Oh man, not the darn pod discussion again!

[Jethro]

Now I know this has been talked about hundreds of times, but I need help understanding some specifics of the individual pod air filter setup. I'll start of with what I know: 1- Pod filters require jetting of the carbs, and jetting of the carbs can make it nessecary to change the exhaust (or vice versa). 2- Pod filters increase the fuel / air mixture (with aforementioned jetting and pipes) therefore increasing power. 3- Increasing power without modifing major engine components like crank, cams and rings and pistons is a no-no.

This is what I have gathered form my time in this forum.

What I don't know is this: Why, when I do the unthinkable and run the bike around with the air filter and rear air box removed (I don't do this on a regular basis, just once), did the bike seem to run just fine?

Question is this. Has anyone out there run pods without jetting or such?

Wanna laugh now? The whole reason I am looking into this setup has nothing to do with increasing power or performance. I wanna make the air box space into a nice storage case. I really am jealous of my buddys ZRX underseat storage. He can fit rain gear, sweater, gloves, tools and a Fosters Oil can underseat.

Any input guys? Yeah, besides buying a tank bag...

[Anonymous]

The exhaust mod should be done first but then that is what would necessitate the jetting and most likely the air filter mod--without the exhaust work, the carb work is usually a waste of time- it is very likely that if you just change to pods you will get the spae you need and possible wil not have to rejet because you will not have the extra air flow that is demanded by performance exhaust systems

[earlfor]

Scotty, as an alternative, he could simply remove the little end cap on his airbox and just put his rainsuit in there. :-)

Earl

[quote="SLOWPOKE" it is very likely that if you just change to pods you will get the space you need and possible will not have to rejet because you will not have the extra air flow that is demanded by performance exhaust systems[/quote]

[Jethro]

The idea (or pipe dream, depending on how feasable this is) is to take the whole 1000 c.i. area that the air box takes up and fabricate my own sort of glove box in there. I'm sure you guys have had that thing off the bike. It's as big as a breadbox! Anyway, I really don't want to change the rideability of my bike, specifically the slow speed smoothness. But when I had the whole mess removed from the bike and foolishly took it for a rip around town, it seemed to ride as usual. Only, I had enough space for everything I would need for a 400 mile ride above the battery. Will my carbs run leaner from increased air flow and foul the cylinders after 200 miles?

A little research brought up another head scratcher. In the Dennis Kirk catalog there was a listing for "Custom Clamp on Air Filter Kits - $170." The next page was listed "Universal Clamp on Air Filter Kits - $40." Both items are K&N and the picture looks simaler. Anybody know the difference?

[Anonymous]

pod people

Someone had put pods on my '83 kat, fortunately he had retained the original box. In a word, mine ran like a bag of ..... until I put the original box on and cured all its running ills. A friend also had the same story on a 750 Honda. I am in fact running a little rich now, he might have tried slide pin adjustment in hope of evading a rejet. I will be taking it to my fav Guru for set up when I get tax & ins $$.

I am supprised yours ran so well boxless! Maybe that big mill just wants all it can get!

Pat

[earlfor]

Re: pod people

That, or it was running horribly rich to start with. :-)

Earl

I am supprised yours ran so well boxless! Maybe that big mill just wants all it can get!

Pat

[Anonymous]

Pod filters just killed my power...

Hello,
Saturday I decided to clean my air filter (1979 GS 1000 G, unknown mileage, probable high) when I reaklized the air box was so rusty, that I was able to pass through with a screw driver (frightening to know what could have entered the carbs). So I directly bought four nice pod filters, mount them and went for a test drive. And now I have a big problem: No power at all above 4500 RPM. What exactly should I do I order to rejetting the carbs...
Thanks. Olivier

[Anonymous]

Re: Pod filters just killed my power...

Hello,
Saturday I decided to clean my air filter (1979 GS 1000 G, unknown mileage, probable high) when I reaklized the air box was so rusty, that I was able to pass through with a screw driver (frightening to know what could have entered the carbs). So I directly bought four nice pod filters, mount them and went for a test drive. And now I have a big problem: No power at all above 4500 RPM. What exactly should I do I order to rejetting the carbs...
Thanks. Olivier

I believe that your first test is to apply partial choke when the problem arizes to see if a richer mixtire will improve the condition

[Anonymous]

Just one question, I have thought about putting on some pods along with rejetting the carbs but one thing I can't work out is that are the pods affected by rain? I do alot of riding in the rain and my bike sits in the rain sometimes too. I don't know much about them like whether they are waterproof or not.

