To air box or pod filters

[dbeardslee]

I can handle folks hating on pods, but Betsy was a little insulted. She said she wouldn't brag about thirty-plus years experience with these bikes if, in all that time, she still hadn't figured out how to tune a set of carbs for pod filters. She said it... not me.

[ViperRon]

Back in the 80's I had my bike and a friend had his. He was continually doing and changing things to show me how much faster he could make his bike. Spent more time racing him than riding with him. He spent a lot of money and time in the shop etc etc and I never saw a net gain. All I knew is I was riding and he was tinkering. I will admit his bike was louder and when you hit the throttle it sounded like it was doing more but he never got around me and twice in the rain he actually had to trailer it back home. He drilled out the air box, he tried special carb kits, he purchased a 4 to 1 exhaust, he put pods on and in the end changed back to original but finally stopped buying gas at the ma&pa gas pump and that was the only real improvement because clean gas makes clean carbs and flooding the crankcase is a bad day. I do not hate pods and several exhausts sound good. I would have kept my originals except they rusted out when I let the bike set. Make the bike anyway you want but if you ain't happy with performance spend real $$$ and buy a different bike. Either way we will still wave as we go by

[dbeardslee]

I'm going to state something that should be obvious. Regardless of whether you run stock exhaust, pods, or whatever, a LOT of these bikes are in pretty bad condition after 35 years of sometimes questionable maintenance and modifications. They often take a LOT of work just to get them running, let alone running properly. And everyone that puts a wrench to them isn't necessarily helping the situation. But if you're going to make judgements it's probably prudent to make those judgements on bikes that were properly wrenched on, and not on those that had Schleprock working on them.

[motoman]

Everyone's making this too complicated. I have good pod filters from Ape Racing Products.. $60 plus shipping. Can't tell them apart from K&N. No velocity stacks, no tuning nightmares. I went up one size on mains. That's it. I've ridden with many people here, raced several, and I haven't found it to be lacking anywhere and have beaten many that run with the stock airbox. No stumbles at any rpm. It runs great at sea level, or the highest elevations. Single digit temps or the hottest deserts. Bone dry or monsoon rains. I can have the carbs out faster than most of you can get out of your riding gear, and back in and running before you can get it back on.

Not sure why some on here just hate pods about as much as someone chopping a nice stock bike... but it is what it is. Haters just gonna hate, as they say. The ease of install/removal alone has made me a firm believer that the stock airbox will never be put back on my bike, but with no apparent loss of performance, along with the awesome growl you get under acceleration.. it's a no-brainer to me.

Just my 2 cents.

Oh, and welcome back, Brant!

Greg.....guess maybe you chould have tried to stay with my Venturer first three gears.........I would of got a giggle out of that to say the least.

[BA80]

Greg.....guess maybe you chould have tried to stay with my Venturer first three gears.........I would of got a giggle out of that to say the least.

Uhhhhhhh..........that was Tod Brant.

It's OK buddy. We're with ya.

[madmax-im]

I installed real K+N pods on my XJ...I never had tuning problems and the bike ran just as well...if not better than with the stock airbox...so i dont completely agree the stock airbox is so highly touted...I did have to rejet as i had an aftermarket MAC 4 into 1...it took some time to dial in but once that was done and with the addition of the YICS eliminator tool...my XJ ran real smooth...
Brant ...Welcome back !!!

[trbig]

Greg.....guess maybe you chould have tried to stay with my Venturer first three gears.........I would of got a giggle out of that to say the least.

Well, if it wasn't a garage art piece, maybe we could have tried. We could see how much you could try to gain on me after I left you in the curves.. lol.

[dbeardslee]

So if a picture is worth a thousand words, what's a video worth? I dunno, but I shot a brief one to show y'all just how terrible an XS11 runs with pods and a 4/1. It's short - just a run around the block - but I managed to get a cold start, a little low rpm tooling, some mid range, and I even redlined her for you. All I had was my little Mobius Actioncam and I couldn't see how I had the shot framed until after I took the video, so I apologize for the framing. I tried to get the dials in the shot, but they're kind of in and out since the camera was on my head. But if you look quick you can read 'em. And keep in mind - this is how she runs cold. She'll really do it to it when she's warmed up... Betsy's video response

[trbig]

Well, if it wasn't a garage art piece, maybe we could have tried. We could see how much you could try to gain on me after I left you in the curves.. lol.

But seriously, Brant. Listen to your docs, listen to your wife, get healed up and maybe we can see some day. But to be fair, with your narrow butt, you'll need to ride 2-up to match my weight. lol.

[madmax-im]

Tod...nobody is gonna stack up to you...Anyone you race would have to be equally as agressive and have the same level of skills you posess...it only 40% bike and 60% ride skill and agressiveness...I dont think racing against Brant is a fair match up

[STEPPENWOLF]

I just use the stock box with a K&N filter inside since about '81 or 82
Cheap at that time,wash in water and spray with the oil.
Pods look cooler BUTT....the stock box...keeps it closer to the UJM look.

[Roncoach70]

DB great video thank Betsy for me, she sounds great. What 4 into 1 exhaust are you running?

[Bigfoot]

Tod...nobody is gonna stack up to you...Anyone you race would have to be equally as agressive and have the same level of skills you posess...it only 40% bike and 60% ride skill and agressiveness...I dont think racing against Brant is a fair match up

I beat him ... In a straight line. I fully agree he would smoke my butt in the twisties.

[dbeardslee]

DB great video thank Betsy for me, she sounds great. What 4 into 1 exhaust are you running?

It's a Jardine. But the growl comes from the pods... and Betsy says you're welcome.

[STEPPENWOLF]

DB..think that is as about as slow as I have seen you ride. with Ole Betsy.