Side panel air intake vents

[GypsyCaravan]

Last summer, I started with the airbox mods. Basically, if I remember correctly... I went with the mid-level mod vs. full-out mod like WW.

I wondered how I could get more air into the box at lower and mid-speeds, since the high-pressure area feeding the airbox really works best, only with higher speeds.

After I cut out each side of the airbox, I thought the next step would be to bring air in from somewhere else, and if there was any less-restricted location to get air from...

I took the side panels off. I taped paper strips all over the sides of the bike and took a ride.

Watching the strips during the ride, I noticed there's a turbulent area just behind the knees that creates the same effect as cowl-induction... I was worried about a vacuum, and the sidestream pulling air from the box. However, I realized the turbulence behind our knees actually pushes air into the side panel. The paper strips showed an air circulation, coming from the fairing, around our knees, and circling back in towards the side panels.

Bingo! I could draw air in from the outside of the bike, and not have to worry about pulling air away from the airbox, if I removed or modified the side panels.

I looked at louvered vents for the side panels, but was worried a midwest afternoon thunderstorm would blow rain in sideways if my bike was outside parked in a lot.

A friend of mine has access to a flowjet, and I thought about cutting the FJR symbol into the side panels. But again... no protection from wayward water blowing in.

I finally settled on cowl vents from a boating store, and went to see a locally well-known body shop owner. He and I looked at different options, and eventually felt we found a suitable orientation, vent size and alternate air intake location.

We ordered FJR paint and I ended up with two modified side panels with custom air intakes.

The downsides to these:

1 - Expensive at body shop - FJR paint is pricey

2 - I didn't realize the turbulent air is HOT air. I hadn't ridden with the strips long enough to give the heat time to build up.

3 - I don't know how well these really work, but they have to allow some advantage when the bike isn't moving fast.

4 - The location I put them in, makes it kind of dangerous to stand up during riding, to stretch my legs. My calves push against the vents when I stand up, and it's easy to force my foot off the peg.

Maybe this summer, I'll have time to finish tweaking performance, install a PC or something that works on CO readings or fuel-air mixtures, install better exhaust and see if they help. (Hopefully on a Dyno.)

If they don't work... oh well. I just thought I'd throw these out there, in case someone can capitalize further on the idea...

If you want more information, or more & better pics, let me know. Here are links to some photos:

 

[Wicked Webby]

Gypsy,

WOW!! Now that is what I am talking about!! Sweet Idea to go with a modded air box!!

Very cool!! I wonder how a slight vent (facing back wards) would look? Or maybe just a

fine metal mesh cut out vent following the lines?

Here is a quick photo shopped idea:

Water could possibly be a consideration with this setup but probably not a big issue. Remember, for those that have done my mod,

the flat KnN oiled filters already create a very good moisture barrier. Barring getting submerged in water of course....

If that happened you would have much bigger problems then any-who!! Time to get me dremel out.

Great work!

WW

 

[dsmack]

Gypsy~

An interesting idea which may have some merit as you tweak it a bit to solve the issues you've discovered since riding with the vents/scoops for a while.

I make no claims of being any sort of expert when it comes to airflow, but I've dinked around a bit on race car bodies years ago and found that typically scoops are less than ideal. In your case, I'd bet that the mesh screen you've installed is reducing your available air flow considerably due to the restriction inherent in the screen material. You might want to try one side with the screen in place, and test with the other side free of the screen. See which side flows more air.

As I recall (many years have passed!), the most efficient way to induct air is through use of a NACA shaped opening. A Google search for "NACA scoops" will turn up all sorts of useful information as to theory and application. They have the added advantage of being flush to the outside, so wouldn't interfere with your legs when you stand up! :clapping:

Don

 

[GypsyCaravan]

Gypsy,
WOW!! Now that is what I am talking about!! Sweet Idea to go with a modded air box!!

Very cool!! I wonder how a slight vent (facing back wards) would look?

Great work!

WW

Thanks. Sorry the pics are so crappy. I'll take some better ones in the near future and re-post the links.

I figured if they don't work... all I need to do is replace with new side panels, and I'm out some money... but at least I tried.

