Plastic air deflector located in the frame in front of carb banks

[RDROGUE #0128]

Removed this Plastic air deflector located in the frame in front of carb. banks, and now wondering if I might have problems with summer heat and the hot air from radiator on the front carbs

[F6BANGER]

Its a pain to get back in but I would put it back. Let it sit in the sun for a while and soften up. Then pry like a mutha to get it back...

[9Ball]

you need that put back in...a pain for sure, but necessary.

[YoungPUP]

If you havent already found out the edges on that are sharp as hell.  Be careful.

[art]

I took mine out two years ago an could not get it back in ,screw it .I actually like it better up here in Or. because I get more heat on my legs.In Az it may be a diff. story

[Steve K (IA)]

Yep, you need that thing.  Having put I/S pods on my Std, I changed out the Std air guide for an I/S one. I know the secret to get it in where it belongs.    Took me a long time to figure out the puzzle, and the prep is a lot of work.  

You have to take out the air box and remove the chrome intake runners below the carbs so they will drop down a bit and a bit rearward.  Stand on the left side of the bike.  Hold the air guide on its back with the  edge that will set on top of the engine facing forward.  Slide the guide in on top of the carbs and then move it forward rotating it down into place.

[98valk]

maybe some help

http://timskelton.com/valkyrie/how_to/pods.htm

[BradValk48237]

PO of my Valk didnt like the pods...so he took em off.... changed the engine guards and took out the "air guide" (official name of that piece of plastic. $45 from HDL when I bought it)... I liked the pods and    wanted it back to stock. bought all the mounting hardware he had lost and the air guide...

After reading here all the ways and effort to get it back into place... I took a different route....

lost the plastic "skirt" on the bottom and cut it in half... prior to installing , predrilled holes, 2 sets for zip/wire ties to hold it back together.... then sealed it with some heavy duty tape on the backside..

Still holding almost 2.5 years later and only had to take off the tank and air box..

I have read on here that you can lay it flat on the carb bank and slide it forward and down and it will fit right in, but you would still have to lose the floppy skirt on the bottom...

Otherwise you have to take alot of s@#t apart to get it back to factory correctness..

That said, I rode it for a while in the summer without the pods and noticed a good difference heat wise once I put them back on..... also is alot of difference in wind on you with and without the pods.

Sooooo   I think it is worth it to put it back in....

Brad

[98valk]

Mine has been gone for ten years

Sacrilege!