airbox to carb ducts

[dudenukem]

has anyone adapted a rubber hose to replace the original rubber ducts? Any hints on how to attach them to the airbox? I thought of fitting something inside to expend them and fit within the airbox opening.

Also any good supplier of that ones will be useful .

[Richard]

Why replace them with a rubber hose or something? I would keep the original ones or buy new ones (still available at selected vendors). I replaced mine because they weren't pliable anymore and fitting them back became a dreadful finger hurting excercise. The new ones were much more easy to install. Keep in mind they are part of a highly tuned air intake system, any change will hurt performance...

edit: my supplier: https://www.cmsnl.com/

[Jen-etc]

I've just replaced two of mine and the difference is like chalk and cheese to the old ones. But they were so expensive I couldn't justify replacing all four!

Glad I got the new ones though and didn't try and do something different. They are all shaped to fit and as the previous comments mentioned I understand the zephyr air system to be quite a complex thing and small changes can play havoc from the sounds of it, I would say unless you can match the pipes almost exactly there will probably be some unforeseen issues.

I got mine from fowlers in the UK in the end but I noted my local Kawasaki dealership could easily get them too.

Good luck in your mission!

[dudenukem]

yeah they are so hard that I gave up installing them. My bike was in very poor condition when I got it 10 years ago, there are plenty of things that were and are not right (thanks to previous owner exploiting it badly); For several years it is back in reasonable health but far from being finely tuned. I think I'll try outsourcing the ducts with radiator hoses and post the result. Have some ideas already how to make it fit and be air tight (or maybe perfect air tightness is not what the manufacturers intended?). The other day while reading some witchcraft on how to soften the rubber I was thinking that that part is not really well thought.

[Jen-etc]

Haha rubber softening witchcraft is something I too have YouTubed!

I found when I cleaned mine up in hot soapy water they softened right up, I’m planning to refit mine over the weekend, and I’m going to enlist the hairdryer to soften them up a bit when I do. I’ve put the new ones in the middle leaving the harder ones on the outside where I can force/manipulate them a bit easier.

Will be interesting to follow your results!

[Freddy]

Not sure what model you have, but certainly on a 750 my take is that anything other than original rubbers will either be impossible to fit, or be so modified they will make a MAJOR change to the intake. Even the smallest change to any part of the intake can have a profound effect on the correct operation of the CV type carbies.

My advice, don't do it. Bight the bullet and buy 4 proper rubbers. They may be expensive initially but it will be cheaper in the long run if you put a price on time and frustration.

[dudenukem]

...I’m planning to refit mine over the weekend, and I’m going to enlist the hairdryer to soften them up a bit when I do. I’ve put the new ones in the middle leaving the harder ones on the outside where I can force/manipulate them a bit easier.
Will be interesting to follow your results!

be careful, I think the temperature is what make them hard .

Definitely will try do a follow up with my attempt. Probably I'll end up buying them - but will try my ideas with the hose.

[Jen-etc]

Good point.
I only need them to soften up to get them on then they can be hard again for all I care! I will replace the last two at some point in the future too.

[Ian in Holland]

For softening the rubber, maybe watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnGsllK ... =49ccScoot

Ian