Duncan Racing Banshee Dune RunnerFew ATVs have a cult following like that of the Yamaha Banshee. Maybe it's because few ATVs give the rider such a unique experience. The sound and visceral feeling of cracking the throttle on a twin-cylinder two-stroke was unparalleled back in 1987, and arguably still to this day. Even with the hostile takeover of high-performance four-strokes, Banshees are still the platform of choice for many duners, drag racers and hill shooters alike. The Banshee has definitely faded out of the mainstream into the realm of nostalgia, but it's not gone yet, and this Duncan Racing duner is proof.
The guys at Duncan Racing International (DRI) have built their vision of the perfect Banshee. One that can smoke your buddies up the hill or on the drags but still handle well enough to carve through the dunes and soak up a huge jump or two. It's got enough bling to stand out from the crowd but not so much to make you feel guilty for riding it once or twice. Basically, it's the ultimate dream Banshee to take out and ride every weekend. We couldn't wait for the desert season to start, so we braved the 110-plus heat of Glamis, California, in the summer to see if this classic two-stroke could still hang with the new thumpers.
Suspension
Up front, the Duncan Banshee uses a Roll Design Lobo II front suspension kit. The kit includes Roll Design chrome-moly A-arms, which make the Banshee 2 inches wider than stock and have a "gull-wing" lower arm to allow for longer-travel shocks. Roll A-arms have become an industry benchmark for quality and design; they are fully adjustable, rebuildable and fabricated to withstand the harshest racing and riding conditions. Controlling the travel is a set of Elka triple-rate piggyback shocks, set up specifically for dune riding. The shocks give the front end more travel while letting the quad sit lower for more stability. This front end setup allows the Banshee to soak up deeper whoops and hard landings, as well as increases the stability and handling precision.
Out back, the Duncan guys went with a +4 Laeger's chrome-moly swingarm with a round housing bearing carrier conversion. With all the added horsepower, the extra swingarm length was needed to help keep the front end down near the ground and under control. While riding wheelies all day may sound like fun, it really doesn't help you win hillclimbs, and despite what your Uncle Eddie told you, it really doesn't look that cool, either. The bearing conversion allows for the use of an eccentric bearing carrier and eliminates the overcomplicated stock Banshee chain adjustment. The rear travel is controlled by a fully adjustable Elka shock and custom Elka linkage. This setup copes with the Banshee's relatively short rear shock to give you a bit more quality and quantity in rear wheel travel. The rear end also features an adjustable RPM Dominator axle, matching the width of the front end and giving the Banshee an even more stable ride.
Normally, adding a longer swingarm adversely affects your ATV's cornering capabilities, causing it to push or understeer while turning. But the extra width and setup of the Banshee's Roll Design front end keeps the steering in check and allows you to ride and turn it just like you would with a stock-length arm. Case in point, our test rider was able to pitch the longer Banshee sideways and corner it almost like his MX bike. While this Banshee was built for drag racing, hill shooting and cruising the dunes, it's nice to know the suspension will let you carve a turn or soak up a hard landing if you need to-or just want to!
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