Airbox mods, food for thought

[HalfLiterBeater]

I just figured I'd post up my personal experience here, to inform the rest of you with what I've ran into. On the stock exhaust, with the stock tuning...I was able to do some fairly substantial modifications to the airbox without any problems. It seemed to help the upper rpms out quite a bit.

However, since I've gone to the new exhaust setup and had the carburetors retuned...honestly, the bike runs MUCH worse with any airbox mods done. I had one hole per side of the airbox dremeled out...large ovals, about one inch by two inches, and it ran terrible---flat spots everywhere. I predicted this...so then I covered up the right side completely. Got better, but still flat spots. Then I covered up the left side half-way. Better, but still had a flat spot in the mid range. So finally, I covered up the left side hole completely. This left me with a COMPLETELY STOCK airbox, minus the trimming I did to the pair of airhorns. And guess what? Flat spots disappeared, and the bike picked up power EVERYWHERE in the powerband.

So the moral of this story is, I guess....airbox mods are ok for stock. But if you start getting mods into your EX500....be careful what you do to it, it may just run worse.

Currently, I'm running the stock airbox, with a K&N drop in, and trimmed down airhorns. And the airbox is now covered in duct tape, to mask the holes.

[GnBanditoCI5]

My guess on what you just described is as follows....

You say you dremeled out some ovals on each side of the airbox....well think of it like this....

The STOCK airbox sucks air through the filter, into the box and finally into the carbs....with the stock config you have a straight airflow, nice and smooth flowing into the carbs.

Now then, you introduce 2 holes on either side, this is only going to corrupt the smooth airflow you already have and cause turbulence inside the airbox thus starving the carbs rather than INCREASING the flow...follow?

Maybe if the 2 extra holes were made on the same side of the airbox that the filter is already on, dunno if their is any room on your airbox or not...there isnt on my 94 RF900....but just a suggestion....If that was the case, it would provide more airflow and less chance of turbulence.

Just my opinion....and opinions are like A**holes.....everyones got one...and they usually stink...lol

Hope this helps brother.

[OreoGaborio]

stock jetting & a hole on the left to match the one on the right... that's about the best you can do for easy performance upgrade. The ex500 just doesn't respond well to your typical minor bolt-on mods.

"K.I.S.S."



EDIT: HOLY OLD THREAD!!!!