Unless you are going to individual pods, which requires removing the airbox, the next best you can do is to open up that stock airbox. There is a snorkel that leads into the airbox that is used primarily for noise reduction. A discussion rolled around to removing it and after looking in the service manual, access to that snorkel, by removing the airbox, would be a royal PITA. Sigh, so much for that idea. :(

Or was it??? Tonight while doing something else on the bike I decided to take a closer look at how that snorkel was in the box and if it were possible to remove it without removing the entire airbox. Good news, boys and girls... there is. :)

Before I show you how, let me say that I have raised the needles in the carbs and as is the bike runs a step richer than stock. Removing the snorkel lets more air into the box by providing less restriction, meaning the bike will get more air and therefore run leaner. I bring this up only to caution that I do not know how your bike will take to this removal without jetting changes, but be warned... it could cause your bike to run too lean, which is not a good thing.

But, I will say, after I removed the snorkel, the bike idles even better, throttle response is improved and best of all, the bike now has an intake roar when revved that is very similar to putting an intake on a car. The hissing sound of of air being drawn into the motor at idle and when revved, a deep resonant howl is heard. Mind you, I have not even taken the bike out for a ride... this is only while idling and blipping the bike in my garage. Can't wait to hear it at redline. :D

For those that complain that the stock exhaust is too quiet, this is something you should look into.

Enough of the babbling... on to this easy, rewarding and free mod. One good thing about this mod is that if for some reason you don't like it, you can simply put the snorkel back into the place and the bike will be the same as before you took it off. :)

First, remove the airbox cover. Here I have the side cover and rear body panel already off. I was doing something else, so I don't know if you need to remove the rear body panel.
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next, once cover is removed, this is the stock filter in place...
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slide stock filter out. Remember which side of the panel faces the engine. you don't want to reinsert it later with the dirty side towards the engine.
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Next, put your hand inside the airbox from where you removed the filter and push the snorkel back out the rear of the airbox. it is only pressed fit in there and has a weak glue around the outside edge for water proofing, I guess.
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Here you can see the snorkel fully pushed out of the airbox.
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pull snorkel out.
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Position of snorkel when it was installed in the airbox before removal.
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Hole in airbox after the snorkel removed. You now have that much more of an opening to draw air from.
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this is what the inside of the snorkel looks like.
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Reinsert your air filter with the clean side towards engine and put the airbox cover back on. I also have the rear body panel back on in this shot and it looks like you would not be able to get that snorkel out if you did not remove that rear body panel.
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Bike all buttoned back up to show how the panels form an enclosure around the region where the air will now be directly drawn into the unrestricted airbox opening.
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Haha I move from one forum...kf...to a newer and better one...and why am i not suprised to see kkim still doing great posts...keep up the good work and spreading your knowledge :thumbup:

Haha I move from one forum...kf...to a newer and better one...and why am i not suprised to see kkim still doing great posts...keep up the good work and spreading your knowledge :thumbup:

lol... kf user name?

glad to have you here.
:)

moorbeek...pretty new to that forum too...got my 250 over the summer...but now I have a job and money and want to make my bike stand out from the rest so here I am...and im lovin it

moorbeek...pretty new to that forum too...got my 250 over the summer...but now I have a job and money and want to make my bike stand out from the rest so here I am...and im lovin it

cool... hope you will enjoy what this site has to offer. :thumbup:

thanks for this great diy!

just did this "mod". i was able to do this with the rear fairings still on. the snorkel is pretty soft, so it works out pretty easily. whole process from beginning to end took about 5 mins.

haven't taken it for a ride, but it sounds SOOOO much better. planning on shimming it next weekend. that project kind of scares me.

yeah, it sounds better at idle and at WOT, but if you removed the snorkel before shimming, you may find the bike running a bit lean at about 5-8k... sort of jittery and not smooth through that rev range.

I'd recommend you shim as soon as practical. Be sure to use some 3mm washers... 2 of them under each needle to start with. You may need to go back in and take one out or put another in to fine tune.

yeah, i should have waited and do them both together, but i was bored and didn't have time to do the shimming.

the 3mm washers... 3mm is the inner diameter hole i guess, huh? thanks

I used 4mm when I shimmed mine. Any real difference between the 3mm and 4mm?

3mm is the hole size. I said 3mm as some have had problems when the 4mm washers they used was too wide overall and prevented the spring from seating properly in the slide. If yours works, I wouldn't worry about it.

The 4mm washers would be a bit thicker than the 3mm, I would imagine.

Ah I gotcha Kkim. Thanks

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103391

Those washers are perfect!

yeah, it sounds better at idle and at WOT, but if you removed the snorkel before shimming, you may find the bike running a bit lean at about 5-8k... sort of jittery and not smooth through that rev range.

I'd recommend you shim as soon as practical. Be sure to use some 3mm washers... 2 of them under each needle to start with. You may need to go back in and take one out or put another in to fine tune.

ok, i am confirm that the bike runs like doo doo if the snorkel is removed prior to shimming. :(

i know you guys talked about it, but i couldn't believe that such a small thing would affect the air/fuel ratio that much.

now that you've shimmed and removed the snorkel, you'll be quite surprised at how smoothly the bike will pull all the way to redline. :rock:

when you have the chance, open her up and let her rip to redline and see for yourself. :woot2:

exhaust next? :p

well, i am still in the break-in period. i think i am at like 509 miles or something like that. i redlined it once or twice since i got it. i can't wait to hit 1000... it is torture trying to take it easy.

honestly, the exhaust sounds pretty good as it is. i think i may just paint it flat black for now and see how long that ties me over for.

lol... so you're the one following the factory break in procedure. Most do not. :)

There are many approaches to engine break in, but most use the hard break in method. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Do_I_really_have_to_follow_this_break-in_period%3F

More important, to me, is frequent oil and filter changes during the intial stages of your engines life. At your milage, I had changed the oil and filter 3 times.

You are perfectly fine to rev the bike up to redline. Just don't hold it there for extended periods of time. In fact, it's good for the engine for you to visit the redline on occasion.

My pipe, shimming and snorkel were on the bike a long time before my 600 service. :D

My pipe, shimming and snorkel were on the bike a long time before my 600 service. :D

So that was 6 months in? :D

Alright, you bastages, with all of these pics and positive feedback from this & shimming, I may give this a shot this week as well. Not like there's a real need to make a red one any faster than it already is, but what the heck... :rotflmao:

Best reason to shim would be to make the bike friendly at the bottom to midrange. Annie will love you for the change it brings. Isn't that reason enough? :)

So, shim it for her sake and pull out the snorkel for yours. The bike breathes a lot better up top w/o that restriction in there. That way, you'll only have to shim once.

if you don't like the change, it's completely reversible.

