Glee 2013 air filter

[Angustoyou]

I've spotted a pipercross foam air filter replacement.  This is washable and re-oilable, just like standard off road filters, and sounds like a good idea to me. As well as better filtration, it suggests it will breathe easier.  Combined with my GPR exhaust, am I going to need to rejett, or is the fueling sorted/corrected by the lambda sensor in the exhaust?   

Sorry if it's a stupid question, but I don't know the answer, and don't want to experiment (or rejett).   

Thanks in advance.   

[greywolf]

Rejetting is a carburetor procedure. Your bike is fuel injected so has no jets. It's likely you'll be fine as the changes you are making aren't going to make things much leaner and your model isn't on the bleeding edge of lean, like the Vee is. If it did require a change to richen the mixture, that would be done with an electronic device.

[Hondaman]

Many 'free flowing' filters suggest better air flow & better performance yet suggest rejetting or fuelling mods are not required which is itself contradictory....

The Lambda sensor controls fuelling at tickover, low revs and light throttle (closed loop), at higher revs the bike uses the factory fuelling map with adjustments from various sensors on the engine like air & water temp, throttle position and manifold pressure  (open loop), in open loop info from the Lambda is not used.

I've never understood why bikes have never used a maf sensor like in the automotive world, maybe it's not feasible to fit one in the small space  between the air filter & intake, on a motorbike?

Slight changes to the intake and exhaust side should be dealt with by the bikes electronics.

[Angustoyou]

Brilliant, exactly the sort of response I was hoping for.  Thanks gents.

Re-jetting and fuel injection - doh!  Thanks for seeing what I meant, not what I said. My concern was the air/fuel ratio and the bikes ability to auto correct.

I'm not after performance gains, just like the easy maintenance idea of a re-useable filter.

[Phaedrus]

I'd considered the approach of a "washable" air filter like those used in off-road bikes for the same reasons mentioned above. Eventually desisted as the issue with our beloved V-Strom is the time consuming nature of just reaching the filter - plastics, more plastics, gas connections, gas tanks removals, nth screws! It looks like they'd asked the service managers what would be the ideal setup to monetize the procedure... and went for it. Couldn't be worse on a bike that have dirt road aspirations. The old KTM 950 and Africa Twin had simpler procedures, both with V-twin engines. 

[Angustoyou]

Totally agree about the access and fastenings etc.  Whoever designed all that wants shooting.  The big breakdown to do the air filter does mean I'll check everything else while it's all apart, when otherwise I may be tempted to skip it.

[vstroman]

is there much involved in getting to the air filter? any write ups or pics of the procedure?

[UK_Vstrom650]

If you can get the tank off then getting to the air filter is easy. Issue is getting the tank off as you have to remove a minimum of three panels and undo about 13+ Allen bolts and four pop-fasteners. The owners manual shows how to do this, though when first doing it you'll be worried you're going to break the plastics as you have to be a bit forceful.

[Hondaman]

I have wondered (as I tend to) why Suzuki made the tank like this, with spot welded attached lugs, then made plastic panels to then bolt them to the tank to form the shape
Why not just make the tank the required shape adding colour change/style/detail with transfers the tank would be a bit bigger capacity & removal would be quicker and easier, probably cheaper to make too.
It would only need a couple of attachment points to 'tie' the fairing into the tank.

Or is that too obvious....?

[tallpaul]

You can get the tank off without having to remove all the side plastics. I've done it a few times. Fiddly but possible.

Sent using carrier pigeon...

[UK_Vstrom650]

I thought you had to take the side panels off as there's a bolt underneath them that holds the tank to the side grills 

Anyway, agree they should have just shaped the tank better and painted them the desired colour. My old Fazer had three bolts holding the tank on and that was it. Much easier to work on.

[tallpaul]

You can still feret the long bolt out. You just remove the screws that secure the side panels to the tank. The panels are latched over spigots on the tank, so they have to be lifted slightly. The only real time saving is in not taking off the under panel.

Sent using carrier pigeon...

[alibx11]

I have wondered (as I tend to) why Suzuki made the tank like this, with spot welded attached lugs, then made plastic panels to then bolt them to the tank to form the shape
Why not just make the tank the required shape adding colour change/style/detail with transfers the tank would be a bit bigger capacity & removal would be quicker and easier, probably cheaper to make too.
It would only need a couple of attachment points to 'tie' the fairing into the tank.

Or is that too obvious....?

Know what you mean but the bike does look mean as F**k with the panels removed and the fairing off, I did briefly consider grinding the lugs off and put a making mine into a streefighter come stunt type bike with cool headlights/ clocks Renthals etc... call it a Vstrom Lite / Lean Mean Biking Machine, then I remembered..... I can't stunt and I would ruin the whole point of having a comfy practical all round bike.
But my son still wants me to do it.

Maybe if I have an off it might be the excuse...

[tallpaul]

Thinstrom...?

Sent using carrier pigeon...

[kwackboy]

I rather like the look of that .. ????????

[vstroman]

Does the tank have to come off completely, eg disconnect fuel lines etc? wouldn't be so bad if it could just be propped up like on a lot of bikes to get the air filter cover off, I suppose when you've gone to the trouble of getting the tank of it would be sensible to change the plugs then as well.

[tallpaul]

Yes, the tank has to be taken completely off the bike.

Sent using carrier pigeon...

[greywolf]

You could leave the fuel line connected and pivot the tank around the rear to access the airbox but you would have to prop the tank up somehow. There is a quick disconnect on the fuel line so it is much easier to disconnect the fuel line and set the tank on something soft on the floor. The only fuel lost from a disconnect is the fuel in the hose. It won't run out of the tank.

Changing the plugs would require tank removal and dislocating the radiator. Iridium plugs are good for 50,000 miles and standard on V-Stroms since the L2 (2012) model year. They are good replacements on earlier models.

[greywolf]

Some people have trouble with the fuel line quick disconnect. The inner portion, white on some models and blue on others, has what I call ears that extend past the black body of the item. The ears are indicated by arrows in the picture. Squeeze the ears toward each other to make the inner part narrower, allowing the outer part to be pulled out. The inner part stays with the fuel pump tube and the outer part stays with the hose. Some people have found it helps to do the squeezing with offset needle nose pliers rather than fingers but I've never needed anything except my fingers.