Project WR350X has begun!

Ok, I got a WR250R without a motor to start the project. Thanks to Just Bob for finding the perfect project starter. The ad said it was without the tank, motor, and cradle. I got a cradle on eBay today. The bad news is that he never told me or put in the ad that the radiators are missing. No big deal I will first try and see if I can cram the Banshee radiators in there. If not I will order up some stockers but I am a LONG way from needing to cross that bridge.

It is at the friends as I type and am finishing up details with the shipping company. Here are the first pics of it at his house.

They get a little bigger if you click them.

























Now I am on the lookout for a gently used Banshee quad, maybe an RZ350 but I doubt I could bring myself to cannibalize one of those even though the powervalve would be nice. The WR is a perfect candidate for the project. First, I get to keep it all in the Yamaha family. Second, the bolt together hybrid aluminum/steel chassis is a nice compromise because I should maintain good stiffness, yet frame cutting/welding/modifying of the lower half will be much easier and cheaper. Third, it will be a street legal Banshee powered Supermoto! Do I need another reason besides that?

I definitely have my work cut out for me. I'll be honest. I haven't planned this out much which is very unlike me. I just want a banshee powered supermoto. I'll do my best and if it doesn't work out I'll just slap one of the four stroke singles in there. My main concern is the exhaust. Holy crap! Routing, fabbing, cutting, tacking, welding, cutting it back apart, tacking welding, and so on is going to suck! I don't care though!

Welding put me through college and I miss it dearly so this should be a great project.

Marchesini wheels, dual 4" HID Baja lights, Speed Triple style flyscreen are in the mental plans. Blue, White, and day-glo yellow will be the color scheme. Very Rossi-esque if you will. Obviously this is all subject to change. Long story short. I was lusting over the Aprilia SXV550 supermoto due to the twin and crazy power to weight ratio. Then I thought I could do that myself with a Banshee and a WR and have something far more rare. So that is the goal, a power to weight ratio that is better than or equal to the Aprilia 500.

Let me know if you have any feedback, either positive of negative. I also appreciate any tips or tricks you may have regarding the WR or a Banshee. If you know of a Banshee near East Tennessee then let me know. That is next on the list to track down. I will keep everyone up to speed on the progress. It will be slow.

My room mate just finished dropping a blaster motor into a zohngsen enduro haha. The only problem he came across really was the kick start not clearing the frame. He must push start it everytime. But the bike is awesome and a ton of fun. Good luck can't wait to see it finished

Cost of rolling chassis?

Considering how f'n clean that chassis is, I have to wonder what happened to the motor?

700

Bike was purchased by a college for a 100 mpg car competition. Clean title.

TurbStLCards wrote:

The bad news is that he never told me or put in the ad that the radiators are missing. No big deal I will first try and see if I can cram the Banshee radiators in there. If not I will order up some stockers ...

Radiator, not radiators, ours bikes only have one .

Looking forward to watching your progress, sounds like a very fun project.

TurbStLCards wrote:

700

Bike was purchased by a college for a 100 mpg car competition. Clean title.

Wow....clean everything.............what a great foundation to work off of. SCORE!!!!!

Just throwing another option out there. An RD350 engine is cheaper, air cooled, has no electronics, can make similar power (but can't go as radical), and uses a lot of the same parts. There is also the RD400 which is the same motor but more CCs stock (but also less common).
Downsides? you would have to fool around with points or buy an electronic conversion. You would also have to initially modify the engine to get it up to banshee levels. It will never have as much potential as a banshee because the port layout isn't as good and its air cooled.

Thanks for the input. I have considered the RD engine. I do want to run big lights and a few other miscellaneous electronics so I'll be working with the wiring anyway.

I'm pretty good on the fabrication side an my brother is a great mechanic. He does great work on car electronics AND he has the patience to follow the lines on a schematic. I can't stand it so I know I will be getting his help on this for the electronic bits.

The Banshee motor will be a bit more expensive but as you pointed out it is stronger out of the gate and the aftermarket is so much deeper. Although I am not rich, I'm also not looking to be thrifty on this build. Motorcycles are the wrong place to be if you want to be frugal! At least for me. My R1 uses tires, gas, and oil like it is going out of style!

Before you pull the trigger on a motor. Make sure the output sprocket would end up in a "happy" spot.

Might want to find a Banshee somewhere to measure up first.

Daamud wrote:

Before you pull the trigger on a motor. Make sure the output sprocket would end up in a "happy" spot.

Might want to find a Banshee somewhere to measure up first.

Roger that.

Rough measurements on the dealer floor indicate it should (fingers crossed) fit. If not, well that is where axes, hammers, and welders come into play!

I used to work at a shop as a mechanic and the owner was an old timer, his favorite saying was "Sometimes you just need a bigger hammer!" .

I don't know anything about any of these, but here's a few Banshee's for sale around Pittsburgh:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/3131494535.html

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/3103466387.html

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/3113672726.html

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/3125313397.html

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/3106230727.html

Thanks Coop.

Maybe I need to schedule a trip up there when my Cardinals are in town and see if we can take a few games back from the pirates.

The Pirates fall apart every year so I doubt that will be a problem .

Its been a few years since I've ridden a Banshee but one thing I will never forget is that classic Banshee sound! If you pull this off I cant wait for the video so we can hear how that beast will sound with the modified exhaust.

For your viewing pleasure Click me

Swagger wrote:

For your viewing pleasure Click me

My exhaust and carb setup wont be so extreme but holy crap that's nice!

Thanks for the link. His chain roller near the swingarm pivot is interesting. Maintianing proper rear suspension geometry and handling is paramount to me. Im concerned about the time required to fab an exhaust but I am most concerned with preserving hadling and geometry.

I am leaning toward a one carb setup over two. Should make the mid range a little stronger and it will give the chassis more room and and twist throttle set up easier to get in place.

Thanks again for the link. That's the first banshee motor I have seen in any bike outside of an RZ350.

Really looking forward to seeing this project start moving forward. Chances are that the lack of a rad on that frame may not be a big deal. You'll probably want something a bit bigger for that motor anyway. Can't wait to see the fabrication start!

whats wrong with a wr450 ? you can get them rather cheep and they last forever

dtx wrote:

whats wrong with a wr450 ? you can get them rather cheep and they last forever

It's not a two stroke or a cool project. I don't think he is building this just because he wants more power than the WR250 puts out. He wants something unique.

Cool. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Coop wrote:

dtx wrote:

whats wrong with a wr450 ? you can get them rather cheep and they last forever

It's not a two stroke or a cool project. I don't think he is building this just because he wants more power than the WR250 puts out. He wants something unique.

And we have a winner!

Every sumo I see on the road is a four stroke. No one will have a bike that looks, sounds, handles, or GOES like this bike will. For all purposes outside of enviornmental consideration a two stroke is hard to beat. They do offend my enviornmentalist sensibilities but oh well.

TurbStLCards wrote:

They do offend my enviornmentalist sensibilities but oh well.

I wanted to put "BE GRN" on my 2-smoke license plate (it's a Kawasaki and I thought it would be funny given the environmentalist use of the word green)... apparently it's already been taken :( I bet it's on a prius.

Arkmage wrote:

TurbStLCards wrote:

They do offend my enviornmentalist sensibilities but oh well.

I wanted to put "BE GRN" on my 2-smoke license plate (it's a Kawasaki and I thought it would be funny given the environmentalist use of the word green)... apparently it's already been taken :( I bet it's on a prius.

"BEEGRN" or "B GRN" or "BGREEN"? Still good I think. In Cali you'd have a 7th letter to mess around with, alas no 2-stroke though lol