I'll have to check, but yes... I do think it was about 6 months in! :lol:

lol... so you're the one following the factory break in procedure. Most do not. :)

There are many approaches to engine break in, but most use the hard break in method. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Do_I_really_have_to_follow_this_break-in_period%3F....


oh, i am not strictly following the break-in... but i am following my salesperson's advice and not going "more than i need to".

thanks for that link btw.

I would interpret that salesman's advice to mean, ride it like you need to and ignore the break in procedure. If you follow the factory method, you become a hazard to navigation by going so slow.... especially on Oahu!! :eek:

Annie will love you for the change it brings. Isn't that reason enough? :)

Annie thinks the bike is perfectly fine, and also thinks those complaining about the stock mid-range making it hard to pull away from a stop need to stop whining and learn better clutch and throttle control. She will also chastise me for going as far as taking the fairings off to make a small mod like this one that she's unlikely to notice or care about. :D

But I may do it anyway. Annie and I don't have to agree on everything. :thumbup:

My only concern is to make sure there's no way I go too lean at any point in the rev range. This bike spends virtually all of its time with the revs at 10k+, more often at full throttle than closed throttle. Which is why low to mid-range just isn't that big a deal in the scheme of things. But a less restrictive intake allowing more airflow at high revs, well, that does make intuitive sense to me, as long as there is also enough fuel at those same elevated revs. Shimming with a couple of washers just to make sure seems like a good idea at the same time. I can see why removing the snorkel without changing the fuel could be a problem, and the fact that that problem manifested itself in Sound Wave's bike pre-shimming is actually a good thing in my mind, as it partially confirms that yes, there was a change to the airflow that did have an effect.

Annie and I don't have to agree on everything. :thumbup:
I see Annie and I might have a lot more in common than meets the eye. :p

Alex, not all bikes will respond to the shimming in the same way. You may have gotten one of the "good" ones that was set up a bit better from the factory than most. Usually those are the ones that warm up quickly from a cold start with little need of the choke. On the other hand, if yours does run lean, she'll notice the difference.

We'll see, you may be right. I use the choke to start the bike, I'm rolling within 15 seconds, and the choke is fully off by the time I get to the end of our residential street. The RRW article describing that Cary Andrews (AMA engine-builder) found the stock jetting to be almost spot-on, and even needing a slightly *smaller* main jet to optimize high-rpm power, well, that is also sticking in my mind as a data point that bears thinking about. On the other hand, going too rich causes a little worse fuel mileage, and potential plug fouling, and at some point a slight loss of power. While going too lean causes significantly elevated engine temps, and can lead to actual failure (in a number of different ways). So erring on one side or the other, it's pretty easy to choose which one as far as I can tell.

But, the upside to both of these is that they look to be easily reversible. If you can figure out how to mod it the first time, it's not rocket science to put it back if you simply don't feel a noticeable improvement, or even feel like you went backwards in usability or power.

yep, the 98 main is a bit large, but with the snorkel out, it leans it to work better at WOT. You can ask Richard how much better it runs at the track w/ the snorkel out. He was running w/ the snorkel in originally because he wasn't sure if taking it out was allowed. When they cleared it, he ran w/o it and noticed a higher top speed. This was back when his bike had stock jetting.

the shims will bring the midrange back that you lose taking the snorkel out due to it leaning out the midrange, too, plus enhance the off idle response.

try it... I'd be interested in what your take is on it. props to you for at least considering it. mpg will drop, though.:(

mpg will drop, though.:(

I got 34 mpg on the Sunday Morning Ride this weekend. Not sure if it could drop any more. But it's not a huge concern, either. As long as the bike has 120+ mile range, that's good enough for me...

That's some pretty crappy mileage. You must be wringing it's neck in the lower/middle gears???

You must be wringing it's neck in all gears???

Fixed. :)

I could save a lot of time and effort by just zip-tieing the throttle WFO from about 8 AM to 12 noon each Sunday. There's unfortunately very little exaggeration in that statement; basically the Marin roads that we go on allow, and encourage, full-throttle acceleration at all times. (this only applies to our Ninjettes, no promises if your bike of choice has 150+ hp instead of 25) There's really very little need or time for partial throttle application, only when you've reached the max speed you want to go on that particular stretch. But that stretch isn't particularly long, as most of the ride has appropriate twists and turns, so before you know it you're at full-throttle acceleration once again until you reach the desired end speed (which you may never reach).

It's terrifically fun. I've brought the ninjette a couple times the past few weeks, and loaned it out to friends. All of them were impressed with how much fun the darned thing is. One likened it to a great video game. "It's got all the noise, all the control inputs, all the feeling of riding a fun bike very quickly, but then you realize you're not going a million miles an hour". Several of them had also ridden our 2004 ninjette on the same route, and they felt the new one was significantly better from a handling, suspension, and braking standpoint.

Alex - just another perspective on the snorkel - Nick had removed his with 2 washers in, and it made him too lean - he had to put it back - so another instance like Gary's, but more extreme....

Did he end up putting more washers on and then taking the snorkel back out, or did he just say the heck with it and left it in?

I gotta believe the snorkel isn't there as a decorative accessory. As we all know, a motor doesn't perform best when it has as much air as possible, it performs best when it has the correct amount of air/fuel when it needs it; extra air will hurt rather than help the cause. So I imagine rather than leaving a blank hole, kawi has the snorkel there to help the torque output somewhere along the curve; probably the midrange. And that's probably why when the snorkel gets yanked the midrange suffers, but at high revs, the extra airflow helps if there is enough fuel.

