| Author | Message | ||
     Indy_bueller |
Ok folks, here's the deal. I have a '03 XB9R with 1,200 miles on it. It's bone stock. There are literally hundreds of posts about airboxes, and I want to try to consolidate the info. I took my airbox apart this afternoon in an attempt to try to understand better what you all are talking about. My first question is, why would putting a XB12 airbox cover on improve anything? The inlet is still the same size. Second question. Is there a cheap/easy way to reproduce the F.A.S.T. aircleaner system? (i.e. a filter that will fit in place of the snorkel) I've seen some pics posted of outer airbox covers cut and dressed up with some nice chrome grating, I would like to do this. Third question. To catch can or not to catch can? Benefits? Drawbacks? Fourth. Stock snorkel, aftermarket snorkel, or no snorkel? | ||
| Lovematt |
1. Airflow is improved once through the filter with the dimple directing it into the velocity stack inside the filter. 2. To replicate the FAST system is probably not worth the work. You would be better off trying to get more air into the bike by opening things up. 3. Catch can basically removes oil vapor from getting into the airflow. This is mostly a preference thing but putting oil into the air going into the motor is generally okay as long as there isn't too much...like a light film is about max. 4. Removal of the snorkel gets more air into the airbox and more noise from the intake/heads into your ears. Personally I have found the best bang for the buck with a 12 airbox cut away to only have the top portion that has the dimple and touches the filter. I use a piece of foam to hold it down and bolt the Airbox Cover (what you see) over that. This allows both the snorkel area and gap all around the Airbox Cover to get air to the motor. You do get more dirt on the filter and the intake/head noise is a bit more but the performance and throttle response is noticably better...especially if the exhaust is opened up. | ||
| Bbstacker |
Ah, yes. All the questions about the airbox. I have a de-snorkeled stock 9R cover with K&N filter. I think it's pretty good. But then again I really have nothing to compare it to... except for the previous rice rockets I've owned. So unless you get to try a bunch of different configurations...and can tell the difference through the seat of your pants, or you can make heads or tails from all the Dyno stats posted here abouts, you're pretty much in the same boat as me. In my "expert"  opinion do what you want and then ride the heck out of it. | ||
| Norrisperformance |
Some people take the hoses out of the air box. Less heat, more hp. Colder air is denser, which means more oxygen. I've heard the mods worth 3 hp I'll be checking it on the dyno, I'll post the results. Manufactures have to conform with EPA regulations, that’s why the hoses are routed to the air box. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
I think there is some confusion on what item is the "Snorkel" do NOT get this confused with the "Velocity Stack"!  | ||
| Brad_buell |
I recommend switching to the 12 Airbox ASAP for your first mod while considering others. I switched mine and noticed the difference immediately!! It definitely adds some low end torque to my XB9. And it's a simple swap that only sets you back about $32 to $35 bucks. Call Daves and get that airbox shipped. You won't be sorry. -Brad  | ||
| Lucky |
i called my local dealer and they told me that the 9 air box and the 12 air box are the same. | ||
| Indy_bueller |
Ok so get a 12 airbox, cut the dimple out of it, and use a piece of foam to hold it down on top of the filter, am I getting it right? 99buellx1, thanks for setting that straight for me, I was confusing the snorkel and the stack. | ||
| Elff |
He might have been thinking about the XB9SX which does have a 12 Airbox. The 12 Airbox has an inverted nipple that helps turn the air down into the velocity stack. All it would take to is the removal of 8 bolts at the dealership to confirm that yours is not a 12 airbox. | ||
| Raymondt |
I am a new XB12S owner. The Air Box mods seem to be a stretch but I am considering the kit from American Sportbike since I want to be able to back up to stock again if it is worse rather than better. My question is that with the mod I want to ditch the servo motor. My XB12S has the factory race kit. Pipes, K&N and the Race ECM. Will my bike throw some bad check engine light alarm if I unplug and remove it?  What do you think is it worth the 50 bucks?, Can I rip out the Servo? | ||
| Indy_bueller |
Would anyone care to post pics of a properly cut and installed 12 airbox? Also, what should be done with all the breather hoses? I'm sorry, I know this has been discussed before, but I'm not catching on very well. | ||
| M1combat |
You won't want to cut the dimple out of it.... Take your filter and place it in the airbox cover. You need to cut just outside of the area where the filter touches. If you also want to re-route the breather tubes, you will need to plug those two holes in the lower airbox as well (I'll probably just run a short length of tube from one to the other). You will need to use something to hold the cut out piece of the airbox top to the filter so it seals. I have the original foam that comes with the twelve and the actuator motor that goes in it. I also glued a thin piece of foam to the bottom of my airbox cover. I would imagine that a block of styrofoam and some time with a file would make a very nice and effective piece to hold that filter cover down. OR, you could call Al at American Sport Bike and see if he'll sell you the mounting hardware you see in the above pic and then just drill the two holes in the cutout area (that would look like the one in the pic). | ||
| Lovematt |
Indy, The picture above is very similar to what I have. Basically I put the air filter in the air filter cover (under what you see), drew a line around the outside of the filter to cut off, and ended up with a piece very similar to what is in the picture above. Do not cut out the dimple...that is what helps with the airflow...doing this would also cause unfiltered air to get into the motor....not good. I put the piece of foam over that piece, put the airbox cover on it and squish it down a bit, and finally bolt it in place. The picture below shows it bolted down but I just put foam above it to hold it in place.  | ||
| Indy_bueller |
Ok I'm getting the picture now......All I need to figure out now is what to do with all the hoses. | ||
| Elff |
With the see through plastic of the CityX This would be a pretty killer visual mod on top of the performance gains. Doing it yourself, you could leave 4 legs on the stock airbox cover for the 4 locations where it attaches as well. | ||
| Zulusoldier06 |
Ok, the info so far has been great! LOVEMATT--where did you get the foam, and how thick is it. Does the exhaust system need to be remapped when you make these mods? Indy_buller, thanks for asking the question. | ||
| Lovematt |
Actually I used two of those big sponges for cleaning walls before painting...kind of a figure 8 shape sponge...real cheap (like 1.99 each). One of them is full height and cut to fit into the top to keep it in place. The other is kind of thin on the ends and thicker in the middle (like half an egg cut lengthwise) to fit the contour of the airbox cover. If all you do is just the air filter and this air filter cover modification with no change to the exhaust the Stock ECM should be fine. However if you get a pipe and open it up...you really should get the Race ECM and the TPS reset (have to get the TPS reset if you change ECMs). The setup I have is a Regular Drummer (not loud version), Race ECM, K&N Filter, and opened up airbox and the bike runs really really good. | ||
| Indy_bueller |
Ok one more question, will the 12 airbox cover snap directly to the 9 airbox base? | ||
| Buell666 |
YES | ||
| Lovematt |
Indy Bueller, Yep...9 and 12 air filter covers have same connection points. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
*Just a note* All '05 models have the same air box cover. Which is generally refered to as, "the 12 airbox cover" (Message edited by 99buellx1 on May 16, 2005) |
