airbox mods

[rocketray]

I understand the valkyrie airbox is restrictive...how does one fix/modify it ?    I have a suzuki GSX 650f that was completely transformed with a 4 inch square hole cut in the top of it's airbox

[fordmano]

I suggest you leave it alone, or atleast spend LOTS of time reading about modifying the air box.

Horror stories abound of failed attempts about heading down this path you have inquired about.
K&N air filter without pre-filter is about as open flow as you want, Honda really did a good job with this design.

[hubcapsc]

I don't know where you heard bad things about the Valkyrie's air box... every
story I've heard is that nothing is better than an OEM unmodified airbox...

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php?topic=25552.0

-Mike

[Hoser]

Not a good idea.  Hoser 

[Thunderbolt]

What they said.    I don't remember any positive responses ever of modified air boxes.  I do remember one question on how to put it back to stock after it was modified.

[SANDMAN5]

I started to do it once....till I read the archives. Seems like VERY few
good things happened when the airbox was mutilated. I'd say leave
it alone...and thumbs up on the K&N with no prefilter.

[Patrick]

Leave it alone !  Honda got it right.

[Blackduck]

You mean like this?
Only go here if you have time,patience, money and more time

[R J]

If you want troubles, muck with the airbox.

Too many of us have made mods and  then had to go find an unmodified air box to correct our screwing around.

So LEAVE it alone, it is far from being restrictive.

There is one alternative to messing with the air box, go BLOWER.

[RP#62]

The only thing I've ever heard that has been beneficial along these lines is shimming the front of the tank so it up a little higher.  This aids airflow to the box, but it seems to depend on the bike - doesn't make any difference on some.  As others have said though, have never heard of anything good coming from modifying the box.  The followup post is usually how do I repair my airbox.
-RP

[f6john]

The only thing I've ever heard that has been beneficial along these lines is shimming the front of the tank so it up a little higher.  This aids airflow to the box, but it seems to depend on the bike - doesn't make any difference on some.  As others have said though, have never heard of anything good coming from modifying the box.  The followup post is usually how do I repair my airbox.
-RP

  +1    I had to use a spacer when I installed a Supertank. Just wasn't getting enough airflow. 1/2" rubber spacer cleared up the problem.

[98valk]

see my posts.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,8248.0.html

[1500Rider]

Another +1 on the spacer at the front of the gas tank. Not worth messing with the airbox.

[slider]

I found out not to mess with the air box....voice of  reason told me not to but I didnt listen--took a new air box to fix the problem .I drilled a few holes to increase air flow--I will never do anything to the air boxc again...

[F6BANGER]

If I was gonna modify the air box this is how I would do it..... Nitrous Oxide

[Blackduck]

Current set up, been this way for a couple of years

[Blackduck]

This was with the early cut out on the airbox, have not been back on the dyno to check the latesrt version.

[old2soon]

Current set up, been this way for a couple of years

Has this modifacation improved or detracted from performance or M P G??  Just a lot curious.   Yeah-i know-it killed the cat but i gots lotsa cats.   RIDE SAFE.

[Blackduck]

Improved performance, MPG remains about the same but does not drop off at high RPM.
As stated early not something anyone wants to take on without a lot of time, some money (dyno work) and a lot of patience.
As will be seen by the curves there is very little improvement at lower RPM.
Play at your own risk.
Cheers Steve

[Hooter]

I understand the valkyrie airbox is restrictive...how does one fix/modify it ?    I have a suzuki GSX 650f that was completely transformed with a 4 inch square hole cut in the top of it's airbox

   Some may disagree but typically a rule of thumb: You can mess with the exhaust all you want. Mess with the air, rejet is a must. Things get lean if you modify this side of things and this where the rejet comes in, to fatten it up again.  2 cents.

[rocketray]

ok guys thanx     so if I have the viking headers and needles on already   cut the airbox to blackducks spec's and his jetting     send the  used cams i scored off ebay to webcams for their valkyrie spec or a bit better.......93 hp stock     + 13 for viking headers    + 5 on the airbox mod    +5 or so for the cam thats 23 hp up    to 116     now a 20-30 NOS shot when I run into a blower bike and I am good right???