I guess for my purposes, shimming the needles alone doesn't really buy me much, so I'd only go down this path if there is a realizable gain when the bike is near redline. If as Kkim says, Richard noticed some more top speed with stock jetting and snorkel removed, well, that's what I'd want to hear. With you mentioning that 2 washers + snorkel left a poorly running bike for Nick that was still too lean, well, that's not what I'd hoped to hear. :idunno:

He put it back - we have a really variable climate here - was 60 on Sunday, snow Monday night through tomorrow, will be 60 again on Saturday.... has been single digit lows lately but summers can get over 100 at times....
I think his plan is to put another washer on and try pulling it again... compared to my bike, even with the snorkel it feel lean - I'm running two washers without the snorkel at the moment... I feel that mine is still a little bit lean as a result, but since my skills have improved in the time since I shimmed in the first place, it's not unmanageable
the only place I notice it is if I'm riding right at 6k - and that was only this past Sunday when it was warm - but since my tires were too low to make it to the gas station, I never actually left first- between the surging and the low tire pressures, I didn't feel safe at all and turned her around and went home - that said the surging I felt may be due to the tires as well - not enough experience yet to determine what the correlations are just yet.... enough rambling for you?

Just my $.02, since I'm in the same weather situation. I pulled my snorkel at the same time that I replaced the needles with dynojet needles/clips on 3 rd position. The performance increase thru the entire range was verrry noticeable, with no hesitation anywhere. I left the OEM jets in place, as dynojet actually recommends their "smaller" jets.

You might consider spending the $80 for the kit and be done with it. Of course, check eBay. You may find a deal. :thumbup:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103391

Those washers are perfect!

Which washers in this pack did you use and how many per slider?

If you are going to yank the snorkel, start with 2 washers under each needle.

Use the smallest washers whose hole is just big enough so the needles fit through.

It's not an exact science as washer thickness can vary and each bike's needs are a bit different from one another, so don't be surprised if you need to do this a few times to fine tune.

The best solution is to install a jet kit, but for pennies, this mod can't be beat to improve throttle response. :thumbup:

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9465

Which washers in this pack did you use and how many per slider?

it is going to be the second to the smallest size, #4. the smallest ones won't fit, those are #2.

If you are going to yank the snorkel, start with 2 washers under each needle.

Use the smallest washers whose hole is just big enough so the needles fit through.

It's not an exact science as washer thickness can vary and each bike's needs are a bit different from one another, so don't be surprised if you need to do this a few times to fine tune.

The best solution is to install a jet kit, but for pennies, this mod can't be beat to improve throttle response. :thumbup:

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9465

ahhhh, I reckon the jet kit would have a nice matching set of washers. I concur that the washers from Radio Shack will be good enough...if I ever get big enough walnuts to dig into those carbs to do it. :o

it is going to be the second to the smallest size, #4. the smallest ones won't fit, those are #2.

Thanks sound wave!

ahhhh, I reckon the jet kit would have a nice matching set of washers. I concur that the washers from Radio Shack will be good enough...if I ever get big enough walnuts to dig into those carbs to do it. :o

It's not as hard as it sounds, but you do want to work clean and orderly or, like everything else, things can go wrong. You sound like you've been around long enough that you know how to work smart. :)

I'm possibly showing komohana how to do this to his bike this weekend.

It's not as hard as it sounds, but you do want to work clean and orderly or, like everything else, things can go wrong. You sound like you've been around long enough that you know how to work smart. :)

I'm possibly showing komohana how to do this to his bike this weekend.

ALRIGHT...that does it. I'm just gonna have to hop an aluminum bird and come over for a few beers while i watch the operation... or better yet, a MOVIE of the operation would ROCK!

hmmm... maybe if we can, I'll take a vid of the important stuff. There's no way I can do a full DIY on vid of this... it takes too long time in terms of video.

hmmm... maybe if we can, I'll take a vid of the important stuff. There's no way I can do a full DIY on vid of this... it takes too long time in terms of video.
:eek: Oh yea, way to much video. I bet there would be a metric ton of us, those who have small pecans, that would get inspired by watching the actual digging into the tops of the carbs, the removal of the guts, and then the reinstallation phase.

Another detailed short movie of installing the tees into the CORRECT rubber hoses to enable carb syncing would also be valuable. With so many rubber lines, etc., down there, tackling that job the first time is ball-breaking as well. Having a CLEAR shot of which screws at the carb to turn to sync up the vacuum would be worth a case of Negro Modelo Gold (or Sam Adams Winter Lager for that matter :p:amen:).


Anybody out there need a replacement kick stand or spring? Dude at work gave me one that appears to be in excellent condition. I don't need it, but why turn it down? :cool:

Man, I finally got around to doing this mod on my lunch break today. I'm quite surprised how it opened up the top end for me. Throttle response has smoothed over. I've know about the mod, I've just been worried about water getting in.
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Matt,

Have you done any jetting or exhaust mods?

I've got the D&D slip-on and two washers.
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Cool... it should run about perfect.

If you ever feel the need, though, you could try putting a third shim in there to see if it helps out even more. But first, spend some time as you have it now so you can get a good feel of what the bike does and doesn't do before you make any more changes.

Thanks for the input, Kelly. I will probably start tinkering with the shims again soon.
Posted via Mobile Device

Did this after I shimmed my carb needles while I still had all my body work off. Can't really notice any difference yet as I haven't taken it out for a ride.
It was very difficult for me to push the snorkel out so I had get a screwdriver to pry it a little before I got it out (made sure to cover parts with towels and such so nothing was scratched, no worries :)!)
Managed to finally get it out, but I can't say it's worth it quite yet, as I have yet to see what effect it has on my bike.

Can't really notice any difference yet as I haven't taken it out for a ride.

:confused:

Is there any danger of water getting at the air intake after taking the snorkel off? Vancouver is *very* rainy, and I'm commuting on this bike, so I don't want to do this mod if it could damage things. Also, how much of a difference in mpg is there after removing the snorkel?

if you submerge the bike so that water fills the airbox from the intake hole, you'll have a problem... you would also have the same problem with the snorkel in place at that depth. :lol:

roughly a 10% reduction in fuel economy.... depends how much you twist the throttle.

Interestingly enough, after removing the snorkel and putting in the Dynojet needles, I haven't seen a reduction in fuel economy. And believe me, I'm twisting the throttle more :p

Interestingly enough, after removing the snorkel and putting in the Dynojet needles, I haven't seen a reduction in fuel economy. And believe me, I'm twisting the throttle more :p

That may have something to do with the fact that because the bike runs better at mid throttle with the mods that you've done you no longer need to get as deep into the throttle as you used to to get to the same place in the engine's power band. :D

if you submerge the bike so that water fills the airbox from the intake hole, you'll have a problem... you would also have the same problem with the snorkel in place at that depth. :lol:Fair enough. I saw it mentioned and just wanted to ensure that it wasn't a worry :D

hmm.. can someone do a video on jetting and shimming? :)

hmm.. can someone do a video on jetting and shimming? :)

Do you really think someone is going to make a 2 hour video on jetting haha ?

