Airbox Modification
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MotoGP
Joined: May 2005
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Airbox Modification
just bought a 1998 super hawk and later found that the top of the air box (the airbox lid) had been cut off.. is this a normal, well known mod? should i keep it or ditch it and get a new cover?
thanks.
p.s. anyone know a good way to clean up a title?
thanks.
p.s. anyone know a good way to clean up a title?
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 296
From: East Cleveland
Re: Airbox Modification
im assuming the airbox lid was cut cus the bike was running rich and the previous owner had no idea what he was doing and wanted to let more air in. get a new lid. you want to KEEP your pistons, so running it THAT lean would be a bad idea.
as for a salvage title.. the "cleanest" a salvage bike can get is a "salvage rebuilt " title status . ofcourse you lose a great deal of your market blue book value( roughly 10-15% ) cus its a salvage rebuilt title. this title label means the bike was wrecked beyond drivibility legally on state roads and then it was fixed up(frame,subframe, plastic, sharp edges on aesthetic pieces, etc) to make it road worthy.
as for a salvage title.. the "cleanest" a salvage bike can get is a "salvage rebuilt " title status . ofcourse you lose a great deal of your market blue book value( roughly 10-15% ) cus its a salvage rebuilt title. this title label means the bike was wrecked beyond drivibility legally on state roads and then it was fixed up(frame,subframe, plastic, sharp edges on aesthetic pieces, etc) to make it road worthy.
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Squid
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 84
From: Woonona
Re: Airbox Modification
I've never met anybody that suggests modifying the airbox by cutting holes in it....even in racing applications...
All experimentation involving reshaping or enlarging the standard airbox have resulted in a proportionate loss of power. Racers in the late 90's eventually went back to the standard configuration.
My suggestion would be to go buy another airbox cover from a wreckers..
All experimentation involving reshaping or enlarging the standard airbox have resulted in a proportionate loss of power. Racers in the late 90's eventually went back to the standard configuration.
My suggestion would be to go buy another airbox cover from a wreckers..
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MotoGP
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Re: Airbox Modification
thanks for the help
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Back Marker
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 230
Re: Airbox Modification
the only way i have ever heard of fixing a title, an i am strongly against this unless it is checked by a shop.
by a frame off someone who wrecked a bike without insurance and swap everything on your bike on to it and title with that title.
only due this if someone professonial has checked the fram and don't be shifty let the next guy know about it.
by a frame off someone who wrecked a bike without insurance and swap everything on your bike on to it and title with that title.
only due this if someone professonial has checked the fram and don't be shifty let the next guy know about it.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Rockville, MD
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Re: Airbox Modification
I've just had a long chat with Roger Ditchfield about this modification.
Oh sorry for those who have never heard of him, Roger owns Revolution racing and perhaps one of the greatest experts on VTR tuning he used to run the VTR in SBK many years ago with a 150bhp stage 3 Moriwaki bike.
Anyway he does this modification to airboxes in his stage one tune, granted he normally runs Moriwaki trumpets with this but he can't see why the idea would not work with lesser tuned bikes.
The secret is to remove all of the box lid and reduce it to no more than a collar to hold the filter in place. If the hight of the old sides is any more than 5mm high it causes turbulance which reduces power.
I will actually try it myself in the next couple of weeks since I have a replacement airbox to mess with..... I'll report back my findings when I know more.
Daz
Oh sorry for those who have never heard of him, Roger owns Revolution racing and perhaps one of the greatest experts on VTR tuning he used to run the VTR in SBK many years ago with a 150bhp stage 3 Moriwaki bike.
Anyway he does this modification to airboxes in his stage one tune, granted he normally runs Moriwaki trumpets with this but he can't see why the idea would not work with lesser tuned bikes.
The secret is to remove all of the box lid and reduce it to no more than a collar to hold the filter in place. If the hight of the old sides is any more than 5mm high it causes turbulance which reduces power.
I will actually try it myself in the next couple of weeks since I have a replacement airbox to mess with..... I'll report back my findings when I know more.