[Farther]

Do a dyno run after eash modification.  Your hp gains aren't necessarily a sum of each part gain.  In other words, the whole is less than the sum of the parts.

[Oklahoma_Valk]

ok guys thanx     so if I have the viking headers and needles on already   cut the airbox to blackducks spec's and his jetting     send the  used cams i scored off ebay to webcams for their valkyrie spec or a bit better.......93 hp stock     + 13 for viking headers    + 5 on the airbox mod    +5 or so for the cam thats 23 hp up    to 116     now a 20-30 NOS shot when I run into a blower bike and I am good right???

ok guys thanx     so if I have the viking headers and needles on already   cut the airbox to blackducks spec's and his jetting     send the  used cams i scored off ebay to webcams for their valkyrie spec or a bit better.......93 hp stock     + 13 for viking headers    + 5 on the airbox mod    +5 or so for the cam thats 23 hp up    to 116     now a 20-30 NOS shot when I run into a blower bike and I am good right???

If this is a joke... I don't get it. Horsepower costs money. If going fast is what you want...trade your Valk for a rice eating speed demon. There's lots of guys w speed demons looking for a nice cruiser in trade. If you want to tour the country side rather quickly, on the most badass machine known to man...keep your Valkyrie. And don't chop it up with goofy mods.


There's my .02

[Len]

Do what has been said and leave alone or be prepared to spend lots of time and money, more of the latter.  When I want to push the envelope I ride my ZX-12; it is not a trailer queen as it gets ridden to the mountains and other places...just make your machine comfortable for you.

As it's been said, the Valkyrie remains one of the smoothest bikes with power & torque for eating up long strips of road. Get the K&N filter to work with your current exhaust, have it dyna tuned and enjoy many miles and years of pleasure with your Valkyrie.

Just my two cents.

[JC]

Put a K&N in it and leave the rest alone.

[Hoser]

This was with the early cut out on the airbox, have not been back on the dyno to check the latesrt version.

Stock airbox, oem filter

[GOOSE]

THERE IS ONE THING HERE FOR SURE .... HE WILL MODIFY IT, AND HE WILL END UP SORRY THAT HE DID, AND WILL BE ASKING HOW TO STRAIGHTEN IT OUT.  IF YOU WANT TO GO FAST BUY A "BUSA".  IF YOU WANT A COMFORTABLE CRUISER THAT IS RELIABLE, THEN LEAVE THE AIRBOX ALONE.  AS SOON AS YOU CUT IT, THE BIKE WON'T RUN RIGHT.  YOU CAN DO ALOT OF THINGS TO MAKE IT SWEETER RUNNING, BUT IF YOU JUST WANT FAST, THEN THIS BIKE WILL NOT RUN WITH THE "BUSA" TYPE.

[Blackduck]

Yep, runs sweet.
With the dyno print outs even mine are not truly representative. The time between runs even on the same Dyno are only an indication, in this case move dteh peak HP up the rev range.
Waste of time even trying to compare different Dynos.
The only true way is back to back runs on the same Dyno and then I would only compare against each other and not on "max " output.
Example is on the Dyno I used they had a free day when i got the 87 HP, a Blackbird at the same time pulled 130. Now Blackbirds make more than that. Just depends on the Dyno.
I only use it as a reference tool, I know how mine runs and it runs well.
I agree with leaving things alone unless you want to spend a lot of time and effort plus money.
Mine runs good but I doubt even setting another bike up the same will run good with out a lot of playing, very individual beasts at times.
I have had it like this for years and no problems
Anyone consdering doing the same has been warned, it is not easy and you better like yanking the carb bank off regular while setting it up

[Momz]

The only thing I've ever heard that has been beneficial along these lines is shimming the front of the tank so it up a little higher.  This aids airflow to the box, but it seems to depend on the bike - doesn't make any difference on some.  As others have said though, have never heard of anything good coming from modifying the box.  The followup post is usually how do I repair my airbox.
-RP

I too have used a spacer to raise the tank for better airflow to the airbox. But it does not improve flow if you have a windshield/fairing, or other obstructions. JMHO

[rocketray]

