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Upgrading to aftermarket air intake

21K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  mlr  
Apologies if this is a repost...

I've been wanting to upgrade my air intake to get my bike running a little cleaner and maybe sneak a few extra hp out of it.

I love the looks of the spike ones, but I read (on here I believe) that they are a nightmare in the rain.

So what are some mid range air intakes that I should possibly look into? I have a 2001 shadow 750 ACE deluxe.
I would recommend you plan on re-jetting too. By allowing more air flow into the engine it effectively creates a lean condition because you have more air than fuel. This is going to cause more of that dreaded 'popping' sound from your exhaust especially during throttle-downs or down-shifts. Upgrading your jets to a higher fuel flow will compensate for more air and balance your engine's running performance. To lean of a condition is bad for the engine ... bad.

Any intake that has an open filter is not recommended for rain riding (like mine). However, the design of the plastic plenum and intake opening behind the filter box is pretty good for keeping the water out, unless it's a detrimental downpour and you're riding through puddles at 50mph+ ... Sometimes your brain will tell you to imply pull over and wait it out. Get what I'm saying? In any event, just be conscious of what you have and you won't have problems.

There are many different intakes on the market. Most are just stupidly expensive in my opinion. I made my own from the Edelbrock Pro-Flo; $27 from Advance Auto. I wanted the look of it anyway as it was befitting of my theme. It boils down to how creative you can be if you want to save some $$$. That being said, there are some nice looking "kits" around. Google your bike and what you're looking for. Shop the big retailers online too:

Aftermarket Motorcycle Parts | Motorcycle Accessories | J&P Cycles
Motorcycle Parts, Motorcycle Accessories by BikeBandit.com
Motorcycle Gear, Parts and Accessories at Motorcycle Superstore
etc, etc, etc.

On a personal note, I prefer to avoid Motorcycle Superstore as I had a bad experience with them. Can't say for others, it's only my 2 cents. Don't know if I helped, but it's gonna be up to you anyway.