custom air box?

[92GSX750]

Looking for some input here. Since I started fightering my bike there have always been a few things that bugged me about nakid Kats. One being the tank gap which has been addressed. The other is the factory plastic air box. Of course pods would fix that but at an expense of tuning.

Original thoughts were to build and aluminium air box that mimics the factorys. However I was unsure of how it would look and therefor never went thru with it. I recently saw a picture of this exact thing, in the Streetfighter Tank Bottoms thread, and now I'm ready to give it a go.

Of course the material would be aluminum sheet, all joints TIG welded, and the design would be very close to the factory. It would still use the factory air filter and so on. However what I planed to do was simply cut plate to the desired size and weld it up. I know the factory box is square-ish but all its corners are rounded.

My question is:
Will that small, seemingly insignificant difference with the corners, effect the bike in a negative way? I know the air flow in the box will change slightly but will it change too much? Has anybody had a simular idea or have some good thoughts/ideas on this?

Thanks

[loudnlow7484]

The things of primary importance in the airbox are the volume, the placement of the filter, and the boots to the carbs.

That said, it would probably be a bunch easier to just build trim to cover the airbox instead, and leave the airbox itself alone.

[chrisgreer23]

I would be interested in such a box. Just think, you could paint it. I just had a crazy idea typing that just now. Why not cover it with carbon fiber? This wait it would actually look like something and not some silly plastic box that was made to be hidden. Oh god, now I really cant wait to get home and start working on my bike -_-

Looking at my bike below, I would probably fill in those indents to give the sides a flatter look, kinda more like a triangle.

I've never really looked at the filter itself. Maybe recreate the whole thing in CF. Not sure how complicated it is. If it was a straight up box (with rounded corners as it is) I would probably do two halves and somehow join them. I think its quite a complicated piece though. Anyone ever opened one? Sorry to hijack the thread 92GSX750.

[92GSX750]

The things of primary importance in the airbox are the volume, the placement of the filter, and the boots to the carbs.

That said, it would probably be a bunch easier to just build trim to cover the airbox instead, and leave the airbox itself alone.

I'm sure I could get the volume close and planned to keep the filter in the same location. Just looked on Bike Bandit and the carb boots are seporate parts. Sealing them to the aluminum would be my biggest concern.

Looking at my bike below, I would probably fill in those indents to give the sides a flatter look, kinda more like a triangle.

I agree, those indents need to be gone. I like the Carbon fiber idea you have. What would you use to fill the indent before wrapping it? Wish I knew more about Carbon fiber but metal is where most of my knowledge is. Plus, I love Aluminum

[scottynoface]

I agree with L&L.

[GSXFJim]

I have some CF experience.. the process is much like laying up fiberglass, but the woven material that everyone likes is stiffer than the woven FG, you need to pull a vacuum on the part to help it stay in shape around corners. Baking the CF gives it strength.

[Wild-Bill]

If you want to go with the CF look, why not fill the low spots on a stock airbox with spray foam that could be shaped to what you want? With that for structure, you could even go with fiberglass (easier to work with) and paint it after it sets up. Just a matter of laying up the mat over the foamed airbox. Biggest issue would be getting the glass to stick to the plastic airbox.

[kat600rdr]

I agree with Wild-Bill.. If you want to paint it.. I would fiberglass/paint it.. With CF.. Why not get CF vinyl and just put it on? Either way.. Good luck with it!

[chrisgreer23]

I was just saying cf for the finish. The cf stickers wouldn't work cus of the rounded corners. Fiberglas and paint it would work just as well.