I appreciate all the inputs...I learn something from all of them .... Please...I do not want to offend or irritate anyone..I love the bike and thought the car hop up stuff from my youth would still be relevant...so far lesson #1    the stock exhaust is restrictive  the archives say and that I understand to be why bigger cams wont work    #2   the viking exhaust is supposed to eliminate the restriction issue I understand so it could be a bigger cam will work  by my figuring #3   Bob/attic rat said the airbox is restrictive and he mods it with additional head milling and porting and piston cutting  and carb rebuilds/jetting with painstakingly arrived results from  a "mere"3 years(LORDY) of exhaustive dyno testing for a very reliable widely endorsed  108 H.P.package. Black Duck shows some good results also with his mod and rejet   #4   a nitrous spray into the box seems to have been used to good effect by several people        I have had several sport bikes and am too old to deal with a praying mantis  riding position    further in my experience  police despise sportbikes and generally ignore old fat guys on cruisers   so maybe putting the cams in and doing Blackducks carb set up and airbox mod would be interesting  for a grand or so..  currently there are 8 airboxes on ebay for about $25 ..nothing lost?   

[Hoser]

Might as well get one of the airboxes now.  Hoser 

[98valk]

Might as well get one of the airboxes now.  Hoser 

got a spare airbox from pinwall for $20 last yr and it had a brand new air filter in it. A Blessing!!!

[rocketray]

well the comments keep coming in....boy am I confused      my dad had a Lotus XI with a  roughly 1500 cc motor    alpha romeo      it had some downdraft webbers    and of course headers     and  it snarled and rasped      I wanna cut  a hole in the airbox and slide in some mild/mod cams in a  package that  some regard as anemic.......and boy howdy   talk about landing on the moon...       that "73" Olds  Cutlass Salon  455 came alive with a flip of the air cleaner  lid as did  that Suzuki   and that "68" Ram Air Firebird  my brother passed on to me   I put a bored out 455 with the complete  Edelbrock package  with aluminum heads and all and Nitrous for some 750hp   my Z 06 corvette via 2003  swallowed some air and exhaust stuff.......is this some italian untouchable thing like the  DeTamaso Mangusta  I drove in Higth School that kicked ass once a Boss 302 was installed????

[tank_post142]

so ok, this engine, intake, exhaust,electronics. is pretty much maxed out from the factory. you can change the exhaust, open up the intake system, mill the heads, modify the carbs, add a set of hopped up cams and gain, what? 8-12 hp? and spend, what? $2200-3200 ? just get up off the cash a supercharge it. it will be a reliable, proven 150hp for about $4000 or so.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Got a picture of that ZO6 with the Valkyrie parked beside it ?

[tank_post142]

you mean RocketRay ?

[rocketray]

per the archives      Dag posted a dyno with 108 hp     a '97 with the stronger cams and the Viking headers    I have those headers  and their needles on mine  now  and it is downright annoying to the Hardly crowd pulling  in revving to the  8k RPM via the dyna 3000 at Strokers here in Dallas    I just want to send off the cams I scored on Ebay for $60 for an additional lope at $612  at WEB cams...cut a wee 2" hole in the airbox via Black Duck and rejet with his specs.....so I am out a grand??? for another 10 hp to 116      and a cheapo NO2 spray into the airbox for 20-30 h p for $500??     or O.K.     who does the Blower for $4k that is  reliable???   thanx for the feedback     and yes I will post a picture of the ZO6 when I figure out how to post a picture      I can send a cell phone picture and some computer  guy can post it    the vette is Torch Red      and the bike is Blue.......with a White  Racing stripe....

[John Schmidt]

Just to add to the confusion, I ran mine one time on a dyno, bone stock on an extremely hot/humid day. Temps approaching the upper 90's with humidity to match. Results....better than Blackducks charts show....remember, mine was BONE STOCK. Stock jetting, both slows and mains, stock pipes at the time, stock intake filter....everything OEM. I've made a few changes since then but overall I'm happy with what I have without spending myself into the poorhouse.

Just sayin'

[john]

airbox mods                                     ???                              

[Disco]

Hey Ray,

If you make any mods, please let us know what you did and how it all turns out.

Disco