Daz
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Superstock
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 367
From: Independence, Oregon
Re: Airbox Modification
im assuming the airbox lid was cut cus the bike was running rich and the previous owner had no idea what he was doing and wanted to let more air in. get a new lid. you want to KEEP your pistons, so running it THAT lean would be a bad idea.
as for a salvage title.. the "cleanest" a salvage bike can get is a "salvage rebuilt " title status . ofcourse you lose a great deal of your market blue book value( roughly 10-15% ) cus its a salvage rebuilt title. this title label means the bike was wrecked beyond drivibility legally on state roads and then it was fixed up(frame,subframe, plastic, sharp edges on aesthetic pieces, etc) to make it road worthy.
as for a salvage title.. the "cleanest" a salvage bike can get is a "salvage rebuilt " title status . ofcourse you lose a great deal of your market blue book value( roughly 10-15% ) cus its a salvage rebuilt title. this title label means the bike was wrecked beyond drivibility legally on state roads and then it was fixed up(frame,subframe, plastic, sharp edges on aesthetic pieces, etc) to make it road worthy.
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Back Marker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 104
From: Ohio
that's an interesting modification. I know when I took the sidecover off the airbox of my old 750, I love the growl it made under load...even if it lost 1/2 hp or something silly.
I wish I could hear more intake noise on the vtr, but I don't want to kill driveability? I'm really interested to know how this turns out for ya daz, le me know!
I wish I could hear more intake noise on the vtr, but I don't want to kill driveability? I'm really interested to know how this turns out for ya daz, le me know!
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MotoGP
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Re: Airbox Modification
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SuperSport
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 758
From: Laurel, MD
Racing modifications are often not transferable to a street bike. Even if this one works, it would only benefit WOT. It would certainly not improve tractability throughout the rev range or wet weather operation. An unprotected paper filter is destroyed the first time it gets soaked.
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Posts: n/a
Re: Airbox Modification
I hear what you are saying but if I worried about every modification I ever did to the bike I would still have a standard VTR.
I agree the standard bike is all about compromise, anything you do will effect this but you weigh up the pro's and cons before you do it.
As for the 'racing modification' the airbox is only their stage 1 tune and not the full on 150bhp raqcing option which is the complete opposite with a presurised ram air air box.
Like I said, I will trial this and let you know how I get on... call me a bit soft but I don't ride the bike in mega rain so my non paper K&N filter should just about cope providing the bike does.
Oh and before people attempt to flame me on the virtues of fuel consumption etc...
I am not the sort of rider that cruse's allong and gets almost 150 miles to the VTR tank. Half that with tyres used up to the edges and you will get the picture.
Daz
I agree the standard bike is all about compromise, anything you do will effect this but you weigh up the pro's and cons before you do it.
As for the 'racing modification' the airbox is only their stage 1 tune and not the full on 150bhp raqcing option which is the complete opposite with a presurised ram air air box.
Like I said, I will trial this and let you know how I get on... call me a bit soft but I don't ride the bike in mega rain so my non paper K&N filter should just about cope providing the bike does.
Oh and before people attempt to flame me on the virtues of fuel consumption etc...
I am not the sort of rider that cruse's allong and gets almost 150 miles to the VTR tank. Half that with tyres used up to the edges and you will get the picture.
Daz
Junior Member
Squid
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 11
From: Denver
I would say it is somewhat normal Mod.
I actually remove my top and only have the BMC air filter installed and screwed down.
I have seen others here the same way.
As for performance gains i would say yes but slight. you need to have the carbs set right because you will run lean if not.
I actually remove my top and only have the BMC air filter installed and screwed down.
I have seen others here the same way.
As for performance gains i would say yes but slight. you need to have the carbs set right because you will run lean if not.
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 205
Re: Airbox Modification
Any HP gains from mods to the stock airbox on a VTR1000F will only come at stage III level after pistons ,cams , larger valves and racing exhaust have been done .
In fact , if the top has been totally removed you will be sucking hot air instead of the relative fresh air that can be had from the snorkel at the front of the engine .
The cooler the air , the better .
In fact , if the top has been totally removed you will be sucking hot air instead of the relative fresh air that can be had from the snorkel at the front of the engine .
The cooler the air , the better .
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From: Belgium
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Posts: 123
From: Mississippi
Re: Airbox Modification
I friend built a ram air for his TL.
Started with a piece of cardboard lined with handy wrap, removed stock air box, placed cardboard over carbs....under mounted tank( under side covered in handy wrap), injected expanding foam insulation in the "air box" void.
After the foam dried he had a perfect mold for fiberglassing a box of max size......addes hoses with in hose K&N dual filters.
Mike
Started with a piece of cardboard lined with handy wrap, removed stock air box, placed cardboard over carbs....under mounted tank( under side covered in handy wrap), injected expanding foam insulation in the "air box" void.
After the foam dried he had a perfect mold for fiberglassing a box of max size......addes hoses with in hose K&N dual filters.
Mike
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