2013 XC300 Airbox-Love/Hate Relationship

[BLD]

So I have probably put around 50-60 hours on my GG since I found it neglected in the used section at a local dealership last year (many hours wrenching but same top end, jetting and reeds). Knowing little about dirtbikes, I figured the airbox and filter changes were normally this much of a pain...

Then I bought my wife a TTR 125. My friends also bought some MX bikes and I discovered the world of removable side panels on airboxes. They literally take seconds to swap, and do not coat my hairy forearms with thick nasty filter oil.

With that said, my GG seems able to never let a speck of dust inside the filter on dry dusty group rides, and has never let enough water in the bore to stall this pig (although she has gurgled and coughed in some deep puddles lol, nothing a quick whack of the throttle could not fix though). I hate filter changes on this bike and sometimes think about trading up a few years just for this reason. The fact is that 50+ hrs later, she runs better than when I bought her and still stands straight up in Sunshine mode whenever I ask with my throttle hand...

I have learned to keep the drain hose on the bottom of the airbox clean and free of oil buildup. Oil buildup leads to gunk and then it just holds water and sounds angry...