Great little mod, wish I would have known it was that easy. One quick question, So looking at one of the picures posted it looks like the air filter you pulled is just a prefilter. Is there another one in the airbox or is that just a screen?

Yes, that is the foam air filter for the bike. There is a metal screen after that towards he carbs, but I think it's there for backfire protection

What do you just wash it with gas or something when its dirty? Like a lawn mower filter.

exactly the same. reoil after it's clean and dry.

Just did mine.....Piece of cake!

Just did mine.....Piece of cake!

did you already shim your needles?

If I do this mod and I don't like the result, can i put it back without problems? Will i need to apply glue on it?

I just wanted to add my experience with this mod for anyone that is thinking about doing it. I mostly ride between 4600 and 10500 feet above sea level and while the bike felt decent for a 250 down near the bottom of that range it was definitely struggling at the top. I went on a ride with some co-workers a couple weeks after I bought the bike and our trip to Wyoming and back had us up to an altitude of 10000 feet at one point and my poor little Ninja would not accelerate past 50 mph.

When I returned from my ride I found this forum and this DIY and I decided to pull the snorkel to see if it would lean the bike out enough to help any. I did notice a small but positive difference in acceleration and throttle response down in the valley, but i noticed the biggest difference the first time I headed up the canyon. The bike no longer felt like it was going to die when I accelerated out of a corner at higher altitudes and I was able to accelerate past 50 mph without any problems.

I decided this was a good first mod because it is completely reversible. Other's may feel differently but I wouldn't worry about using any adhesive when re-installing the snorkel, it seems to fit pretty tight.

yes, this mod opens up the top end. you may now be a bit lean it the midrange/bottom end. I would recommend you try shimming to richen up the low/mid a bit for a bit more power from a stop and a bit more oomph in the low-midrange.

I decided this was a good first mod because it is completely reversible. Other's may feel differently but I wouldn't worry about using any adhesive when re-installing the snorkel, it seems to fit pretty tight.

Having reinstalled my snorkel, I will vouch that it does not need any adhesive. It is a lot harder to install than remove! :eek:

yes, this mod opens up the top end. you may now be a bit lean it the midrange/bottom end. I would recommend you try shimming to richen up the low/mid a bit for a bit more power from a stop and a bit more oomph in the low-midrange.

I wish I would have taken a little more time to try some shimming and jetting changes to see what I could do with the stock airbox and the snorkel removed so I could provide some more feedback on that setup. I think some shimming after removing the snorkel would have improved things even more. ;)

Last weekend I finally got the time to replace the airbox with some pod filters and try some shimming and jetting. It has made quite a noticeable difference for me over stock jetting and a removed snorkel. I will post my findings in the jetting thread once I get my exhaust installed later this week.

Thanks, Clint. That would be appreciated.

did you already shim your needles?

Yeah I have two washers on both carbs. I think it woke the bike up some. It absolutly sounds better. I rode for about two weeks with just the shims, seemed a little rich, now it is getting more air with snorkle removed, I think? Maybe it is all in my head So now with the air/fuel ratio relatively the same it runs and ride real good. Next mod will be the 15T sprocket.

So at what point can I remove the whole air box? Can I just add more washers? How many washers is too many? Maybe someone with more smarts can come up with a flow chart showing what things are needed with what mod. For example!!!

1 washer good with no mod for smoother/better start up
2 washers good with snorkle removed
3 washers good with high flow aftermarket air filter
4 washers good with airbox removed/filter pod installed

Do you smell what a10forwar is cookin?

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9465&

You the man!!

After reading this thread, I wanted to share my experience so far.

I went over a 7kft+ pass on one fun ride, and my bike was acting like there was a subtle, random cut in power at WOT in 5th and 6th. It wouldn't maintain 60mph going up relatively gentle uphill climbs. Acted gutless. I had to downshift to 4th sometimes to maintain velocity.

The next day before my other long ride, I removed the snorkel. I went over Mirror Lake Highway at over 11kft, and the bike was much better. I still had to downshift to 5th to get good climbing power, but there wasn't that bogging feeling anymore, and it would cruise WOT in 6th without random cutting. Once I got over the pass and took a break at the bottom, the only thing that needed tweaking was the idle speed, as it climbed to about 2k instead of the normal 1250 I have it set at. The bottom end feels fine and the upper end extended the shift point from about 10k to 11k for me. Throttle response is perfect.

In Evanston, my base altitude is 7,000 feet, so the bike probably runs rich with the snorkel and pretty close to perfect (by feel) with it removed. I am going to check the plugs as part of my 600 mile service and see how the color is post-snorkel mountain blasting.

Jason... have you done anything to the carbs along w/ the snorkel removal?

The next day before my other long ride, I removed the snorkel. I went over Mirror Lake Highway at over 11kft, and the bike was much better. I still had to downshift to 5th to get good climbing power, but there wasn't that bogging feeling anymore, and it would cruise WOT in 6th without random cutting. Once I got over the pass and took a break at the bottom, the only thing that needed tweaking was the idle speed, as it climbed to about 2k instead of the normal 1250 I have it set at. The bottom end feels fine and the upper end extended the shift point from about 10k to 11k for me. Throttle response is perfect.

That's kinda funny, the Mirror Lake Highway is exactly where I was riding when I first noticed my bike had the same problems you were describing...I can't wait to get back up there now that I have everything tuned up a bit better :thumbup:

Just pulling the snorkel helped me at higher altitudes too and I was quite pleased with the bike, but now that I have done a few more things I don't know that I could go back to just removing the snorkel. If you are considering removing the airbox or rejetting/shimming/adjusting the pilot screws on the carb I would highly recommend it, my bike runs a lot better now that I have...If that's not something you want to do then removing the snorkel is a great way to get some high altitude performance, and best of all it's free!

Kelly,

I have not adjusted the carbs at all. I simply removed the snorkel with positive effects. I'm not planning on adjusting anything else until I save up for my AreaP exhaust. That will probably end up being around when the snow melts in the spring.

Clint,

I guessed that 150 was the route you took earlier. Perhaps a Ninjette meet/cruise is in order in Utah some day. :)

must have something to do with the altitude you guys are at. most times if no carbs adjustments are done w/ the snorkel pulled, the midrange gets a bit lean and will surge at highway speeds when using a steady throttle opening. good to know it works well in your case w/o having to fiddle with the carbs.

