Front Right block-off plate

[dan_h2sx]

Sooooo I don't really know how to call it, but I'm talking about this piece.

.

I know that there are some electronics behind this, so I guess you can't fully remove it an replace it with a kind of grid like on the ram air side.

I'm thinking of getting a thin, black alloy plate made to still block off the opening but to remove these ugly forward-facing 'fins' (?)
Maybe I'll install some fake grid on top so it likes on the ram air side.

I think the bike would look much better without the stock stuff.

What do you think?

[dan_h2sx]

Ok so the name of the part seems do be "Duct Cover" Part No. is 14093-0665.

[Burmashave]

Dan, you can see by the part number it's not an expensive part. I picked up a spare to play with for about $35 (kawasakipartshouse.com). It might not be what you're looking for, but you could pick up a spare and cut it down for a base to do whatever.

Peeking back down there with the upper inner fairing removed, it looks like there's a plate that runs up against the top part of the duct cover. The bottom of the cover looks as if it has open space behind it. I haven't had the left fairing off yet, so I can't give you a fuller idea of what's back there.

[KompreSXor]

I agree, I’d like to remove mine too, I toyed with the idea of buying another intake grill and plastic pipe section from the intake side and removing the fake vent, inverting the grill and pipe and replicating the original. I think it’s one of the bikes few aesthetic bad points, and very difficult to clean properly too.

The problem is the vent and grill don’t quite fit, the openings are not quite the same dimensions and even if you replicated the vent, your still left with the problem of where to send the airflow. Ideally direct it down and out of the fairing towards the radiator, or fake the grill and blank it off. This however isn’t very aerodynamic, and will get bunged up with flys and crud pretty quickly.
The H2 has a fake vent too, the H2R has two openings, but it’s just a duct connecting the two, then combining into the single intake tube.. the lack of headlight makes this possible..

[cOoTeR]

The ecu sits behind it and slightly towards the center of the bike. The ABS module is in that area as well.

[JMod45]

I definitely don't like that part of the front. I just know I'm going to get some bug stuck in the back of it that I can never get out again.

Maybe we could take some tips from a goldwing. Open it up, direct the air to the rider, with a flap to close it in the winter. That could give us some more touring cred.

https://images.app.goo.gl/h4R7nf6YSnUxUnjE8

Seriously though. If someone comes up with a good idea for this, I would love to see it.

[Champ87]

That cover doesn't really bother me but, for those who care, I've posted a pic of how it looks from inside the fairing. As cOoTeR said, the ECU is in that area. It sits slightly above the "duct cover" so if you remove the cover you'll need to provide some protection to prevent rain soaking the ECU - although that original cover does not provide a seal against water.

[Champ87]

OK, found another pic that may help. In this one you can see one corner of the ECU showing so you can see where it sits in relation to that duct cover.

[dan_h2sx]

Well I figured there are two options:

1) I buy another duct cover as a spare part and send it to a company that 3D scans it, and tell them to remove the 'fins' and just make it a flat solid surface. They will then 3D print the changed part an send that back to me.
I might then glue a fake grid onto the part.

The problem with this is that it's rather expensive and a lot of effort.

2) I take out the existing part, cut off the 'fins' and find a way to fill the holes somehow. I might take car wrap to seal off the front.

The problem here is that I have to figure out a way to support the wrap (close the holes) so that it won't rip when I'm going top speed.
If I mess up I can still buy a spare part.

I agree that its important to protect the electronics.

I like the idea of creating a fake duct, but I already figured it could possibly not match.

I'm not really afraid of flys, as there are already some in there that I currently can't get out.

I'm gonna have a look tomorrow when I change the frame sliders and install a radiator guard. I'll have to take off the left side fairing anyway.

What do you reckon is the best option to go with?

[Burmashave]

Dan, if you want an open looking duct, why not go with option 2 and cut a piece of plastic the shape as the duct cover? Then, you could epoxy it to the existing cover.

By the way, my interest in this is that I'm still toying with cutting the cover and mounting a Valentine 1 in the fake duct. I have some other projects ahead of it, and I'm not really psyched to start it because my fabrication skills are minimal.