400EX vs Banshee

[JonC30]

I've been looking at getting a 400ex now for awhile but I was wondering something. My friend keeps on mouthing how yamaha is better than honda and all this BS. He keeps saying that his banshee will smoke the &%$# out of a 400ex. Is there any truth to this assuming they are both stock? I guess he is saying in a straight line drag race type situation. However, hit me up with all the FACTS to this argument so I'll know next time if hes talking smoke or talking for real.

[sly400ex]

Banshee will smoke a 400ex in a drag....but that's about it. 400EX is a dominant in mx, xc, trails quad. :)

[cdalejef]

I'll second that.

[brian-250]

what he said^;)

[cheetah]

Wanna go straight? Get a shee. If you wanna ride woods, get the EX.

[PHAT400]

YEAH! blah blah blah... yadda yadda yadda..... What he said and him and him and.............

Originally posted by Jeff@QuadShop
I'll second that.


I terd that....:macho

[BIGRED400]

Unless the 400EX is now a 416, I've shown my neighbor my backside a few times even with his Tooney piped Banshee:macho

[cdalejef]

In a drag race? :confused:

[cheetah]

Originally posted by BIGRED400
Unless the 400EX is now a 416, I've shown my neighbor my backside a few times even with his Tooney piped Banshee:macho

Yea, but something strange among banshee owners is they never stay the same for long. You may take him while he has pipes, but now he's just a skip away from reeds. Once he gets reeds he will probably beat you. By then it's usually time for a rebuild and why you've tore it down why not go for high comp. pistons. Then comes the coolhead. I've been down this road 100 times a 400 no matter how modded can't hang mod for mod with a banshee in a drag. I tried and lost lots of money in my 400. So if you are the type to drag race a lot, you'll get tired of being beat by a banshee, but the truth is to beat a decked banshee you need a decked banshee, but stock for stock they are fairly close and the EX has more torque by far for trails.

Man I got really off topic.:eek2: I don't like losing to shees.:blah:

Originally posted by BIGRED400
Unless the 400EX is now a 416, I've shown my neighbor my backside a few times even with his Tooney piped Banshee:macho
Good thing they were only Tooneys and not Toomeys.

[AndrewRRR]

Banshees make more power stock than most built 400ex's and are VERY responsive to building up. If you want to drag race, hillclimb, or ride dunes get a banshee. If you want to ride trails or MX get a 400EX. Or get a 250r and be pretty good at both :D

[Greg Z]

I owned both BANSHEE and 400ex. I like the 400ex better. I ride MX/ TRAILS

The banshee is good for dragging It depends where though

On the road BANSHEE WILL SMOKE YOU dont even bother...

On loose dirt you will pull away from him

On rock you will pull away from him

basically you could beat him if he loses traction..

Other then that banshee is known the drag king and dune king..

But the banshee is also the quad that breaks down almost every ride .. ( mine did and i baby'ed it well.. sorta )

I have my EX now for 4 months... No problems here!!! and im loving it.

Over all 400ex is a better quad unless your really woried about the HP. Stock 400ex makes 27-29

Banshee makes 30-35

so make your choice

[400grl]

I had a 440 ex and now a Banshee - both on MX tracks.....the 400ex outhandles the Banshee, but get a good rider on a Shee on a race track and you will lose. I mean a really good rider! LOL! It's hard to keep those things pointed where they need to go when you are on the gas!!!

Banshees rule the dunes - that instant power thing is very addicting....

I love Honda, though - always will. Will be getting a new one here shortly - the fact is I like both quads alot!! Each one has it's own place! :)

And Banshee's are dependable if you take care of them.

[hosted]

You can't beat a Banshee when it comes to raw power. They have so much potential for power that can't be matched by anything else. When it comes to trails, racing a little mx, or trying some freestyle I am almost always on the 400. When I want to just play around and scare the crap out of myself I'll ride my shee for a while. Just like everyone says though, it all depends what you are looking for.

[LazeR]

well this is my story, last summer in the dunes....i raced my friends brothers stock shee........We both had the same paddles....and i was stock as well........My friend started us....I took him and prolly had a ½ a bike length on him till i hit the top of 3rd gear....then he slowly passed me but never "smoked" me.....and this happened a few times.....by the way he is lighter then me.....I don't know if its that i shift better or what hes a decent rider and probably a lil crazier then me... I've also raced my friends shee.....He has fmf pipes and silencers and a K&N Air filter and jet kit.....Now i could beat him on the take off for about 20 feet then i was "smoked" i could be topped in 5th and he was just toying with me in 4th :(....Now he has v-force reed valves and he says it madea world of difference so come may i will race him again at the sand dunes and see how much difference....I will hopefully have a pipe by then though!