I FINALLY tried this mod this weekend, and while I am still in the "testing phase," it does seem to suddenly suck in the mid range. I'm not sure if there is an improvement high or low yet, as I am still adjusting to the new sound, which may affect the perception of power (like smell does to taste). I do have 2 washers under each needle, so I wonder if I should add a 3rd.... does that sound reasonable?

Since I have tomorrow off, I was planning on drilling the slides too. I know there is no relation between these two mods, but I have noticed that when I try to turn on the power, it spools up like a jet engine.... that is after several commitee meetings and a majority vote. I'm lookin to rectify this too.

Pictures not working for anyone else?

I just created an album with the pictures. Unfortunately, I can't edit the original post to include them. Hope this helps.
:)


http://picasaweb.google.com/kkim993/Snorkel#

I broke down and bought a K&N panel air filter and installed it today. While I had the side panel off, I also removed the snorkel (again). It's a fact that the snorkel can be removed without removing the right rear fairing! :thumbup:

kkim, do you think if you drilled holes with a small spade bit on the sides of the snorkel that it would have the same effect as completely removing it?

pulled the snorkel out on the wife's bike the other day and found a sharpie stick in it! wtf! lol

kkim, do you think if you drilled holes with a small spade bit on the sides of the snorkel that it would have the same effect as completely removing it?
I wouldn't think so, but if you think it would, try it and let us know how it feels.

btw, the snorkel can be reinstalled, so this mod is by no means permanent. what are your concerns about completely removing the snorkel?

No concerns really. I'm just the opposite of most of you guys and dont really want to make the ninjette any louder heh. Sorta weird I know, but I like the "quietness" of the ninja.

If I want to be loud I'll take my cbr out with a two bros racing exhaust :).

No concerns really. I'm just the opposite of most of you guys and dont really want to make the ninjette any louder heh. Sorta weird I know, but I like the "quietness" of the ninja.

If I want to be loud I'll take my cbr out with a two bros racing exhaust :).

Not weird at all.... A lot of people around here who want to change the sound of their bikes don't want to make it too loud either.

hey has any of you guys put the it on youtube i would like to hear how it sound like and how it ride.... by doing that does it make the bike goes and fast or add any horspower to it.... thanks

hey has any of you guys put the it on youtube i would like to hear how it sound like and how it ride.... by doing that does it make the bike goes and fast or add any horspower to it.... thanks

Don't think anyone has, can I post up videos as an attachment(cause I could try to put a video up)? I don't have a youtube account nor do I care to get one.

I don't recommend pulling the snorkel unless you adjust your carb jetting/tuning.

I don't recommend pulling the snorkel unless you adjust your carb jetting/tuning.
Are you telling me or the other guy? If me i have shimmed the needles and removed the snorkle, works great too:thumbup:. My snorkle let an ear plug in my airbox so it can definitely get lost lol

Hi guys....just bought my 1st bike....2008 Black ninja n its fuel injected..
1st mod was bars
now looking to remove the snorkel but unsure of the results...
Any1 tried it before???
any comments???

Thanks

Hi guys....just bought my 1st bike....2008 Black ninja n its fuel injected..
1st mod was bars
now looking to remove the snorkel but unsure of the results...
Any1 tried it before???
any comments???

Thanks

Is this from a bot?

Forgive me if I am wrong... in that case welcome to the forum. I believe the answers await you in this thread.

what is a bot???
m in Melbourne Aus n all ninja's available here are carby but mine is an imported version from japan n happens to be fuel injected.
Thanks

Since I've read a lot of opinions about removing the snorkel and I thought I'd share some recent dyno results I posted on my site. I had my 2008 Ninja 250R dynoed, keep in mind it was bone stock. We did a run (in black) first, then another with the snorkel removed (blue), the red run is with the TYGA full system.

As you can see at peak it gained 1.5HP! It smoothed out the power, and while it doesn't show it, the stock A/F was really rich from the factory. The snorkel evened out the A/F although it was still rich.

Detailed report: http://racingorder.com/2010/10/tyga-ninja-250r-race-exhaust-system-dyno-results/
(http://racingorder.com/2010/10/tyga-ninja-250r-race-exhaust-system-dyno-results/)

http://racingorder.com/wp-content/gallery/tyga-ninja-250r-exhaust-review/ninja-250r-tyga-exhaust-dyno-results-vs-stock.jpg (http://racingorder.com/2010/10/tyga-ninja-250r-race-exhaust-system-dyno-results/)

Nice Order:thumbup: Dyno proven results that you'll get some extra ompf out of the bike.

I did something a little different. My 2009 ran great from the beginning. Never had a problem starting, idling , flat spots or a problem with the the choke and I ride year round. I shimmed using 1 washer at first and removed the snorkel. The sound was great and acceleration improved, but the gapping hole concerned me because where I live, a lot of debris seems to find it's way into the airbox. I noticed the area where the snorkel sits really restricts airflow, looking from the opposite side. What I did was cut about an inch off the snorkel at it's current angle and reinstalled it. I can tell it is breathing better, acceleration is still nice. I just don't have the nice growl and the worry of larger debris getting in and it still has its' stock appearance.

I did something a little different. My 2009 ran great from the beginning. Never had a problem starting, idling , flat spots or a problem with the the choke and I ride year round. I shimmed using 1 washer at first and removed the snorkel. The sound was great and acceleration improved, but the gapping hole concerned me because where I live, a lot of debris seems to find it's way into the airbox. I noticed the area where the snorkel sits really restricts airflow, looking from the opposite side. What I did was cut about an inch off the snorkel at it's current angle and reinstalled it. I can tell it is breathing better, acceleration is still nice. I just don't have the nice growl and the worry of larger debris getting in and it still has its' stock appearance.

Good idea:thumbup:

I just took the whole thing off without a care since the snorkel sucked in things that I accidentally forgot in my trunk like earplugs or bolts.

I just did the de-snork procedure. I had previously shimmed the carbs to cure that awful low-rpm bogging I had. I think I had gone a little too far, though, and put 3 shims on each needle, so I think that de-snorking will bring the A/F back in line. Just revving it up here in the garage the bike is quite a bit louder, but it's a good loud. Before, the bike was a little too "sewing machine" sounding for my tastes. Now it sounds like a proper motorcycle. :thumbs:

I actually had a bit of a hard time getting the snorkel out. It fought me pretty hard, but in the end I prevailed and extracted the rubbery thing from its home. Thanks Kkim for posting the DIY.