[Hap Call]

Re: pod people

... friend also had the same story on a 750 Honda...
Pat

My first experiance was also with a CB750. I put pods on it and it ran like...well, real bad! The old CB750s had rubber velocity stacks integrated into the air box. I pulled these out, worked each stack into the individual pods and put them back on. Ran like a dream (for a 62 HP 750)!

Jetting is vital, but each bike responds differently to carb changes (or any intake/exhaust change)...that is why we tune them for each bike!

As far as increasing HP without internal modifications, well, you can do plenty before you need to worry about internal mods. A lot of the stuff is nice to do when you have the motor apart, but not necessary.

Hap

Hap

[Anonymous]

My intent is to delete this post which was submitted duplicate in error but can only seem to edit it, how can I delete it?

Pat

[Anonymous]

I misstated the Honda size, it was an early 80's 900 super sport. But still a valid comparison.

Most modest "street-able" modifications will not do much harm unless they (1) make the bike run too lean. (2) provide such absence of back pressure they damage the exhast valves (I LOVE those stories of Harley's sporting straight pipes, having mysteriously short lived exhast valves, "what could be wrong?" Humm must be poor engeneering :roll: ). The quickest thing to ruin a bike is neglecting routiene maintnance, or be a driver with no common sense, "Yea! rev that cold engine, it will warm up faster" Most engines are quite well overbuilt, or we would not have machines comitting such extrodinary loyal service as the GS line.

Pat

[Anonymous]

Here's my two cents on individual air filters and exhaust systems based on my experience with '82 GS1100E and '83 GS750ES. Individual filters require a full jet kit to run correctly. Without it the bike will run dangerously lean. Most kits come with a range of jets. The ones they recommend you start with are too rich. Start with a size or two leaner (still richer than stock) and go from there. Take the bike to a shop with a dyno and gas analizer to get it sorted properly. They will, if jetted correctly and linked up to a good full race exhaust, provide a noticeable power increase. Street legal or street sport exhaust actually reduce power compared to stock. Nothing compares to the stock exhaust in terms of power to decibels. Individual filters are noisy. Race pipes are real noisy. You should cover individual filters when washing the bike. I've never had a problem riding in the rain with filters but I don't think it would be a good idea to leave the bike out in the rain on a regular basis with them. I imagine a lot of moisture would get into the engine. Personally I wouldn't use them again, I would keep the airbox and buy a tank or seat bag.
Axel

[Jethro]

Thanks for the advise people. I'm gonna skip the pods as they seem a pain in the butt. I still don't like the bag thing for light storage. I want underseat storage that locks up and is clean as can be! I guess I am s#!t out of luck! You GK guys are a lucky bunch...

[Anonymous]

axel;

I am first and formost an advocate of "stock". I only ask what I ask from the bottom of my poverty.

My '83 Kat has an old wolf header and can with a fairly substantial steel baffle. My 65 year old neighbor thinks it sounds good. Hearing impared or not, it is not as loud as I feared when I baught the bike on sight, not running. Others wanted the bike and it wouldn't start, I paid the $$ and ran, er trailered.

There are no unnatural sounds, pops, flatspots or otherwise since I put the stock air box back on. Aside from the extra volume which is far below an other neighbors nearly new V twin with straights which sounds, well - broke :x Are you saying you have firm convictions that I would gain power if I were to score a stock exhast (which I would truily love to do anyway)? I just changed a tire tonight, MAN how I missed having a center stand!

I think if there was any real gain to cheep after market %%*() all bikes would come with them, they sure would be cheeper to manufacter than stock items. I drove a 2002 vfr 800 with big stock mufflers and air box, very fast and so quiet it was wierd!

Big problem is, 50% of the feel of power is perceived. What sounds fast and what IS fast may not be the same, but is sells.

Pat