The cool thing about a 400ex.....Is if you do it right you can holeshot a shee every single time....I don't think i can think of a time a shee has beat me off the line....No matter how modded...Now a few feet after that...well i can't say :blah: actually i just get owned after a few feet to a modded shee lol but hey its still fun!

[RiPPiNiTuP7]

comparing a shee to an ex is like comparing an apple to an orange. they are two quads setup for very different types of riding. the 400ex is a good mx, xc, trail quad. the shee is good for sand, open fields, etc.. if your out for speed and thrills get the banshee without a doubt, but if your in for a smooth overall fun ride get the 400ex.

[BIGRED400]

No doubt the Shee is the motor to have for mods ,Hell I've read where some boys that throw the bank at them are getting 125HP...Ex is very limited for hp............and my point was 416 is alot better than stock and yes with a another mod he'll have 1st back..but it rides like a logging truck all depends on what you want..........always straight lines or dunes....go with the Shee.......tight trails or tracks get the EX

[JonC30]

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm still going for the 400ex, as most of my riding will be trails in the woods. I was just wondering if my friend knew what he was talking about or if he was just BSing.

[ledofthezep]

comparing a shee to an ex is like comparing an apple to an orange. they are two quads setup for very different types of riding.

I agree. That's why I have both a banshee & an EX. As of now though the banshee out handles the EX(-2 swingarm & +2+1 arms w/aftermarket shocks) & is my preferred ride. It's in need of a stator right now so I'm pimp'n the EX.:p I like both of them, for the dunes I'd much rather be on my banshee, but for the tight trails probably the EX. Haven't really gotten to ride it much since I've got it but I like it a lot too....it's primarily for the g/f.:D

[Werx615]

spring for one of the new 450s and you'd have handling and speed

[RH1N08d9]

I had a shee, and If I only rode open feilds and dunes, I woulda kept it, but it was hard to ride in trails, and didn't handle too good! And, every time we went riding, that thing would fould plugs or something else, in 6 months of riding, I haven't even had to pull a plug on my ex! but after ridng a mildly built shee, my ex feels kinda slow!

[bansheerider_13]

well, i loved my banshee. my theroy is like most everyone else if you want a top end quad that wil scare the shat out of you everytime you fire it up because of how quick it is them you want a banshee. they are a very reliable bike if you take care of it right i never fouled plugs, or blew my top end. i reringed it every year tho and trust me i ride hard. with handling mods like a-arms shocks swingarms and tires i feel that they will out handle a ex any day but ive only rode a 400 a few times

[Greg Z]

sure a banshee will handell good with a-arms suspention and swing arm

but it sucks with out it

the ex handels good with out it

AND much much much much better with a-arms and suspention

[buckNbanshee]

i hate it when people say a banshees handlin sucks i would rather have a banshee than a 400 any day 400 shocks are too stiff and imo too slow. banshees are fun in the woods and u will get used to them. id say go with the banshee, anywhere a 400 will go a banshee will do just as good or better.thats alll i do is ride tight trails and some open feilds and i would take a banshee over a 400 with shocks a arms pipes ne thing anyday.

[yzrider04]

Originally posted by buckNbanshee
i hate it when people say a banshees handlin sucks i would rather have a banshee than a 400 any day 400 shocks are too stiff and imo too slow. banshees are fun in the woods and u will get used to them. id say go with the banshee, anywhere a 400 will go a banshee will do just as good or better.thats alll i do is ride tight trails and some open feilds and i would take a banshee over a 400 with shocks a arms pipes ne thing anyday. Yea What He Said

Originally posted by JonC30
I've been looking at getting a 400ex now for awhile but I was wondering something. My friend keeps on mouthing how yamaha is better than honda and all this BS. He keeps saying that his banshee will smoke the &%$# out of a 400ex. Is there any truth to this assuming they are both stock? I guess he is saying in a straight line drag race type situation. However, hit me up with all the FACTS to this argument so I'll know next time if hes talking smoke or talking for real.


Now come on, comparing a 2 stroke twin 350, to a fourstroke 400. Think about that for a little bit.

