run them before but have heard plenty of good reviews about them. If you're looking for a set of tires for strictly snow riding, PTT's suggestion would be my choice (paddlemasters).

 

On the shocks, if you get the yfz450 shocks you can adjust the compression, bound, and rebound on them. I have a yfz450 along with my banshee and all I did was increase the compression a little to compensate for my extra weight; left the bound and rebound alone. It actually made a nice difference!! One thing to consider if you go the route of changing to yfz450 shocks is you'll have to grind down the upper and lower mounts on the shock to get them to fit between the a arm and frame. There is a couple good posts on here about how to do that, and it doesn't take much....just figured I'd give you a heads up

 

As far as the engine mods...like PTT said if you properly break it in you'll be fine to do whatever to that engine. If you plan on porting the cylinders, I highly recommend either having the crank welded or upgrade to an aftermarket crank. The stock crank on banshees likes to separate under high compression or a large power increase. If you do plan to go with a NOSS head, the guy you'll be buying it from (dlnoss) can tell you exactly which domes to get to achieve what you're after....a lot has to do with your elevation, timing, etc. as to which domes you would need to keep it in the 50/50 pump/race gas mix.

[Joshtruction]

Riding on ice with a banshee is freaking awesome, How would you get skis on the front?

441418[/snapback]

 

 

the only ski's I have seen in person seem to bolt onto the caliper. It was weird, but rather neat.

[Joshtruction]

For the airbox concern, I would leave it on there with the lid on for when you ride in the snow, and then when it's warm out you can pull the lid off, jet it up a size or two and run it that way. I wouldn't want to risk getting snow in the airbox simply because when it melts, that's a good amount of water near the filter

 

If I were to pick a good "all around" tire it would probably be some razor 2's. They seem to be a pretty solid tire and have deep lugs. I've never run them before but have heard plenty of good reviews about them. If you're looking for a set of tires for strictly snow riding, PTT's suggestion would be my choice (paddlemasters).

 

On the shocks, if you get the yfz450 shocks you can adjust the compression, bound, and rebound on them. I have a yfz450 along with my banshee and all I did was increase the compression a little to compensate for my extra weight; left the bound and rebound alone. It actually made a nice difference!! One thing to consider if you go the route of changing to yfz450 shocks is you'll have to grind down the upper and lower mounts on the shock to get them to fit between the a arm and frame. There is a couple good posts on here about how to do that, and it doesn't take much....just figured I'd give you a heads up

 

As far as the engine mods...like PTT said if you properly break it in you'll be fine to do whatever to that engine. If you plan on porting the cylinders, I highly recommend either having the crank welded or upgrade to an aftermarket crank. The stock crank on banshees likes to separate under high compression or a large power increase. If you do plan to go with a NOSS head, the guy you'll be buying it from (dlnoss) can tell you exactly which domes to get to achieve what you're after....a lot has to do with your elevation, timing, etc. as to which domes you would need to keep it in the 50/50 pump/race gas mix. 

441421[/snapback]

 

I realize you said jet up when you take the airbox off for the summer. Yet when you ride in cold you generally have to jet up (lor at least I do) so I am wondering if there is gonna be one jet that will work with both and tune by adding an airbox that would be some funny stuff right there!!!!

 

As for the tires I was also thinking about the razr's also. I see a lot of people running them and having good luck. I also thaught about holeshots, but the razr's seem more aggressive.

 

About the shocks, I HAVE been searching so I read all about the clearance issues. As far as I am concernd them are very minor. 2 minutes of grinding total. thanks for the additional heads up though!!!!

 

 

I am also at sea level. I live in the city the book moby dick was based out of I want to run the bottom end stock for a little while. Once it comes apart I will probably be going 4mm bigger Until then I will deal with it the way it is and hope it holds together.

[Joshtruction]

oh yeah, I also google searched the paddlemasters. I couldn't seem to find thier website. I found a few places selling them, but I am not to sure if it was a deal or expensive. What are a set of those tires going for normally? Do any of you have a link to thier website if they have one?

[PUSH THE THROTTLE]

oh yeah, I also google searched the paddlemasters.

441495[/snapback]

They are made by GBC if that helps, I'm on a really slow computer otherwise I'd find it for you. I got mine from some place in idaho called recreation unlimited or something, they have ads in dirtwheels if you have one to look at. I think mine cost $40 each and then with shipping it totaled about $105.

[Banshee17Racing]

I have a set of Paddlemasters they are specifically made for mud and snow.

[PUSH THE THROTTLE]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I've always wondered how those things do in snow. How long have you had them? Do they actually hook up? How do they compare to any other tires you've ran in snow? And how deep of snow have you taken them in?

441558[/snapback]

I've had them for a couple of years. They work really well as long as you keep the front end from becoming a plow, that's where the skis would com in handy. I really need to get a set of skis made for this year. The most I've run them in is I'd say about 1' to 1 1/2'+ drifts, since you're only a couple hours down the road from me you know we haven't gotten much for snow in the last couple of years so extensive research hasn't been done. They are alot of fun in the mud though, and they hold up awesome.

[Joshtruction]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but I've always wondered how those things do in snow. How long have you had them? Do they actually hook up? How do they compare to any other tires you've ran in snow? And how deep of snow have you taken them in?

441558[/snapback]

 

 

not a hijack at all, it's all stuff I can learn from and gets more info for the questions I asked