Ram Air

[Athame57]

For a few months I rode a GT380, the only air cooled two stroke I ever had. Anyone got an opinion if it made any difference or was it just a gimmick? 

[Johnwebley]

Ram air was mainly a gimmick,

But it could help cool the head,
But unlike 4 strokes, it has no valves, guides etc,that need cooling,

Check out air cooled multi row aircraft radial engines with ducting





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[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Didn't the Yamaha EXUP have a similar system at one time?

[Rozabikes Tim]

Didn't the Yamaha EXUP have a similar system at one time?

I think that was ram air as in forced induction of air into airbox / carbs via large diameter pipework from the front of the fairing. Also see the early ZXR750 Kwaks with what looked like vacuum cleaner hoses behind the fairing running into the tank area. Ram air on the GT Suzukis was a cowling round the top of the head, forcing air into the area for cooling.  And yes a gimmick then and now.

[Athame57]

Didn't the Yamaha EXUP have a similar system at one time?

Just took a look at one on the web. Those two round intakes with tubes...... I remember one at Boxhill ( Biker haunt ) someone asked the owner 'now what does this do apart from making the fairing hard to take off'? 

[Bryanj]

The Ram Air did serve a purpose in keeping the plugs cooler, and being a pain for mechanics, but then the 380 and 550 were incredibly reliable, in all the time working on then only ever fitted one crank and that was rumbly mains through standing for yeard

[andy120t]

My early zx6r has that. The air makes an incredible noise as it comes in...a bit like a tupperware box full of gravel being shaken. I'm sure it does more than just make a nice noise though?!

[Arch stanton]

The Ram air cowling made the 380/550 a pig to ride in the rain.
As the sparks would rather dance over the cowl rather than go fown the plug. A gimmick but looked pretty trick.