How will this mod affect the FI models?

My bike would not break 90mph until I removed the snorkel, then peak top speed went from 88 to 95mph, actual. Shimming helped a little in the midrange, but I didn't get really notable gains in low-end and throttle response until I started messing with the mixture screws on the carb.

My bike would not break 90mph until I removed the snorkel, then peak top speed went from 88 to 95mph, actual. Shimming helped a little in the midrange, but I didn't get really notable gains in low-end and throttle response until I started messing with the mixture screws on the carb.

Does adjusting the mixture screws (pilot) help with starting in cold weather?

Does adjusting the mixture screws (pilot) help with starting in cold weather?

It always did for me, but I wouldn't do it for that reason alone.

Yeah it made a difference to me also, but the throttle response was far more valuable!
Posted via Mobile Device

Right now because of the cold temps, I'm having troubles getting the bike in running condition upon start up.

I'll press the ignition. It'll crank. The bike will start. Run for 1-3 seconds. And shutdown.

I'll do this about 4-6 times before it starts up and doesn't immediately shut down. This is will the full choke applied BTW.

I'm hoping working with the idle screws would fix this or one of these days i'll be stranded at work at 3 in the morning.

Ooh yeah, if you havent messed with them at all then it will help for sure!
Posted via Mobile Device

How will this mod affect the FI models?

im wondering the same...
currently have a leo vince slip on and a powercommander.
my plans are to buy the rest of the leo vince pipes so i have a full system and i will get a jfc air filter from sportisi and perhaps remove the snorkel aswell.
then bring it to my dealer and let him put a good fuel map in :D
wonder what the results will be :P

I was considering shimming my needles (hopefully tomorrow afternoon since I'm off work) and came across this DIY many times over the past 7 months or so that I've been browsing these forums. I got my ninjette a couple weeks ago and tonight I decided to remove my snorkel. It took maybe 10 minutes and it was 10 minutes well spent because this gives one more reason for people to ask "Is that a 600?!?" :p. I couldn't believe the difference in sound when I first started it up, it no longer sounds like a moped in the lower rpm range and throttle response seemed to be improved for the 5 minutes I rode the bike (still somewhat cold / stock exhaust). It even seemed to take away a little of that jitterness in lower gears. The bike sounds great and you can really tell that new rumbling growl is there, it sounded like a whole new bike. I'm going out now (midnight :rolleyes:) to ride it a little more and decide if I want to ride it to school like that tomorrow, I'm hoping it's not too lean but I'll find out.

I'm hoping it's not too lean but I'll find out.

it will be. you'll have a stutter in higher gears at lower revs when on the highway. the real reward with this mod is that it allows the engine to breathe easier at high rpms (9k-redline).

Yea, that was the best sounding but worst ride yet :lol:. The whole rev range up to 9k barely pulled at all and 9k-redline wasn't much better. I put the snorkel back in for my commute tomorrow...well sorta, I couldn't get the entire snorkel back in because of limited space to push it but I'm sure it will work for now. Hopefully I'll shim the needles tomorrow and have a brand new bike to play with. :D

Hey guys - Another Fuel-Injected rider interested in this ;)

I'm at around 1700m (~5500ft) above sea level, and I know the Honda 250 riders had a similar tweak to get more air in and were quite satisfied with the results.

This will probably be the first mod I try ;)

Since I've read a lot of opinions about removing the snorkel and I thought I'd share some recent dyno results I posted on my site. I had my 2008 Ninja 250R dynoed, keep in mind it was bone stock. We did a run (in black) first, then another with the snorkel removed (blue), the red run is with the TYGA full system.

As you can see at peak it gained 1.5HP! It smoothed out the power, and while it doesn't show it, the stock A/F was really rich from the factory. The snorkel evened out the A/F although it was still rich.

Detailed report: http://racingorder.com/2010/10/tyga-ninja-250r-race-exhaust-system-dyno-results/
(http://racingorder.com/2010/10/tyga-ninja-250r-race-exhaust-system-dyno-results/)

http://racingorder.com/wp-content/gallery/tyga-ninja-250r-exhaust-review/ninja-250r-tyga-exhaust-dyno-results-vs-stock.jpg (http://racingorder.com/2010/10/tyga-ninja-250r-race-exhaust-system-dyno-results/)

Around what altitude were you testing?

I pulled all of my rear apart, and when I removed my battery my snorkel was there to greet me. No clue how long it has been out. How bad is this actually for a stock bike. I dont even have shims on needles ( gas tank is full every time I deside to work on it).

not good... but I don't think enough to damage the bike. must run like crap, though, eh?

not good... but I don't think enough to damage the bike. must run like crap, though, eh?

Yea, I could never figure out why it always wants to stall at take off till now. Below 5-6k rpms it falls on its face.

shim it. :D

KKIM, have you tried both removing the snorkel and the K&N R-0990 mod? how do they compare in power output? I am currently working on a EFI conversion for my 250r, and since the EFI will take care of the proper A/F ratio i believe increasing the air flow with and intake mod will end up in a increased HP without having to worry about getting the jetting right. I will be taking the bike apart to remove the carbs and to install the EFI kit, so I was thinking that i might as well remove the Air Box while I'm there. But I have few questions, does anyone had any problems with the mods, filters getting dirty fast (or water ingress) since there is no snorkel or box?

I don't have a dyno to measure, but using the ole' butt dyno, I'd say the pods allow more top end power (revs easier to redline), while leaving the airbox in and removing the snorkel setup had a bit more low end torque. The most low end power is with the airbox and snorkel in place, but strangles the mid and top end power a bit.

it all depends what type of power curve you're after and what sacrifices you're willing to make.

if it were me doing the EFI, I'd do pods, put a full exhaust system on and tune the crap out of the EFI controller to achieve the fuel delivery map that produced the type of power curve I was looking for.

gl with your project.

hth
:)

Hey all, it's been a very long time since i've posted but I just did this mod along with shiming the needles. It seems to have worked very well I did this with the carbs left on the bike and I feel like I need to tweek the fuel mixture screws now, but im having a little trouble getting the caps off. KKim, want to make a trip to Cali to help me fine tune? :)

how many shims did you use and what's your intake and exhaust setup?

