As someone who just can't seem to leave well enough alone I modified something else on my bike, the air box. It started out as just a trip to Turbo City to see Tom about exchanging my FPR because I changed something else on the bike, added Staintunes, after installing the FPR with no intention of adding the mufflers. Anyway, while talking to Tom another moment of weakness hit me and I bought the kit from Tom.
Since I was adding this to provide more air to the engine when it needed it I opted to tweak the mod a little myself. While the options I have seen included openings cut on both sides of the front, holes drilled on both sides of the front, I chose to cut openings on both sides AND the middle (see attachments).
Now Tom felt that the center area would be blocked by the front tank mount but if you look at the pictures you will see that there is a pretty good gap between the air box lid and the frame. The
can now feed at will on all the air it should need without being restricted in any way.
Well I ran out to Arizona and back on Saturday, after installing the modified air box top Friday night. Here are some of my initial observations. Mind you some of this could be related to my switching of the FPR from a 59 to a 61 psi unit; which kind of began this whole thing in the first place. Since the two changes were done at the same time it is had to seperate the affects. Let me also say that the reason I was bumping up the FPR was because after adding the Staintunes it seemed like some of the low end abruptness in throttle response had returned. Anyway, no more low end throttle abruptness on the trip. Back to being smoother off the line and the ability to be in higher gear at low speed. I actually equate this to the FPF.
Now since I was going some distance I mostly just set the cruise control once on the freeway and enjoyed the scenery along the way. Did I mention that I'm only about 3 blocks from the freeway
. I did have a few instances were I needed to call on the bike's HP to help me pass lumbering 18 wheelers. Some of what I noticed was that it was very smooth and quick from 75 to 95 and never a hint of strain.
I should mention that Tom reported that others have noted that you pick up more engine noise with the top of the air box opened. As for me, I was always one of those that loved the sound when you stepped down on the gas and those back two barrels would open up while at the same time you watched the needle on your gas gauge also going down. Well now I have a bike with Staintunes, a 61 psi FPR and an airbox lid that looks like it has a grin from the cheshire cat. Come to think of it I think I have that same grin myself now.
Like the muffles, when you give it the command they report back by making a little extra noise to let you know they are doing their part. Well, you are also picking up a little extra noise from the intake of the bike letting you know that it is doing its' job as well. I think it is music to my ears. Now before I scare some of you off because you're thinking that your bike is going to sound like a boom-box all the time, it's not. At general cruise levels you probably won't hear much if any difference, but maybe a little. Like I mentioned about the 4 barrels, it's only really there when you're flexing the bikes muscles. Cruising the freeway I didn't notice anything but the normal noise from the wind.
This is only one days worth of riding and one type of driving, straight open highway. That's why I labeled this the way I did because there are lots of other types of roads and driving I need to put this trough before I reach a final decision on the mod. However, my initial impression is favorable .
Since I was adding this to provide more air to the engine when it needed it I opted to tweak the mod a little myself. While the options I have seen included openings cut on both sides of the front, holes drilled on both sides of the front, I chose to cut openings on both sides AND the middle (see attachments).
Now Tom felt that the center area would be blocked by the front tank mount but if you look at the pictures you will see that there is a pretty good gap between the air box lid and the frame. The
can now feed at will on all the air it should need without being restricted in any way.Well I ran out to Arizona and back on Saturday, after installing the modified air box top Friday night. Here are some of my initial observations. Mind you some of this could be related to my switching of the FPR from a 59 to a 61 psi unit; which kind of began this whole thing in the first place. Since the two changes were done at the same time it is had to seperate the affects. Let me also say that the reason I was bumping up the FPR was because after adding the Staintunes it seemed like some of the low end abruptness in throttle response had returned. Anyway, no more low end throttle abruptness on the trip. Back to being smoother off the line and the ability to be in higher gear at low speed. I actually equate this to the FPF.
Now since I was going some distance I mostly just set the cruise control once on the freeway and enjoyed the scenery along the way. Did I mention that I'm only about 3 blocks from the freeway
. I did have a few instances were I needed to call on the bike's HP to help me pass lumbering 18 wheelers. Some of what I noticed was that it was very smooth and quick from 75 to 95 and never a hint of strain.I should mention that Tom reported that others have noted that you pick up more engine noise with the top of the air box opened. As for me, I was always one of those that loved the sound when you stepped down on the gas and those back two barrels would open up while at the same time you watched the needle on your gas gauge also going down
. Well now I have a bike with Staintunes, a 61 psi FPR and an airbox lid that looks like it has a grin from the cheshire cat. Come to think of it I think I have that same grin myself now.Like the muffles, when you give it the command they report back by making a little extra noise to let you know they are doing their part. Well, you are also picking up a little extra noise from the intake of the bike letting you know that it is doing its' job as well. I think it is music to my ears. Now before I scare some of you off because you're thinking that your bike is going to sound like a boom-box all the time, it's not. At general cruise levels you probably won't hear much if any difference, but maybe a little. Like I mentioned about the 4 barrels, it's only really there when you're flexing the bikes muscles. Cruising the freeway I didn't notice anything but the normal noise from the wind.
This is only one days worth of riding and one type of driving, straight open highway. That's why I labeled this the way I did because there are lots of other types of roads and driving I need to put this trough before I reach a final decision on the mod. However, my initial impression is favorable
.