 

[GypsyCaravan]

Gypsy~An interesting idea which may have some merit as you tweak it a bit to solve the issues you've discovered since riding with the vents/scoops for a while.

I make no claims of being any sort of expert when it comes to airflow, but I've dinked around a bit on race car bodies years ago and found that typically scoops are less than ideal. In your case, I'd bet that the mesh screen you've installed is reducing your available air flow considerably due to the restriction inherent in the screen material. You might want to try one side with the screen in place, and test with the other side free of the screen. See which side flows more air.

As I recall (many years have passed!), the most efficient way to induct air is through use of a NACA shaped opening. A Google search for "NACA scoops" will turn up all sorts of useful information as to theory and application. They have the added advantage of being flush to the outside, so wouldn't interfere with your legs when you stand up! :clapping:

Don

I didn't realize how bad the pics were, until I posted them in this size. The intake screens are actually much more open than they appear. I wanted something durable, but would still allow airflow.

I and my passenger can both feel air being drawn in, when we're slowly riding and open it up somewhat... You can feel the intake air, so I know it works.

Only real bad thing... is that I didn't realize it was hot air coming from around my legs, as I didn't ride it long enough with the paper strips. I figure more air hot or cold is always better than less air... right?

 

[GypsyCaravan]

Here are a couple of quick photos taken with a better camera:

 

[Wicked Webby]

Gypsy,

How did you secure the mesh to the inside?

WW

 

[GypsyCaravan]

Gypsy,
How did you secure the mesh to the inside?

WW

The cowl vents are brass, and have a plate behind them for mounting on a flat surface. They have 4 "pins" sticking up to set them into whatever surface you attach it to.

Instead, we pushed the cowl vents up through the hole.

That mesh is aluminum stuff I got from Autozone in the body supplies. I pushed it against the brass plate, until the pins poked through, then used some type of all-purpose, heat & weather resistent adhesive. I think I might have used expoxy even.

I have a ride this morning, but if I get time this afternoon, I'll take a better photo of the back side.

As for your side vent photo-shop... I'd considered that too. I even thought about having a custom design cut in with a flowjet. But, I worried that any blowing rain (when the bike's not moving) like parked in a thunderstorm, would blow water directly into the filter element if there wasn't some sort of protective louver or cover...

(I had a semi-custom cold-air intake on an modded up Dodge Neon a while back, and every once in a while I'd hit deep water, and the splashed water would come right through the filter element into my engine, so I'm a bit leary of the fabric filter element stopping water migration if hit directly.)

(I have several other photos of early sheet-metal concepts I mocked up I can post here too.) (EDIT: I can't find the photos but I folded square and triangle pieces of sheet metal, in an aerodynamic shape.)

 

[Wicked Webby]

Gypsy,

Thanks for checking for the other photos. I agree, that the oiled filters will not provide for a water tight barrier if the bike is running out/and sucking a lot in the case of a large amount of water was being poured (directly onto the filter) or if it were to get submerged.

I was taking into consideration the actual inch or 2 of air separation of where the mesh is (on the outside) and where the filter is on the inside. Also thinking how the screened mesh area would naturally break up rain (upon impact) and how good ole gravity would then help pull the majority of the moisture down between this open space. I was considering using a finer type black plastic mesh/screen for the vent (one you could paint if you wanted to).

You are right, a true cold air intake setup can cause a lot of problems when driving through large puddles and heavy rains. Your setup and my proposed are obviously not true cold air intakes.

My point is that knowing the limitations of your specific setup and common sense prevails with any mod. Even with my filter setup, without the vents, I do not go heavy throttle (creating a lot of intake suction) in the rain. For my intakes sake and my safety sake.

The only thing I can comment on (as I have mentioned) with regards to rain/water and my filter setups (without these vents) is that I have had my custom designed filter air box setup for a year. The nice thing about the KnN's is that they use red oil. The red oiled filter element will turn white when it is subjected to water. I have ridden for hundreds of miles (maybe a thousand) at freeway speeds in the rain (I am not a Sunny Sunday afternoon rider) and my filters have never been subjected to enough moisture to show any white or speckles of white on the red element.

I can only currently speculate about how it will do with the vents (At this time) ....

Please keep us informed on yours.

Thanks for the idea!

WW