KKim I used two washers on each needle and I have stock exhaust and intake minus the snorkel. I will be getting a K&N factory replacement filter though, no plans for exhaust just yet but probably getting same one you have in the future.

what issues are you having that make you feel you need to tweak the mixture screws?

Not too sure; I think it may have a slight stumble in low rpm around 3-4k but then I can really feel the smooth acceleration after that. Also I can feel a slight boble somewhere around 9-10k rpm at wot. OR I could just be paranoid?

Also I tried the throttle blip to see how the rpm needle came to rest and it came down slowly to 1500 rpm which is what I have it set to, but it did seem to hesitate for just a second just befor coming to rest, so somewhere between 1.6-2k rpm. However I believe it also did that before I did the shim. IIRC it also has never really stayed perfectly still at it's idle speed if I just let it sit idling in the driveway after a ride I can see the tach needle moving slightly up and down in an irregular pattern.

Any of this sound familiar? strange? normal?

you could add a third shim to see if it helps what sounds like a slightly lean condition and see how that affects the results.

also, you might want to try and sync the carbs to remedy the pulsing you see at idle.

I've heard the K&N filters don't seat/seal well in the stock airbox.

im about to try this on mine.. so if im understanding this correctly, to do the shims just pull the black cap off the carb and the needle just pulls right out of the carb? then just slide 2 washers on and reinstall, repeat for other one? im at sea level with stock exhaust, so 2 shims would be about right for my setup with snorkel removed?

im about to try this on mine.. so if im understanding this correctly, to do the shims just pull the black cap off the carb and the needle just pulls right out of the carb? then just slide 2 washers on and reinstall, repeat for other one? im at sea level with stock exhaust, so 2 shims would be about right for my setup with snorkel removed?

the needle doesn't just pull out...you'll see it sitting in there and then use some tweezers to grab its head and pull it out. then put the two washers with a little bit of vaseline so they stick and don't fall into the carb when you put the needle back in.

yeah i got it.. went to radioshack and picked up the washers and tore it all apart.. makes a noticeable difference , nice mod!

Hey Kkim, would you be able to upload the pictures again? I'm looking to do this mod in a few days and while I'm sure I could manage without them, I love to get a look at things before doing it.

Hey Kkim, would you be able to upload the pictures again? I'm looking to do this mod in a few days and while I'm sure I could manage without them, I love to get a look at things before doing it.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=129620&postcount=77

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=129620&postcount=77

Ah! Thank you much. :)

have you/are you going to shim your needles or install a jet kit?

The plan is to shim my needles with two washers each.
Posted via Mobile Device

reviving this thread, instead of making a whole new topic.. as my question pertains to this exact topic.

After removing snorkel (no, I did not shim (yet)... if it even needs it?)
I am feeling a lot more heat on my inner thigh coming directly from that area.
Is that normal?

Also how exactly do I tell if I need to shim my needles?
I see no signs of it running rich or lean now (seemed a bit rich to begin with). http://www.ninja250forum.com/forum/index.php?topic=3784.0
Bike seems to run great now, power kicks in about 4-4.5k rpm and pulls harder throughout all gears. Idle to warm up now is smoother, needs 0 choke and ready to take off in >2 mins.

The snorkel only seems to restrict a minimal amount of air from the 3" hole (there's only a small thin piece of rubber seperating it in to 2 'ports').
It's seems more of it's purpose then would be to direct where the air comes in from.?.:confused:

I also have a Fuel Injected 2011 Ninja250R. What will happen if I remove the snorkel?

As long as I know it won't have a negative effect, because ECU controls the amount of air needed. It may only help to get the needed amount easier when needed. Right?

And removing the snorkel would result in water to get into the box? It may be dangerous..

Thanks ;)

As for water, general consensus is no, it won't get in.

I'm pretty sure the ECU controls the amount of fuel going into the cylinders, not the air at all. It just measures the temp of the air.

As for actually removing the snorkel, someone did it. I believe it's earlier in the thread, but i might be wrong.

let me search a little for it here...

*edit*
so apparently I was thinking about the Kleen Air system removal. Someone did a DIY on how to do that with an EFI 250R.
If you want to do it to your EFI ninja, do it. The mix might be rich enough that the snorkel removal will lean it out. The mix might be so spot on that taking off the snorkel makes it too lean. I really don't know. Try it. The worst thing that happens is you would have to put the snorkel back on, or get a powercommander. Only way you'll know if it works is if someone tries and posts up with results.
*/edit*

As for water, general consensus is no, it won't get in.

I'm pretty sure the ECU controls the amount of fuel going into the cylinders, not the air at all. It just measures the temp of the air.

As for actually removing the snorkel, someone did it. I believe it's earlier in the thread, but i might be wrong.

let me search a little for it here...

*edit*
so apparently I was thinking about the Kleen Air system removal. Someone did a DIY on how to do that with an EFI 250R.
If you want to do it to your EFI ninja, do it. The mix might be rich enough that the snorkel removal will lean it out. The mix might be so spot on that taking off the snorkel makes it too lean. I really don't know. Try it. The worst thing that happens is you would have to put the snorkel back on, or get a powercommander. Only way you'll know if it works is if someone tries and posts up with results.
*/edit*

Yeah I also couldn't find it :) Okey then I think I'll be the one who will test and share results :) I'll post back the results soon. Thanks.

Yeah I also couldn't find it :) Okey then I think I'll be the one who will test and share results :) I'll post back the results soon. Thanks.

Please post your results as I'm interested in trying this too on my EFI ninja 250R :)

hackeron

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=94920

I removed my snorkel today. When snapping the throttle from around 4000 RPM it seems like its bogging and will pick up slightly as I roll off the throttle. Noticed most in fifth and sixth. I don't remember it doing this before. I have a dan moto slip on and two washers under the needles. I am thinking I need to add a third? I tried putting the snorkel back in but that was a PITA. My air filter is pretty dirty too so I will be cleaning that tomorrow. I will measure the thickness of the washers tomorrow, I need to bring my micrometer home. I was also thinking about drilling my slides while I am adding another washer. Would you say that I need to add another washer? And should I do my slides while I am in there? Thanks

I removed my snorkel today. When snapping the throttle from around 4000 RPM it seems like its bogging and will pick up slightly as I roll off the throttle. Noticed most in fifth and sixth. I don't remember it doing this before. I have a dan moto slip on and two washers under the needles. I am thinking I need to add a third? I tried putting the snorkel back in but that was a PITA. My air filter is pretty dirty too so I will be cleaning that tomorrow. I will measure the thickness of the washers tomorrow, I need to bring my micrometer home. I was also thinking about drilling my slides while I am adding another washer. Would you say that I need to add another washer? And should I do my slides while I am in there? Thanks

I have the same setup essentially, except I removed 1 washer after removing the snorkel - so the needles are only shimmed with 1 washer, and I don't really notice any problems.

