|  | Topic : Air Filter / Intake options?? |  |
| | | neverhadacruiser | | Set |  | | Reg. Date | : | 30/07/2023 | | Posts | : | 34 | | Location | : | Leeds, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 04 Oct 2023 - 06:21 Post title : Air Filter / Intake options?? | | | I've done a "2 years at a time" search through all threads with air filter in the title, but I'm not finding the info I need, hoping someone can steer me in the right direction?
My 'Bird is coming off the road for the winter for a bit of a rebuild and I'm gathering parts at the moment, decat and exhaust is all sorted, but before I commit to a tune I want to make sure she's breathing the best she can so I'm turning my attention to the intake side.........
Back in the day the BC Airbox removal kit seemed to be the way, but unless I'm missing something it seems to be no longer available? I've picked up a 2nd hand airbox and don't have a problem taking the Dremel to it, and the swingarm is coming out any way for a repaint............but i can't find the part number for the K+N filter that the kit came with, and it seemed to have an adapter too? Does anyone have the part number for the filter? Is the oval adapter anything tricky to reproduce? What do I do with the various sensors mounted on the stock airbox?
Or.........am I making things too difficult for myself and a "drop in" option is just as good?
I think I've found the right K+N......a TB1610 right?.........but read a few people on here talk about the UNI filter, or a Triumph Performance filter, which seems the better option as the foam is removable for cleaning? Does anyone have the part numbers for either the UN or the Triumph one?
Any other opinions on filter/intake mods gratefully received. 
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| | | AZCactus | | Taranis | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 01/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 4,524 | | Location | : | AZ |
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| | Posted : 05 Oct 2023 - 21:36 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: neverhadacruiser) | | | I've read about many airbox options and chose to use the Triumph high performance filter, no holes in the airbox (consider outside elements) and it performs well! But I'll install the BC alternate...yes parts are harder to find, it's like a scavenger hunt! Hope this helps, good luck and Cheers.
| 2009 Thunderbird 1700 Big Bore
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| | | Leethal | | Zeus | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 24/01/2011 | | Posts | : | 6,407 | | Location | : | Australia |
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| | Posted : 07 Oct 2023 - 07:27 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: neverhadacruiser) | | | From memory the BC conversion gained very little on a dyno, the "hiflow" filters much the same. I had mine dyno tuned with a K&N , changed it back some time later to the OEM paper one and can't tell any difference, I had the Triumph sponge one as well but it fell apart after a few years. Unless you are going to do some cylinder head flow work , cams etc I think you will just be going through the motions. This forum went through all the stock box mods in the early years and really it didn't do anything outstanding. There were some butt dynos that got somewhat excited though! 
PeteronKarra here designed his own and had it 3D printed in New Zealand, he may help if he reads this.
| Experience is something you get just after you needed it 
1600,Foran Razorbacks, Meerkat bypass, Dyno tune, real headlight,plenty of chrome,switchblade pegs, Hagon Nitro shocks & Ikon progressive fork springs etc. Scorpion Western Low handlebars. PH adjustable fork caps.
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| | | daz | | Zeus | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 07 Oct 2023 - 14:49 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: Leethal) | | | I have the UNI filter foam one and it's my second one, not because the first one wasn't still good but it was just slightly starting to degrade at about 80,000 miles ! So i dunno about the triumph one but the UNI foam is great. But the truth is, you don't buy it for better performance. Whether it does or not i dunno but the main point of it it so save a ton on those stock paper ones. Also because with the uni you can clean it anything you even think it may be hampering flow. So d it often and be assures airflow is always max. I'll tell you what DID help tho was removing the seat duct. I have rode with a back pack and removed and replaced it several times during a very long ride so i could A/B the performance with and without. And it became quite obvious taking it off helps. Only issue is that while on some birds it's removable easily with about 7 or 8 screws, some like mine also have screws coming from the seat pan so i had to remove the seat covering to get to those and from then on i could remove or reinstall it in a minute.
Anyways, to OP i would say get a UNI filter. They're great and will last nearly 100,000 miles. As to airbox removal, i never did that but every report i have read suggested it hurts torque and any gains are minimal to negative. I've also run a ton of custom tunes, some with optomisers in place of the 02 sensors, and done cat removal with bypass elbows and also tried a gutted cat. My feeling is none of that is worth it. Minimal gains and if anything it runs better with tors and tors tune plus uni filter. Mine was one of those 'clackers' that knocked badly at times. Since going back to just tors and uni that stopped. Mobil 1 bike oil was actually part of it too, but i think this bike was just designed such that mods do very little and if anything can be detrimental to a smooth quiet running engine. M advice is If you need a more power get a rocket. Unless u r willing to do extensive engine mods, this bike isn't a great modding platform IMO, its already quite optimal.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | AZCactus | | Taranis | | | | Reg. Date | : | 01/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 4,524 | | Location | : | AZ |
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| | Posted : 07 Oct 2023 - 14:55 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: Leethal) | | | Leethal wrote:
From memory the BC conversion gained very little on a dyno.... |
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According to Cycle World, an extra 12.7 horsepower (in combination with BC Predator Exhaust and Cat Bypass). I have the H-Pipe, the 1700 and will replace the Triumph exhaust with something wicked (MotorMac approved:)! And the BC kit is illegal in CA, it has to be good ...I'll take what I can get! Thank you. 
| 2009 Thunderbird 1700 Big Bore
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| | | Leethal | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 24/01/2011 | | Posts | : | 6,407 | | Location | : | Australia |
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| | Posted : 08 Oct 2023 - 07:30 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: AZCactus) | | | Yes you said it," in conjunction with" , on it's own_ SFA. I assume Cycle World published dyno results.
| Experience is something you get just after you needed it
1600,Foran Razorbacks, Meerkat bypass, Dyno tune, real headlight,plenty of chrome,switchblade pegs, Hagon Nitro shocks & Ikon progressive fork springs etc. Scorpion Western Low handlebars. PH adjustable fork caps.
