AE air filter fun

[12tinker]

So, thought I would be proactive and do some preventive maintenance.

I replaced the air filter after 25K for no apparent reason taking about1 hour and maybe 20 fasteners to get to the damn thing. Still looking very clean. 4 fasteners for getting the shift actuator off (the EZ part)

Just another thing not needed to do on this machine like checking valve clearance. Ride on...

 

[Mortenk]

The 2006 must be different compared to 2016. I checked my air filter a few months ago and recall just a few (maybe 4 or 6) screws (on top of the left panel of course) that needed to be removed. Took less than 15 minutes for sure

 

[samamoto]

Gen II AE has the afterthought shift actuator arm going right in front of the air filter cover. That thing is such a XXX to take off and out that it is actually worth to consider taking the whole air box out for that purpose. I doesn't take that much time and saves a lot of frustration. 

 

[Brodie]

I have so many electrical farkles wired to a fuse sub-panel on top of that air box, it would take me all day to service an air filter. Much easier to move the shift actuator out of the way first. Remove the linkage arm from the splined shaft, remove the two button head cap screws securing it to the sub frame, a couple of wire pigtails and you can have it on your workbench in under 10 minutes. Just be sure upon reassembly to align the 5mm hole in the link arm with the corresponding 5mm blind hole drilled in the aluminum plate behind it to keep the bike shifting properly. The linkage is designed like a turnbuckle just for this purpose.

Brodie

 

[BanjoBoy]

The 2006 must be different compared to 2016. I checked my air filter a few months ago and recall just a few (maybe 4 or 6) screws (on top of the left panel of course) that needed to be removed. Took less than 15 minutes for sure

AEs are are different, they're a beeeoootch to get the air filter out.