2008 4-stroke Banshee?

[Groundworx]

I got the new Dirt Wheels today (april 2007). On the cover is a 4 stroke banshee. It looks like Yamaha is testing some 4 stroke 500cc twin cylinder Banshees in Japan. I just skimmed over the artical and there doesn't seem to be much info. on it yet other than Yamaha is testing many different prototypes. Basically they are saying it is 2 YZF250 cylinders or half of an R1 motor. There is actually talk of it coming out with 60-70 hp out of the box, but may even be as high as 85hp (1/2 of the R1). It will be interesting to see what Yamaha actually does with this. I am wondering about the powerband of the twin 4 stroke motor. Will it have more torque/bottom end power, or be higher revving like a sport bike.

I looked on Dirt Wheels website and they don't have the picture of it and I couldn't find one on the net anywhere. They only show a side view of the quad in the magazine, but it looks like the Banshee radiator with Raptor/YFZ450 front fenders and headlights.

[yamaha225]

Cool can't wait to hear more about it. I was hoping that Yamaha would build something to replace the Banshee and Blaster. I just hope that they keep the Banshee name and not name it after another dinosaur.

[El'Capitan]

sounds cool, they should introduce a new quad, a banshee 4stroke just wouldnt be right, after 20 years of it being a 350 twin 2stroke.

[Louis Mielke]

ha! The APRIL issue? I smell an april fools joke.

[tecat-z]

Thats the engine currently used in yamahas warrior sled. 80 hp out of the box. Of course with all of the drag of the track against the skid frame and skis dragging on snow there is lots of power lost in just getting it going. And thats crankshaft hp also. But the sled is very quick on launch. On wheels it would take far less power to be downright dangerous for all of the idiot riders out there. It's not a variant of the R1. Its two yz250f engines siamezed together with monoblock cylinder similar to cheetah cub banshee cylinders. Also a tranny would have to be engineered or else a cvt setup like the sled or the big utility quads have. But a 6 speed would me much more fun. As far as torque this would pull your arms out coming of the hole and with a 12,500 rpm ceiling, top end would be superior to ANYTHING ever made. I just cant see them building this thing without severely taming it down. If they thought trikes were dangerous, the cpsc would have seisures over this. But if they do it would sure be on my list of must rides. Well see.

[Groundworx]

ha! The APRIL issue? I smell an april fools joke.

I am a subscriber.. I got the April issue yesterday. If it was a joke, I would come up with something better than that....

I really kinda thought that that the YFZ450's purpose was to replace the Banshee. It is a version of the engine found in thier sled, but with a manual transmission.

[devildog_0431]

It is a joke, they do this every year...I saw it too. I tried to google and yahoo search it w/ no avail....if it was true there would be an internet lead on it, i seriously doubt yamaha will produce a 500 4stroke to replace the 350.

[yamaha225]

When Dirtwheels does an april fools joke if you would read the end of the story they'll admit that it's a joke. There was an article in a past issue not sure if it was dirtwheels talking about that motor possibly being put in a quad chassis.

[TravEX]

April fool's issue.

[Groundworx]

I read the artical and it doesn't say anywhere in it about being an april fools joke. Mabey it is, I don't know. It doesn't sound that far fetched to me though. The Banshee was a real popular quad. If they could make more money by producing another version of it, why not? I googled it too before I started this thread and didn't find anything on it either. I wondered about that, but I have googled other stuff before and not been able to find anything too. I wouldn't suprised either way.

[scooterroo]

i wouldnt be suprised. but whats the sence is my question. they already have a big four stroke in the raptor. kawi has a twin cylinder four stroke...the "v-force". mean bike, but heavy heavy heavy. and it would be better if it was a manual shift, instead of that cvt type clutch thingy.

[BigGreenMachine]

The 500 twin four stroke is used in the Yamaha Phazer. 80hp in a long travel sno-x style sled. Very nice machine and the motor is a real performer. I'd love to see it as reality in a Banshee but the chassis would be my last choice.

[RichinMO]

Yeah, it's an April fool's joke. They do it every year. Look in the front of the magazine and they show the cover of a past issue with the Honda 750EX. They morphed an Aquatrax jetski and a quad and called it a new secret model. Last year it was the Honda hippo side by side.

[TravEX]

Does Wal-Marks not carry Dirt Wheels anymore?! I let me subscription run out a few monthes ago, and have been buying em each month. I have yet to find the March or April Dirt Wheels in WM.

[RichinMO]

The Wal-marts here do, but I just got my April issue in the mail on Saturday.