Watch SXSBlog Revive an Alcohol-Fueled Yamaha Banshee

Before they graduated to UTVs, the dudes from SXSBlog cut their teeth on quads, racing terrifying two-stroke beasts in empty cornfields and Michigan’s lakeshore dunes. At 16, SXSBlogger Doug got his first real quad, a 1997 Yamaha Banshee, which he quickly set about modifying into an extended swingarm, alcohol-fueled, bored and stroked rocket. Eventually, life got in the way and it sat.

But recently, egged on by nostalgia and some call-outs from friends, Doug rebuilt the neglected Yamaha to see if it still had the horsepower and magic he remembered. Spoiler alert: It very much does. This is technically a two-part video series, but we’ve skipped ahead to show you the machine ripping after an engine rebuild. With a stroker crank, big Keihin PWK Air Striker carbs, fancy pipes, some porting, and alcohol in the tank, this thing is nothing short of astounding.

Hit the video to check out the results of Doug’s handiwork. It’s not a desert racer, but this thing is an absolute animal, and a great hearkening back to the glory days of quads.

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