New Talon Pre-filter Snorkel

[highpocket74]

Ok gents, finally got one all together and powder coated. These things are not easy to build! The one you see in the pic was made for a 4 seater but fit on a 2 seater. The filter would be about 3” lower with the 2 seater tube.

I’m not running production on these yet. This 4 seat version is the first one to test fit.
Here’s a list of what’s included:

• TIG welded 1 piece powder coated aluminum snorkel tube.
• Tube clamp, mounting bracket and bolt.
• New 2 piece fender grate replacement to close the opening.
• R2C pre-filter and water resistant Filter Gard.

This is a bolt on kit. No fender cutting is required. The inner fender does fit back in place also.

Please let me know what you think. These are hand made right now and very labor intensive.

(I don’t know why my pics always come in sideways from my phone!)

 

[Lil_Steve]

Looks great! Now you have me contemplating replacing my drilled body panels and going with your much cleaner set-up.

Let me straighten those for ya.

 

[sandbaja]

It looks really sharp. It is exactly what I am looking for!

 

[hondabob]

Good job, I would prefer one that goes more inboard and under the center of the roof for rain riding.

 

[Spankynip]

Looks good. Any issues with rattling when riding?

 

[highpocket74]

Looks good. Any issues with rattling when riding?

Zero rattling so far on my machine with the prototype. The snorkel is cinched down to roll cage and doesn't move or make a sound. It's right behind my wife's seat so she'd let me know if there were any issues!

 

[highpocket74]

I only built 2 of the tall snorkel kits like you see in the pics above. I wanted to try something different with the snorkels but they were very difficult and time consuming to build.

So as much as I didn't want to cut my plastic, I started on a simpler build, still with aluminum instead of pvc. The penetration is located to a specific spot where only one piece of plastic has to be cut. I didn't want to cross plastic joints with the hole. The downside to this design is that the tube to the airbox has to be rolled and offset, not a simple 90, but this looks better to me. I also built a cover plate for the fender penetration so it looks more like it belongs there. The filter is almost unnoticeable once installed.

This is the only prototype I have built and running right now. This pic was taken after my trip last week to Mena and mainly to show that with Mudbuster fenders the filter didn't get filthy. This is an R2C pre-filter which has more open area than an engine air filter and an R2C outerwear cover. I'm working with Desertcraft on an alternative dry filter for this application.

I have more work to do on the design. Cover plate cad models need to be finalized for the laser cutters and bending, jigs need to be made for the aluminum tubing, templates made for cutting the plastic hole at the correct location, etc. This is nothing revolutionary but I did want something that didn't look homemade out of pvc. When I get to a final product, I'll also powder coat, possibly to match honda plastic which will make this even more camouflaged. First one will be blue per request by the person that helped in this comparison. Oh, the inner fender does fit back in place. I left it off while I'm working on this.

The photos below are a great comparison to with and without this pre-filter setup. We had another stock Talon with us in Arkansas so it worked out great to have a direct comparison for the same 200 miles and conditions. Running 6th and 8th out of 8 machines we were in the dust all day.

No pre-filter:

With my pre-filter setup: (this filter actually has 400 total miles on it)

 

[CID]

There's a lot of angst about cutting that 3" hole in the body panel, once a guy gets over that, it's a cleaner (simpler) install IMO. For guys dead set against cutting that hole, your formed tube is a good solution if you can get that tube made for a reasonable price.

 

[highpocket74]

The prototype is made from 2 aluminum pieces with a silicone coupler. I want to try making one piece with the cover plate that will still pass through the fender hole for installation from the top.

 

[highpocket74]

Cover plate photo shows the penetration area is in one piece of plastic. The tube is not nearly as complicated as the tall snorkel It's basically a rolling offset. For now with pre-bent tube pieces this is only one weld. Desertcraft makes a good quality hose for their belt cooling systems that I'd like to try. They can make to length and it has molded ends for clamping. Perhaps after holiday I can work out something with them. Once inner fender is in place you can't see the hose anyway.

