I am part way through a valve adjustment and wonder what effect not refitting the plastic filler plate above the front valve cover would have in relation to the running of the VTR?

The conditions I ride under are mild to say the least and very rarely does the VTR experience rain.

Is the filler there to keep water , mud etc off the motor , or does it protect the carbs from debris or insulate them from the heat of the motor?

Is it vital to the air flow into the air filter via the Snorkle?

Anyone on here running without it?

What does it do I wonder?

What purpose does it serve ?

Thoughts please guys!

 

I've also wondered this in the past without ever getting a straight answer on the effects of removing it. I believe at some point someone said its supposed to reduce wind turbulance going to the snorkel but I have no idea.

 

I think that was the consensus on the vtr1000.org site. I didn't have one installed when I put my bike together and after several hundred miles, someone said it should be installed, so when I had the carbs off I put it in there. I noticed ZERO difference.

I just recently took it back out. It seems like it would let more air get to the filter for the FIL mod. I noticed ZERO difference. But my bike is now lighter

 

I did a lot of reading on this last winter from both vtr sites. It's a turbulence issue. Everyone i read who tried it noticed a big (negative) difference in how their bike ran at freeway speeds because the airflow wasn't smoothed out by it... So, i reinstalled mine.

James

 

I tried cutting a hole in said shelf and the bike developed a surging at highway speeds. Closed it up and problem went away. Now, this may not be an issue for those running the FIL mod (since it's getting its air from higher up), but those that still have a snorkle in place, keep it in there......

 

+1

 

O.K,

Thanks guys, I thought that it may have something to do with air flow to the Snorkle.

I will put it back in when I reassemble the bike.

 

I can see why this would be a problem. I have had a mate with a 1200 Bandit with pod filters that would cut out in a side wind.

I have no problems with this on the FIL.

 

Makes sense.

Spokes, concerning the FIL mod, do you have the plastic piece in place or no?

 

No. No point as it draws air from everywhere now.

 

I removed mine as well.

 

+2