Problem: - The standard Tiger 1050 has a twin inlet pipe entering the Airbox with the R/H end banked off. The one hole on
the lefthand side is 40mm, this is feeding 3 x 46mm throttle bodies! Even worse, this one 40mm hole is tucked up
against a frame member. So when you whack the throttle open at low speeds asphyxiation takes over. My old Africa Twin
was much the same. However because Big Traillies have the same aerodynamics as a Basking Shark, at speed so much
air is trapped in front of the Airbox you get a Ram effect. Therefore my guess is that the Airbox entry can be made small and
inefficient to meet stringent noise regulations. I have read that the 1050 Speed Triple uses both inlets and it makes more
power than the Tiger.
Tiger 1050 Airbox Tuning
Step 2: - Fit a K&N Airfilter.
honest I had not noticed
any real difference in
performance
However now that I have
opened a second 40mm
entry into the Airbox I am
confident that the K&N
provides a worthwhile
performance gain.
Step 1: - Remove the
Airbox entry pipe and cut
out the blanked off end
with a modelling knife (See
picture on right). Refit the
pipe and reassemble the
Airbox (Below right)
In standard trim 1 x small 40mm inlet to the Airbox.
Feeds
3 x large 46mm throttle bodies
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Do the modifications work?
After the modification when you run the Tiger at a standstill
and blip the throttle the engine revs more freely. On the road
there should be more induction noise but I can't say I have
noticed. The Air Mass sensor, Lambda probe and ECU (With
Triumph Off Road Tune installed) all combine to ensure the
modified engine continues to run sweetly.
I ride 150 miles a day to work so I have good terms of
reference. With the Airbox modified the Tiger picks up quicker
from say 40-50mph behind a car in 6th gear. Initial
acceleration is noticeably more eager. When I did the same
modification on my Honda Africa Twin my bike would
immediately pull 30 feet or 10 metres ahead of a standard
bike. All the gain is in the first few seconds after that I stayed
ahead until the red line.
I am pleased with this modification so far.