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| | | AZCactus | | Taranis | | | | Reg. Date | : | 01/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 4,524 | | Location | : | AZ |
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| | Posted : 08 Oct 2023 - 12:17 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: Leethal) | | | Leethal wrote:
...I assume Cycle World published dyno results. |
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I didn't see results but a specific HP increase means dyno, most likely a 1600.
| 2009 Thunderbird 1700 Big Bore
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| | | neverhadacruiser | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 30/07/2023 | | Posts | : | 34 | | Location | : | Leeds, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 09 Oct 2023 - 11:06 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: AZCactus) | | |
AZCactus wrote:
I've read about many airbox options and chose to use the Triumph high performance filter, no holes in the airbox (consider outside elements) and it performs well! But I'll install the BC alternate...yes parts are harder to find, it's like a scavenger hunt! Hope this helps, good luck and Cheers. |
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Sorry for the slow reply.......it all helps mate, I'm a complete noob to the Thunderbird and cruisers in general, so any hard earned experience and opinions are very welcome. Thanks for taking the time.e
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| | | neverhadacruiser | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 30/07/2023 | | Posts | : | 34 | | Location | : | Leeds, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 09 Oct 2023 - 11:10 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: Leethal) | | |
Leethal wrote:
From memory the BC conversion gained very little on a dyno, the "hiflow" filters much the same. I had mine dyno tuned with a K&N , changed it back some time later to the OEM paper one and can't tell any difference, I had the Triumph sponge one as well but it fell apart after a few years. Unless you are going to do some cylinder head flow work , cams etc I think you will just be going through the motions. This forum went through all the stock box mods in the early years and really it didn't do anything outstanding. There were some butt dynos that got somewhat excited though!
PeteronKarra here designed his own and had it 3D printed in New Zealand, he may help if he reads this. |
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Thanks very much, I was slowly coming to that conclusion from what I'd read.
No interest in going through the motions and I don't think my butt-dyno is very excitable, I prefer quantifiable results. Thanks for the advice, I think you've saved me some time and money 
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| | | neverhadacruiser | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 30/07/2023 | | Posts | : | 34 | | Location | : | Leeds, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 09 Oct 2023 - 11:15 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: daz) | | |
daz wrote:
I have the UNI filter foam one and it's my second one, not because the first one wasn't still good but it was just slightly starting to degrade at about 80,000 miles ! So i dunno about the triumph one but the UNI foam is great. But the truth is, you don't buy it for better performance. Whether it does or not i dunno but the main point of it it so save a ton on those stock paper ones. Also because with the uni you can clean it anything you even think it may be hampering flow. So d it often and be assures airflow is always max. I'll tell you what DID help tho was removing the seat duct. I have rode with a back pack and removed and replaced it several times during a very long ride so i could A/B the performance with and without. And it became quite obvious taking it off helps. Only issue is that while on some birds it's removable easily with about 7 or 8 screws, some like mine also have screws coming from the seat pan so i had to remove the seat covering to get to those and from then on i could remove or reinstall it in a minute.
Anyways, to OP i would say get a UNI filter. They're great and will last nearly 100,000 miles. As to airbox removal, i never did that but every report i have read suggested it hurts torque and any gains are minimal to negative. I've also run a ton of custom tunes, some with optomisers in place of the 02 sensors, and done cat removal with bypass elbows and also tried a gutted cat. My feeling is none of that is worth it. Minimal gains and if anything it runs better with tors and tors tune plus uni filter. Mine was one of those 'clackers' that knocked badly at times. Since going back to just tors and uni that stopped. Mobil 1 bike oil was actually part of it too, but i think this bike was just designed such that mods do very little and if anything can be detrimental to a smooth quiet running engine. M advice is If you need a more power get a rocket. Unless u r willing to do extensive engine mods, this bike isn't a great modding platform IMO, its already quite optimal.
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More great advice, much appreciated.
I've already removed the seal, but like you say, the duct is attached from above, so I'll strip the seat, get thae duct off and do either the UNI or Triumph performance filter I think. Cheers.
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| | | neverhadacruiser | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 30/07/2023 | | Posts | : | 34 | | Location | : | Leeds, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 09 Oct 2023 - 11:18 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: AZCactus) | | |
AZCactus wrote:
Leethal wrote:
From memory the BC conversion gained very little on a dyno.... |
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According to Cycle World, an extra 12.7 horsepower (in combination with BC Predator Exhaust and Cat Bypass). I have the H-Pipe, the 1700 and will replace the Triumph exhaust with something wicked (MotorMac approved:)! And the BC kit is illegal in CA, it has to be good ...I'll take what I can get! Thank you. |
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Just as I thought it was all a waste of time........I'll have to try and track down that write up, not planning on any engine work, but a Meerkat decat and exhaust yet to be decided on would give me the "in conjunction with" bit.........thanks for the info.
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| | | AZCactus | | Taranis | | | | Reg. Date | : | 01/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 4,524 | | Location | : | AZ |
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| | Posted : 09 Oct 2023 - 13:21 Post title : Re: Air Filter / Intake options?? (Re: neverhadacruiser) | | | A good Family here and wealth of Forum information to help you achieve your goals, whatever you decide....
Cheers
| 2009 Thunderbird 1700 Big Bore
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