KLE 500 "Rimfire" airbox modification
 

Hi there.

I have done the Rimfire airbox mod to my bike and was wondering if any one else has tried this and what results they had. Any other tips regarding this will be welcome. It is basicly just opening up the airbox more to get the bike to breath better.

have you had any reasonable results with this or has it caused flat spots extra noise or better power ?

From what I understand between Australia & South Africa, you seem to have very similar "dusty" conditions when you head off-road?
I would be very interested to know if you do get off the bitumen often, just what difference this modification makes to the condition of your foam air filter. i still have a standard airbox and am amazed just how clean it stays regardless of the dusty conditions I subject my bike to. I'm just wondering what led you to the position of modifying the factory airbox design?
Has anybody actually run an airbox modified KLE up on a dyno to compare "real" improvements?
JQ

Hi

I am using the Rimfire mod in combination with a DNA filter. The results were very impressive. The bike is much more responsive and revs a lot quicker. No flat spots at all, even at WOT.

BTW. I'm using the '91 KLE 500 carb set-up on my 2007 KLE. That is larger 120 mains, differant needles and the larger snorkel. The KLE 500 tend to run rich at the top.

Worth a try.

I am using a larger snorkel (from the older '91 model) in combination with a DNA filter and jet/needle set up from the older "full power" KLE.

I recently did a 1000 km gravel trip in the Karoo region of SA and had a look at the air filter when I got back. It was surprisingly clean. Conditions where very hot and dusty. Probably similar conditions to your Outback over there.

I have not Dyno'd the bike yet. Don't have to. The bike feels a lot more responsive. Top end better and gets there a lot quicker. There are no flat spots. Fuel economy whilst commuting in city traffic is ave. 20 km/l. :thumbup1:

Thanks Shaun.
The set-up just looked to be too simple but you have obviously tried it and are impressed by the modification.
Cant wait to try it out myself. I'll just have to brush up on my German though to get through the instructions.
Cheers
JQ

Hi

No problem. It's very simple. You just need to get hold of 16mm PVC pipe, thats the difficult part. The holes drilled in the one pipe are 10mm. They say it will work with the newer KLE with the smaller snorkel. The other two pipes are cut off at a 45 deg. angle.

Are there any improvements if you make this modification without changing the air filter?
tnx.

Hi,

It runs a lot better with the DNA air filter. The DNA filter lets the bike "breathe" a lot better. I tried it with the stock filter and the "Rimfire" mod and did not rev as quick. Best results are with DNA filter. Air, air, air...

Hi Spye :)

You note 20km/l after this mod. Is this up or down from what you noticed with a stock setup?

Thanks
Tracy

Thought I'd check last week's fuel economy on my KLE which was a nice mix of commute/highway & twisty stuff & it averaged out to 23.55km/l. That' bog-stock and ridden sensibly. I wonder what these suggested mods would do to improving my economy?

I did a mileage check last week - flat, flat, flat country, bog stock induction, bitumen surface, average speed 100kmh (Walgett to Gilgandra) 18.5km/litre with 17/43 gears = 5000rpm @ 100km/h (rear sprocket and chain were shagged though...)

Mate on a fully loaded 950SE Ersberg got 17.5km/litre at the same time.

Hi

This figure is slightly down on stock (2007) set-up. Remember I am using older ('91) carb set-up on my '07. Larger mains (112) and N96J needles. On a recent 200 km gravel road trip I was travelling max. 90 km/h due to the road surface and I was getting 21.7 km/l.

air box mod - air
 

Hi. i was reading about this mod for a week. i got the pvc pipe today and did the drilling/saw work. should have the pvc pipe, drill, and iron saw (dont need elictrical) to saw the pvc pipe. some epoxy glow can be useful.
took me about 2 hours.
i made a short test drive. it was very easy to see that rpm went down from 1100 to about 800 which is good news becuase as soon as i had a safe spot to stop i moved the adjstemt screw below the carb and raised it back to 1100 rpm. than, istantly it all felt a lot better. i get back better when slowing down in a curve and just much better response from throtle.
i think rpm raises a lot faster in the lower rpm.

Did you have to rejet?
Is your bike one of the recent models with the small airbox?