Hmmm. so is their a place i can learn about shimming needles or whatever needs to be done so it doesnt run lean. im interested in doing this mod in the future is why im asking. I learned about carburetors but it was about a year ago and i thought it was pointless cuz FI... (stupid stupid stupid me. look at me now.)

Nvm! I found the link in the DIY section a out shimming. Ima read up on it!

so i was wondering if you install a K&n high flow air filter should you remove the snorkel since the filter already increases air flow? thinking about shimming the needles i have a mpg growler slip on muffler with a k&n air filter and wanted to shimm to make sure im not running to lean. So my next question is how many washers should i start off with to see where i need to be

kawaninja09

Remove snorkel or else that K&N won't do squat.

Try 2 washers, see how it feels and go from there. If I were you, I would first test a pair of Keihin 100 main jets to see if the top end improves or not. No reason to not double check that you have the right size main jets when the main jets are cheap.

thank you so much for the info i found a mech. thats gonna jet the carbs for me and make sure it set up with the right ratios. but ill probally remove the snorkel when i put the filter in.

Pleanty of information on this forum...I am glad I joined.

I will also be doing some mods this weekend. At 3800 ft altitude with dry dusty conditions, 30-40s mornings and 60-70s afternoons, the bike has a slight hiccup on takeoff and great top end when cold. Once at operating temperature, the bottom end smooths out and the top end seems to be a little more limited than when cold.

Starting with a shim, and maybe later with the snorkel.

as an information about the 250R-EFI some guys in Germany removed their snorkel and had to put it back on because the bikes were running like s**t.

Did they change their fuel maps? If not, it's not surprising they ran like crap.

Leo Vince suggests modifying the air box on the EFI bikes with a pair of 50mm diameter holes, along with using their exhaust system and piggyback ECU.

I know my bike runs well with a K&N pod filter and longer runners from the pod to the TB's

So I took off my snorkel at lunch today and tested it out. At 65 degrees and virtually zero humidity, the top end seemed like heaven...though the bottom end seemed to hesitate a little more than usual, kind of like a turbo spooling up. I'll be shimming this weekend. Love the throaty sound now.

Snorkel off really leaned out the lower end all the way up to about 6k rpm. I could hear the engine really struggling below 6k rpm at any speed. Once I would get to highway speeds, everything was great, just getting there felt like I was hauling a trailer behind.

Today I installed two washers under each needle. Started it up and it needed a little choke, but not much and definitely not as long. I'll be getting on it soon to see where I am at on tuning.

The past two days since the shimming and snorkel removal have been amazing. Response is smoother and virtually immediate with throttle opening. Power lasts all the way to the top of the rev range. I am gonna ride these mods for a while until I decide where I want to go next with it.

Thank you so much for this! I had the needles shimmed and with the slip on its running and idling PERFECT now with the snorkel gone. It was running good before, but now the air/fuel ratio is perfect! Got a nice little extra pull after about 4-5 grand too! Thanks a bunch!:thumbup:

I've got my filter out to clean it, soaked it in petrol then washed it out with water and dish soap.

I may do this when I pop it back in!

I loved the clean air filter, the bike idled better, had better throttle response, more pull from the low end, it jus ran better, moreover how it should run.

So, I popped out the snorkle, performance wasn't noticably changed, maybe worse, I think for the extra noise my brain can't understand why that doesn't make it faster so it feels slower, but from clock watching it seems to be a tad faster.

What I liked, the noise, you slam the throttle wide open from 4krpm, and it BARKS! Took me back the first time I did it, I even made some german tourists just a bloody mile by doing it as I rode past, I guess the extra combustion takes a few seconds to spin the engine to where it wants to be and it creates a pressure in the air box making it woof, but it was nice.

What I didn't like was the extra noise, seemed excessive, I would want to wear plugs if I did this, and I don't.

What I observed, performance, maybe a little, no more popping of unburnt fuel on deceleration this just didn't happen so I guess it's now fully lean, although it didn't run any hotter from the temp gauge, if anything slightly cooler.

As always, YMMV, this is applicable to the fuel injected version, carbed bikes will perform slightly differently.

What is shimming? And where and what are you doing it too? I just got a 2009 ninja 250R with a two brothers exhaust. Id like to remove the snorkel but only if its not going to eff up the bike

What is shimming? And where and what are you doing it too? I just got a 2009 ninja 250R with a two brothers exhaust. Id like to remove the snorkel but only if its not going to eff up the bike

This is shimming.
iwukF6j0P38

Lol no dont believe that is

This is shimming.
iwukF6j0P38

LMFAO!

Update: it is very easy to remove/install the snorkel with the battery and battery box removed. Running a GIVI case on the rear seat and didn't want to remove it and the mount. Did some investigating and there is enough room with the battery & box removed to have a party in there. 5 min max out or in.
:thumbup: I had everything else removed to do the valve check.

thanks for the write up!! this is on my list to do.

would removing the snorkel without any other modifications help for high altitude riding? sounds like this might be a quick solution instead of rejetting to ride pikes peak and mt evans

It won't help much and might actually be detrimental. Removing the snorkel only gets a little bit more air in and isn't a substitute for proper jetting.

It won't help much and might actually be detrimental. Removing the snorkel only gets a little bit more air in and isn't a substitute for proper jetting.

i've never been exposed to altitude situations before but logic says that removing the snorkel to encourage more air is nothing but helpful. any help on why it may be a bad thing?

thanks

i've never been exposed to altitude situations before but logic says that removing the snorkel to encourage more air is nothing but helpful. any help on why it may be a bad thing?

thanks

I am not sure what year of 250 you have, but these bikes run pretty lean out of the box. Allowing more air without enriching the mix isn't on the plus side of things. However, many have had good results from a snorkel delete along with needle shims. YMMV due to altitude. Do a search for "jetting database", it should yield some helpful info. :)

would removing the snorkel without any other modifications help for high altitude riding? sounds like this might be a quick solution instead of rejetting to ride pikes peak and mt evans

I live near sea level, so I don't know. Still, I don't think that just removing the snorkel would be of much help.