Do you think it makes any difference...
 

...and is it safe to remove the airbox lid? In the Ducati performance tuning book, it says that the airbox is a crap design and they run better with no lid. Also on different web sites it says the same. Who has experience of this/has done it? Does it work/sound better too??!! How do you keep the air filter in place??

Ooooh yeah!
Airbox removal/butchering has long been a favourite for Ducati tuners.My 851 had the top of the airbox completely cut away to expose the (K & N) airfilter.The whole top portion was cut away,which just left the sides to hold the filter in place.Some people just take the lid off altogether and use rubber bands to hold in the filter.
N.B
This mod will alter the fuel mixture of the bike.Ideally works with open pipes and chip to suit.
You should get a lot more torque and that fantastic intake roar!:devil:

OH yes:D pass the hacksaw son:lol::lol:

Baines did mine during a service. It does sound better.

Mines also been done

Do it..do it :bouncy: !!

Induction roar is all part and parcel of the 888 experience !!!

Nat

Deffo

My Strada has its airbox opened in the same way as aka.eric's, and this increases induction roar a good deal. However, if you want the full effect you'll need to ditch the lid altogether, in the way it's done on the SP models. On these bikes, the air filter is held in place by a rectangular metal frame which tightly surrounds it, and which is itself secured by over-centre clips. Modified this way, the induction roar almost drowns the exhaust noise!!

open filter
 

Just a query what happens to the air intake pipes leading from the fairing to the back of the housing.
ian

Hi Ian...

On the SP models the air pipes are just routed around the underside of the tank, and vent into the open airbox. (Hi-tech I know!)

Steve

Alright already! Consider it done...why didn't you tell me to do this a year ago you lot??!! :D

I think the airbox that Erik, myself and others have, was open as standard. There is no evidence of cutting and the air tubes attach to the airbox which then directs the airflow across the top of the filter. See pic attached.
Mine is a 94 MY with the black footrest hangers and frame colour suspension hoop.

Douglas

Sorry, pic now attached

Douglas WHAT picture?

Ah yeah, good pic thanks Douglas. Mine has an ITG filter the same as that in it already too. So, Dremel out tomorrow then bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!......!!!!!!!

Douglas

My Strada is a late model too, and the airbox is the same as yours. I don't think that hole in its top was there originally though! Check out the illustrations in your manual and you'll see it should have a solid lid.

Steve

Looks interesting!

My 851 has never had the pipes from the front fairing fitted. Will it make much difference to power if I put them on? ( I have termi's fitted to bike.)

I was told by Woods that the bikes run rich anyway and don't neeed a chip.

Who is right?

Any advice appreciated.

[Edited on 30-8-2005 by philthy]

Sorted the airbox today. I found that just removing the lid seemed a good bet, didn't want to cut it as bits are so hard to find now.
The ITG filter atys perfectly in place using just a thin strip of gaffa tape round all 4 sides.
The air pipes i've left in situ and the ends just point in the general direction of the filter!
Douglas, how come yours has the pipes going into the front lower half of the airbox whereas mine had them going into the back at the top???:puzzled:

The pre 93/94 models with the closed airbox had the pipes just ending near the airbox. The models with the open top airbox lid had the pipes entering the airbox.
In both cases the airbox is not pressurised by the front air intakes. This only came with the 916.

Douglas

Hm, well mine is a '93 model, with a closed airbox, and it has the pipes actually entering the lid of the airbox, at the back. Eh?

mine is a 93 model and my air tubes flow into the front of the airbox. 92 and earlier have the tubes routed to the rear of the airbox but not attached.