Can someone tell me exactly what this bracket does and why it is important?

I did some searches but they only come up with questions about whether the tank needs to be removed or not. I'm looking for someone who has actually thought about it's purpose in order to decide if it is necessary.

I performed a Stage 1 using the SE Stage 1 plate from HD about 8 years ago. Thew parts away at the time I did the job, so I can't refer back. Memory isn't good enough.

If Harley took the time to engineer it and spent the money to install it there must be a reason.

If memory serves the original football air cleaner back side bolted through it to the heads. It was plastic. It was a bridge of sorts though. Is it because it was plastic that a metal brace (the induction Module Bracket) was needed?
If they made it out of metal would we not have the bracket?

If so then it makes sense it can be removed with a Stage 1, as the Stage 1 bracket is metal.

My Stage 1 instructions didn't say to remove it like some instructions say to do, but I don't see that it is serving a purpose and would really like to remove it.

So can someone who has thought about it tell me it's real purpose so in my mind I can logically and confidently decide for myself if I can remove it?

Thank you

 

in my humble opinion, the bracket is there due to the weight of the stock air box and its plastic construction and in doing a stage one, the replacement is manfactured from metal negating its purpose

i ve done alot of stage 1upgrades and have always discarded the bracket. i think its only useful purpose goes with the heavy plastic airbox.

weigh the stage one backing plate only vs the plastic airbox, i think you will understand