On needles and air box mod

[Piper]

I have read on this board that some folks run lower (shimmed, clipped) needles on cylinders 3,4,5,6 esp if you have performed a air box mod.

During my petcock issue I noticed that the scooter is running lean by what the plugs looked like. I am planning to go through and enrich and re-sync the carbs and was wondering about needle settings. A previous owner attempted a air box mod.
I do have a K&N filter and 6 into 6 and a IS ECM. 38 slow and 105 main jets. Currently all the needles are clipped at #3 slot, counting from either the top or the bottom.....

So. my question is: Is there anybody who runs slightly leaner (lower) needles on 3,4,5,6?

Or should I leave it be and just turn the slow jets up a bit (currently at 1.5 turns)?

Just trying to save some putzing around time...

[X Ring]

Have you performed an airbox mod?  Some did and discovered it hurt their performance.

Marty

[Piper]

Have you performed an airbox mod?  Some did and discovered it hurt their performance.

Marty

Previous owner cut a sloppy rectangle in the airbox lid above intakes 1 and 2. I do not know if this was supposed to be the intake mod or not.
Thought about picking one up from Pinwall but they could not tell me if the airbox was modded or not.

The scooter runs ok, just leaner than I feel comfortable with.

[X Ring]

Previous owner of my Tourer did the same thing then put the cut out back in with masking tape.  Discovered it when I desmogged it.  Bought another airbox from Pinwall just for the top.

Marty

[X Ring]

Have you performed an airbox mod?  Some did and discovered it hurt their performance.

Marty

Previous owner cut a sloppy rectangle in the airbox lid above intakes 1 and 2. I do not know if this was supposed to be the intake mod or not.
Thought about picking one up from Pinwall but they could not tell me if the airbox was modded or not.

The scooter runs ok, just leaner than I feel comfortable with.

Pinwall has several on ebay that aren't modded.  Look at the lid.  If you can see the top is intact with no cuts it hasn't been modded.

Marty

[Blackduck]

As you have the clips in the middle of the needles I would try raising the needles to richen it up.
If it is still too lean I would then do something about the air box cover.
Is there any sign of a flat spot when accelerating? This is the usual sign the airbox has been opened up too much for the jet/needle combination.
Cheers Steve

[Piper]

As you have the clips in the middle of the needles I would try raising the needles to richen it up.
If it is still too lean I would then do something about the air box cover.
Is there any sign of a flat spot when accelerating? This is the usual sign the airbox has been opened up too much for the jet/needle combination.
Cheers Steve

The only flat spot I run into is getting above 95 going up hill.
I picked up another airbox from the fav evilbay seller. With luck it will not have been modded.

I guess what I should have asked is that there are a couple sets of distructions on the board about needle settings.

Does anybody have any first hand experience or comments about setting the first two cylinder needles at a different height than the back four cylinders? 

[Blackduck]

At 95 in top gear it is still on the needles, try raising the needles a notch at a time.
If it has a flat spot at 6000/7000 at wide open throttle it will be the main jets.
If it is not a bad flat spot the needles should cure it.
Still easier to reset the needles than changing the air box lid.
Cheers Steve

[Ricky-D]

I think it is those 6 into 6 pipes that are the culprit and getting the motor to behave properly will always be a problem for your bike.

I can't ever recall any positive comments regarding running the motor when those kind of pipes are employed.

A constant remark seems always to be that the bike runs good at WOT.  Well actually, at WOT you hardly even need a carburetor so this assumption is totally unnecessary unless you're running at the dragstrip.

A little common sense regarding the motor in needed here, look at the stock pipes where they come out  from the outer covers and see the diameter is very small. Like maybe 3/4". Now you put a pipe there that is more than double and it's even more so in volume.

How can anyone expect the motor to run properly with such a great and large change to the exhaust system.

Compensating with carburetor adjustments is at best only a partial solution and not very successful under any conditions.

Put the stockers back on!

***

[Chrisj CMA]

I have Cobra 6x6 pipes.  The bike has never been jetted, all stock and runs perfect, always has.  When I got it she was running a tad rich though and I let it stay that way a long time.  Finally I decided to switch to a K&N Air Filter.  At first I left out the pre filter and it leaned out some, maybe a little too much.  After putting the pre-filter on it balanced out just right.  The  plugs stay a light brown and clean and dry.  I can top end it at 130mph indicated and 0-60 in arm tendon pulling strength with an average of 35mpg.  Id say she running as good or better than Mother Honda intended, bottom line, Im not putting the stock pipes back on until its the law (thats why I even have them)

[Piper]

 Well, the scooter came with the 6 into 6 already mounted. So unless I wanted to hork-up the $$$ to buy a stock set, the cobras are staying on. Besides I -like- them. They annoy the foo out of the brass on post. And my neighbors. And my local PD. the list goes on......

Never said the scooter does not run well. Broke 110 passing the conga line following a low-lander motor home whilst going to work this afternoon. The plugs tell me she is running lean.
Which brings me back to my question:

If I pull up the FP jet kit instructions, they say something to the effect of the front needles set on #3
mid and rear needles set on #2.

Does anybody have any experience with a similar setup?