the RAM thingy that this bikes come with, and any well thought out air intake, for that matter, is not designed to increase the speed of the air coming in the cylinders, but the pressure. The intake itself is smaller than the ducts, so the air expands, decreasing its speed and increasing its preassure (Bernoulli effect). It's like a turbo, just milder, and it only works at high speed, since you're converting air speed into air pressure.
Now where's Brian?
Here's an artical about the effects of ram air.Exactly
Bingo! It's all about pressure. Atmospheric pressure on a standard day at sea level is about 14.7 psi. At my house 7500' altitude its about 11.1 psi. That's about 3.6 psi difference and MASSIVE difference in horse power. If the ram air at say 75 mph can raise the inlet air pressure by only 1 psi that would make a big difference.
Well after reading the Sport Rider article it looks like 75 mph only raises the inlet air pressure by about .14 psi. So apparently its in the triple digits where it really starts to make a difference.Triple digits for raising the preasure substantially yes but below that and slow speeds simply pulling air from somewhere other than off the top of a hot engine helps. Cooler air makes more hp than hot air.
Triple digits for raising the preasure substantially yes but below that and slow speeds simply pulling air from somewhere other than off the top of a hot engine helps. Cooler air makes more hp than hot air.
True! I know a cold air intake made a difference on my son's Neon.Yup my Hemi has got a K&N CAI with a little box around it so that the throttle body(singular 85 MM) gets the coldest air available...