 

[Jacknmaggie]

Cover plate photo shows the penetration area is in one piece of plastic. The tube is not nearly as complicated as the tall snorkel It's basically a rolling offset. For now with pre-bent tube pieces this is only one weld. Desertcraft makes a good quality hose for their belt cooling systems that I'd like to try. They can make to length and it has molded ends for clamping. Perhaps after holiday I can work out something with them. Once inner fender is in place you can't see the hose anyway.

View attachment 306532

That is a nice clean look. I would order that when it is ready.

 

[highpocket74]

Funny how when I received your message I was closing my shop after working on this! I took my 2 piece assembly out and made it one welded piece. The whole thing will slide throught the cut fender hole. Super easy installation, slightly difficult to make!! But this one worked so now I have to make this a repeatable process. I have 2 more to make for friends so let me see how these go together now that I have all the parts figured out.

Mine has been beat up pretty bad now after rebuilding it today!! I'll need a clean one for my Talon too!!

 

[highpocket74]

Back from powder coat today. This came out way better than I was expecting!!

 

[Lil_Steve]

Back from powder coat today. This came out way better than I was expecting!!

View attachment 307391

Looks good, clean and simple. Is that R2C pre-filter designed to be oiled or is it dry like their drop in filter?

 

[highpocket74]

Correct on oil less filter. I like the size of this filter. It almost completely disappears from view.

desertcraft has a similar, nicer filter but has a 4” outlet which complicates things. I’ve asked the question if they would be willing to mold a 3” version for this application. THAT would be perfect!

I’ve got to work with my shop for producing some of these parts. The cover plate can be laser cut and bent but I’ll have to fab the aluminum tubes and make the final weld of plate onto tube. This project is going to take some serious jigging to make precise repeatability. It’s a lot of work but the finished simplicity is worth it. It looks good, works well, and is very easy to install. I’m happy with the design.

 

[Lil_Steve]

I think this pre-filter kit will sell very well. 👍

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

I think this pre-filter kit will sell very well. 👍

Ya it will!

 

[2020Talon]

Just something to think about. That area sees a lot of mud ( not soup but more chunky mud) being flipped up off the back tires. Some kind of shield would be cool, that filter sock may do wonders for shedding the muddy gravel road stuff. I’m in the southern Idaho dessert so dust would be the main concern but I rode last weekend and that proved that mud is possible too. Maybe a guy could ride with a coffee can over the pre filter on muddy days?

 

[highpocket74]

Just something to think about. That area sees a lot of mud ( not soup but more chunky mud) being flipped up off the back tires. Some kind of shield would be cool, that filter sock may do wonders for shedding the muddy gravel road stuff. I’m in the southern Idaho dessert so dust would be the main concern but I rode last weekend and that proved that mud is possible too. Maybe a guy could ride with a coffee can over the pre filter on muddy days?

All the pre-filter setups that I see guys running do not have a cover. However, I still have a design started for a cover that I have not finished. One reason is that I haven't made a version that looks good on the bike. Another reason is that after our Arkansas trip, the filter didn't get muddy. I do have Mudbuster rear fenders though. The cover idea is on the radar because down south we also deal with lots of mud!

 

[bjniceguy]

I have a couple year old similar design that comes out in same spot just above the fender (I cut the 3" hole). I use a K&N oiled filter with a similar frog skin type cover for filter (keep spare filter setup stored in trailer for multi day trips). Anyway I opened mine up today after 1200 miles since last look and OEM factory filter looks great (Has 1700 miles on it now total) I am installing a new o-ring on air box cover and don't plan to look again for another 1200 miles (I grease edges of filter & o-rings to insure good seal). I can say the concept is sound and beats buying a new filter every couple hundred miles. I have a rear window & I (or passenger) do not notice much intake air noise if that is a question