DIY Rene/Evo airkit - has anyone done it?

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#1 Post by **mangocrazy** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:47 pm

Being the cheapskate that I am, and also with Rene stuff being generally harder to get hold of these days, I was toying with the idea of making my own airbox kit. Has anyone else tried it, and were the results what you expected?

I've never seen a Rene or Evo airkit in the flesh, but I'm led to believe they're not a great deal more than an airbox base and a filter. Or am I grossly underestimating what's involved here?

The idea as I understand it is to use the whole underside of the fuel tank as an airbox. Does anyone know if the Rene/Evo kits actually seal up against the tank? To me this seems like a good idea, as it would stop heat from the motor raising the temp of the inlet charge.

And in the standad installation, is the air filter held in place by the airbox internals, or is there some bracketry/clamp arrangement that does it?

Any opinions/views/specialist knowledge welcome...

Syltiz · #2 Post by **Syltiz** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:13 pm

I can take some pics of my Evo if you wish.

Evo:
Basically, the air filter is longer than stock and the top of the tank holds it down. The tank seals against a rubbery ring that is held down by an aluminiam ring which screws into the mount points left behind when the airbox lid is removed.

Rene:
Not seen one in the flesh, but a filter fits directly over the trumpets and the tank does not seal against the bottom of the airbox. This means you lose the ram air effect (if that does anything I dont know) but you gain a completely open airbox

I am wanting to change from the Evo to the Rene just to experience the difference. I hear the intake howl on the rene is pretty awesome which you dont get in the sealed Evo kit.

I think you could easily make both at home, in fact some have. If you search AF1 and/or the old Aprilia Ridersite I think you will find some.

Aladinsaneuk · #3 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:01 pm

Paddy has made his own open air system so may be worth searching all of his posts

Gio · #4 Post by **Gio** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:00 am

I'll find the pics I have of the system.

Pierre · #5 Post by **Pierre** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:05 pm

My roadbike has the alloy-ring-and-seals-under-tank conversion and my roadbike has a homemade copy of the open airbox thing.

Open thing is much more rrrrRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRRTTTTYYYYY but when it rains it runs like a bag of shit. Probably to do with the paper suzuki(!) £3 air filter

and almost straight-to-throttlebodies route for any water
Made it by making a carboard dummy then coating with the £10 pack of fibreglass from halfords then chucking it in a bucket of water for a few days. Washed the cardboard off and added stuff lying around to finish

edit: paddys is much much more professional. Mine could be made by the kids at your local nursery.

#6 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:10 pm

Hmmm - verrrrryyyy interesting. So I gather that most of the folks that have gone the DIY route are copying the Rene setup rather than the Evo? Certainly it sounds like Pierre and Paddy have. I've had a look for Paddy's posts, but it looks like the hosting fairy has spirited the pictures in them away.

I quite like the idea of the semi-sealed arrangement a la Evo. Probably a hybrid of the Rene/Evo would be good, if it's possible. If Sylitz could post up some pics of his Evo that would be great. I've got a large sheet of (I think) 4mm hard plastic at home that should be solid enough for a base. If not I could always strengthen it.

Has anyone made a frame over the Throttle bodies to support the air filter? And what air filter does the Rene kit use?

Give me answers and all you get are more questions...

D-Rider · #7 Post by **D-Rider** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:42 pm

mangocrazy wrote:Hmmm - verrrrryyyy interesting. So I gather that most of the folks that have gone the DIY route are copying the Rene setup rather than the Evo?

Doubt it - I think most of us have the standard airbox (some of us will have fitted K&N filters and similar).
My feeling is that not many have changed the induction side.

#8 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:40 pm

D-Rider wrote:
mangocrazy wrote:Hmmm - verrrrryyyy interesting. So I gather that most of the folks that have gone the DIY route are copying the Rene setup rather than the Evo?
Doubt it - I think most of us have the standard airbox (some of us will have fitted K&N filters and similar).
My feeling is that not many have changed the induction side.

I was actually asking the question of those adventurous souls who have decided to change the induction side and have gone the DIY route rather than buying a kit (Rene/Evo) off the shelf.
Sorry if that wasn't made clear.

Aladinsaneuk · #9 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:13 pm

I did look long and hard at the home made options - and i knew that my skills with materils were not enough - and i decided that the 100 quid for an evo kit was worth it....

my experience is that the bike does breathe easier - and imho the pick up is better/faster

of course I am one of the faster, none grey bearded, black falco riders so I would not be happy with just the coventry , rusty falco, K&N solution....

D-Rider · #10 Post by **D-Rider** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:38 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote:I did look long and hard at the home made options - and i knew that my skills with materils were not enough - and i decided that the 100 quid for an evo kit was worth it....

my experience is that the bike does breathe easier - and imho the pick up is better/faster

of course I am one of the faster, none grey bearded, black falco riders so I would not be happy with just the coventry , rusty falco, K&N solution....

..... at least I'm not the one going for the deep shag-pile to ease access to his back passage .....
(Fortunately he's not posted that on this forum yet)

paddyz1 · #11 Post by **paddyz1** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:45 pm

Thanks Pierre. You wont think it looked professional if you saw it up close.

Heres the finished item before fitting

Any carbon fiber is purley sticky stuff but it looks good

And this is how it started out

Syltiz · #12 Post by **Syltiz** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:56 pm

That does look very good.

Mango... I will get you some pics of my Evo. Im home late from college tonight so if not tonight then tomorrow night

#13 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:04 pm

I'm dead impressed with both the home-brew efforts. You may think they look a bit rough but they both look great to me. I do like the look of Paddy's filter (fnarr-fnarr). I guess the make is ITG, but where did you get it from and what type/model is it? I presume it has some internal support to stop it collapsing in use?

Am I right in assuming Pierre has done away with the Falco air ducts in the frame and just let the air sort itself out, while Paddy has retained the ducting etc?

Top work, fellas.

Gio · #14 Post by **Gio** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:42 pm

Very Nice Paddy, it'll look crap after 5k miles (dirt etc)

I can't find pics of the falco's setup but I will take more on Sunday after I take off the rear wavey disk (Its sold so don't ask)

I'll aso be fitting the bullet cam and recording system as well :)

Aladinsaneuk · #15 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:51 pm

be interested to see how and where you mount the bullet cam.... I am still looking for a good mount point.... for the camera!