Another thing i belive is, do you want something that you will have to rebuild often, and maintain alot, and when it does blow you like buying 2 of almost everything? Or do you want something that you press a button and she fires up no problem.

[Greg Z]

Originally posted by buckNbanshee
i hate it when people say a banshees handlin sucks i would rather have a banshee than a 400 any day 400 shocks are too stiff and imo too slow. banshees are fun in the woods and u will get used to them. id say go with the banshee, anywhere a 400 will go a banshee will do just as good or better.thats alll i do is ride tight trails and some open feilds and i would take a banshee over a 400 with shocks a arms pipes ne thing anyday.


I got a right to say something about it cuz I owned both

IMO the 400 is better for my type of riding up in the north east not where the dunes are...

IMO the shocks SUCKED on the banshee

and 43 inches wide didnt cut it stock form needed something a little wider

[450rboy]

Originally posted by JonC30
I've been looking at getting a 400ex now for awhile but I was wondering something. My friend keeps on mouthing how yamaha is better than honda and all this BS. He keeps saying that his banshee will smoke the &%$# out of a 400ex. Is there any truth to this assuming they are both stock? I guess he is saying in a straight line drag race type situation. However, hit me up with all the FACTS to this argument so I'll know next time if hes talking smoke or talking for real.

if you do get that 400ex. there are little things that don't cost to much and you could buy that stuff and put it on your 400ex. then it will smoke the Banshee. the only resson i know that is because my brother has one and he did some little stuff and bet a banshee. the banshee did bed it off the starting line but my brother got it in the long run.

[buckNbanshee]

well i have rode both havent owned a 400 but imo a banshee handles better, and it is faster and imo i like it way better than a slow pos 400ex in the woods,mx track anywhere

[Chef]

Originally posted by Greg Z
I got a right to say something about it cuz I owned both

IMO the 400 is better for my type of riding up in the north east not where the dunes are...

IMO the shocks SUCKED on the banshee

and 43 inches wide didnt cut it stock form needed something a little wider

You owned both, I own both. As they sit right now, they are dead even for straight line. (Banshee has T-5's, Cool Head, V-Force Reeds, Ported intake manifolds, Timing Advanced, and Pro Flo) (EX Has THE WORKS, There isn't anything left) The 400 is faster on every surface but sand, including asphalt. The 400 would be faster in the sand if I did some paddle tweeking here and there. The 400 is easier to ride fast, because the chassis is ALOT better. With the right kind of rider, the Banshee can be just as fast in the same conditions. The Banshee is like a point and shoot ride, you steer it with the rear tires more than the front. You steer any Honda chassis more than others, so thats how you ride the EX.

But to answer your question, yes, in a straight line, stock for stock, the Banshee is faster. :blah:

[450rboy]

Originally posted by JonC30
I've been looking at getting a 400ex now for awhile but I was wondering something. My friend keeps on mouthing how yamaha is better than honda and all this BS. He keeps saying that his banshee will smoke the &%$# out of a 400ex. Is there any truth to this assuming they are both stock? I guess he is saying in a straight line drag race type situation. However, hit me up with all the FACTS to this argument so I'll know next time if hes talking smoke or talking for real.

there is another thing important. if you go riding for like all day i would get the 4 stroke but if you go to places or just not far from your house get the banshee. because 4 strokes like the 400ex have a lot better gas milage. the banchee is a 2 stroke and they ain't go on gas and you will run out before the 400ex will.

but it don't matter both are good. i would go with the 400ex because it is 4 stroke that is the only reson why i would pick and 400ex over the banshee. yea there is also another good reson why i would pick the 400ex becuase its honda and I love Honda.

so you pick your choice

[400grl]

I gotta jump back in and say that I am getting way used to the Banshee on the track now...I am clearing the same things on my stock-suspended Banshee that I was before on my fully set-up aftermarket MX 440. It's the power. If you learn how to ride the Banshee and use the powerband to your advantage - it's amazing how quick you can rip around on it! I can power myself out of things I had to plow through and rely on shocks to get me through on the 440.

The shocks on the Banshee are cushy and seem to be set up great for 135 pound riders like me! If you treat your Shee well, it will be easy to maintain. I have never fouled a plug - and I romp on my Shee! If you bog it too much without blipping the throttle every so often, you will foul plugs left and right. You just have to understand the difference between two and fourstroke machines. They each take different care and ways of riding.

I think that with enough seat time on any machine, you will get used to it and will be able to ride it just about anywhere.