The Tesla Model S Plaid is one of the cars to beat in the world of drag racing. Boasting insane power and aggressive launch, the Model S Plaid can deliver superlative drag race performances. But can this Tesla beat a Yamaha Banshee ATV? To find that out, the Hoonigan crew held a three-run drag race between a Model S Plaid and a Banshee.
Yamaha Banshee Is An Easy-To-Tune Platform
The Yamaha Banshee came to the United States in the 1980s and became one of the more popular ATVs on the market. While it was not the most powerful and most affordable ATV back then, it gained the hearts of many customers as it was fairly easy to tune. While its production stopped more than a decade ago, the ATV is still an appealing customization platform.
Jonathan Martin of J-Built Industries is one of these tuners who love to tinker with Banshees. His workshop in Torrance, California is a proud birthplace of modified Banshees. His creations include this crazy 2004 Yamaha Banshee modified to the point that it doesn’t even look like a Banshee. This is because Jonathan built this Banshee as a drag racer meant for short 300-foot contests.
Modifying A Banshee For 300-Foot Races
Jonathan built his racer on a different frame (not Banshee), making it look like an elongated go-kart machine. Nevertheless, it retains the core of a 2004 Banshee — a two-stroke, twin-cylinder engine. In its standard form, this engine delivers just more than 30 hp of max output, but in Jonathan’s setup, it offers nearly four times more.
For the sake of achieving more power, Jonathan attached two Mikuni carburetors — borrowed from Yamaha’s RD350 motorcycle — to the Banshee engine. The original engine featured a radiator, but this Banshee had none. This is simply because there is no need, as Jonathan modified the Banshee just for quick races. Interestingly, the engine feeds on methanol, instead of gas.
Putting Up A Good Fight Against A Model S Plaid
In this episode of “This Vs Plaid,” Jonathan tuned the Banshee for 500-foot races at the Santa Margarita Ranch in California. With 130 hp pulling just 260 lbs, the Banshee’s impressive power-to-weight ratio might allow it to win against the Tesla.
The Tesla won the first run with a tiny lead. The Banshee took the second run, also with a small lead. The third run was the closest round, and it took a replay to see that the Model S Plaid crossed the finish line just a few ahead of the Banshee.
Source: Hoonigan on YouTube