Yep.  The tube makes a big difference.  The stock airbox is a performance compromise and a direct pod filter on the carb is a performance compromise.  They both work great and do their intended jobs well but both designs are at complete opposite ends of the spectrum.  However, having the tube with a freer breathing filter puts you in between.  Such a design is surprisingly sensitive to very small changes.  I was quite rewarded when I matched the tube and filter design to my riding style.  It made the biggest difference performace-wise thus far than any other mod I've done.  It doesn't take much work to get the design "almost there".  It's the fine tuning that requires patience.

Ha ha, Gort!  I knew you'd chime in with the "gotta see it on paper, tested this particular way using this particular test equipment that lives up to these particular standards or else it can't be recognized and any information reported otherwise is worthless" mentality.  

Wolf, it's your bike.  Do whatever you want.   Research stuff if you want to know.  You don't have to just take mine or anyone's elses opinion.  If your bike makes you grin then the mods are a success.  

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 04/21/09 at 10:07:20:


A few bikes have electronically controlled variable length inlet 'trumpets'.

Just experiment.  If the bike runs better, great.  I believe you are capable of telling if there is a difference or not.  When we shave the white spacer, change the fork oil weight, mod the exhaust, add a fork brace, etc., we don't need to go and have special testing done to prove to ourselves that it runs better.  At least I don't.  If you can tell a difference on your bike, well, that's good enough for me.   

Play around with the intake.   I messed around with mine for several weeks.  No mod has ever held my attention for as long as the intake mod did.  Were it not for the results I experienced on my bike when I first started the intake mods, I never would have had the enthusiasm to keep experimenting nor posting results.  I would have been riding instead.  But the results surpised the heck out of me on my bike.  I made so many devices and setups for testing and experimenting with the different intake designs that I've got science experiments built for the three kid's science fair projects for the next 5 years!  

I posted that no one would likely believe it and I was right.  But I reported what I experienced with my bike.  Maybe my exhaust, carb setup, intake setup, environment I ride and riding style all work together in some kind of funky harmony.  I don't know. But I do know that I love it and ain't ever going back no matter what somebody else extrapolates from a book about car engine tuning or a website that promotes a sponsors air filter by saying it performed best in testing.  I've bought enough pipes and fuel processors that were "proven" to make a difference that didn't seem to do much for me.  

If you experiment and say it runs better for you and you want to share it then I believe you.  You're not selling anything.  You've got no stake in it.  You've got nothing to gain or lose.  Experiment and if you want to share the results then do so.  That's how we've developed a collection of awesome mods like raising the seat, shaving the white spacer, modding the cam chain adjuster, swapping to a chain drive, etc.  People were willing to try something new, discovered some cool results and shared them, each with their own naysayers.  It kind of reminds me of my seat mod on my S40 and other bikes- they say it can't be comfortable.  I love it and it works great for me.  

It somewhat reminds me of my work-  a woman has 15 years experience in my specialty field but becuase she dosn't have certain letters after her name others try to tell me she's not capable of teaching students how to do the job.  That's ironic cause she's one of the best around.  Similarly, how many of us are certified and credentialed motorcycle mechanics?  I guess that means very, very few of us are qualified to work on our bikes or are capable of determining if the work we do improves the bike or not.  

But back to the intake- I'm glad many of you helped me out with the intake mod via some very helpful feedback.