Darn... the End of 2 Strokers is Coming... Yamaha's Dropping the Banshee :(

[Krazy Hawaiian]

As much as I don't like quads, ya gotta Respect the Banshee. This is some sad news... http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/banshee/banshee.aspx Banshee's have won more big races than darn near all other quads combined. Yamaha announced its the last year they will be selling the 350cc 2 stroke, 2 cylinder, water cooled, power valved screamer. I was suprised to see they still were selling them! They made a classic Yellow Black model to mark its death...

On the other hand they are making a 700cc Fuel Injected Raptor supposedly the baddest thing on the block.... single cylinder.... hmmmm wonder if that engine can be shoehorned into the YZF 450?

[dreesemonkey]

That's sad that they're finally going to stop making it. I wonder when they're going to stop making the blaster? I wish I could get a quad, those banshees are monsters!

[bdrushto]

I've always been less adverse (although I still hated it) to the four stroke movement in the quads, the more torque for them the better, but nonetheless I truly hate to see them go. Eventually I always wanted to buy a two stroker quad and take it to some dunes after I moved down south... guess I'm goin' used now. I think I might have a candlelight vigil when the last of the 2 stroke dirbikes go...

[Carolyn]

Oh man, no more Banshee!!! I'm not a big quad chick but man, I've seen some of those suckers climb the dunes like nobody's business!!

Yes KH, no quad for me (I'm not allowed )

[Hawker]

I'm sad to see it go too.

The YFZ450 is gonna be fuel injected for 2007.

I'm hoping for a YZ150F in 2007. It should have been this year with the 50th and all.

[DCMETRO1]

when are they going to phaseout the 2stroke 250's rm, cr, yz, kx... and does anyone know when they will stop racing them?

[Krazy Hawaiian]

Originally Posted by Carolyn

Oh man, no more Banshee!!! I'm not a big quad chick but man, I've seen some of those suckers climb the dunes like nobody's business!!

Yes KH, no quad for me (I'm not allowed )

Good Girl! (of course a Banshee would be allowed to slip under the "no quad" ruling)

Bansheee's rule the sand! Only one other quad could give it a hint of troubel and it only got made 1 year. Suzooooks QUADZILLA it had a 500cc 2 stroke RM engine and was a terrifying beast! Suzoook quit makin it since it was thinning the herd too fast! ... just like there old TM400's did! hehe the old TM's were some of the most FEARED bikes ever made. Grown men regulary wet themselves because of them

Who can blame them, with a light switch powerband on a 60-70HP spagetti framed 3 inch travel bike if you wernt terribly afraid you were brain dead.

[Krazy Hawaiian]

Originally Posted by DCMETRO1

when are they going to phaseout the 2stroke 250's rm, cr, yz, kx... and does anyone know when they will stop racing them?

Good Q. Not sure when they will ban them from racing.... it already done in most of cali. You cant even ride a 2 in the desert or get a green sticker in some aeras!

[Carolyn]

Originally Posted by Hawker

I'm hoping for a YZ150F in 2007. It should have been this year with the 50th and all.

Oh lord, they're going after the little bikes too!!

I can't imagine a 150F even going 10hrs without needing a top end, those things must spin 18,000rpms or so??

Manufacturers sure are making it harder and harder for people who want to race the smaller bikes. I know people that still ride their older 125 2strokes and those bikes are still runnin' like a champ

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by Carolyn

Oh lord, they're going after the little bikes too!!

I can't imagine a 150F even going 10hrs without needing a top end, those things must spin 18,000rpms or so??

I don't know if they are going to stop making 85cc 2 smokes. I hope they don't. I don't think they will they have a huge market.

I don't understand when you say that a 150F spins at 18,000rpms. What I mean by a 150F is smaller version of a 250F. So heres what I would like to see as a 150F.

150 to 170cc four stroke liquid cooled motor.
YZ85 suspension and dimensions i.e. wheel size, seat heigth, and suspension travel.
Basically a TTR125 on steroids!!!!!

[Carolyn]

Originally Posted by Hawker

I don't understand when you say that a 150F spins at 18,000rpms. What I mean by a 150F is smaller version of a 250F.

I was just thinkin' - which isn't much

I was figuring that my 250F makes about 40hp and spins about 13-14,000 rpms. If manufacturers were to make a 150F race bike, they'd have to spin the hell outa the motor to make the power they want (granted 18,000rpms might have been an exageration on my part )

[Krazy Hawaiian]

Carolyns right in thinking high rpm, thats the ONLY way to get respectable power from a small displacement engine. Now if they put a supercharger on it....


Back to hi rev engines now. Did you know wayyyy back in the early 60's Honda made a twin cylinder 50 cc engine that made it's peak HP at 24,000 rpm!!! Small means less mass which equates to less inertia which means higher speeds without breakage.... think micro sized airplane engines... 2 stroke deisels spinning 30,000+ and who thot diesels were slow

[Carolyn]

Originally Posted by Krazy Hawaiian

Back to hi rev engines now. Did you know wayyyy back in the early 60's Honda made a twin cylinder 50 cc engine that made it's peak HP at 24,000 rpm!!! Small means less mass which equates to less inertia which means higher speeds without breakage.... think micro sized airplane engines... 2 stroke deisels spinning 30,000+ and who thot diesels were slow

Lucky for them they don't have valves

I know honda owners that have to do valve adjustments on their 250F after ~15hrs; I can only imagine what a nightmare it would be on a 150F!

Shameless plug for the KTM - noted some riders have 80hrs on their bike without needing a top end