Some dummy (me) smashed 2 of the airbox tubes that go to the carbs a bunch of years ago, and didn't realize it. I recently did a "shiny desmog" and discovered this. I saw on a parts fiche that you can buy just the tubes. Anyone have any experience replacing these?
Yes, I replaced all six of mine last year when I did a major overhaul.
From experience, use a box cutter to remove the old ones...I tried manual persuasion and while it can be done there is no reason to struggle with them since they are getting thrown away.
To position them properly, there is a rubber tab on the air tubes that goes into a set of “I I” looking bumps on the air box.
Just fold the tops and force them into the holes. I tried silicone spray and all it did was make them slippery in my hands. They do not require any sealant. Tribal knowledge from when these bikes first came out was that the cracked residue you now see was an assembly aid to keep the tubes in position when fitting the new air box. This was not intended as a sealant. They seal perfectly fine as is due to their design. Feel free to silicone them if you want but it isn’t necessary.
Good luck...
