Don't say that a bike with pods cannot run good, it simply isn't true.
I'm going to pick on the statement, as I think it representative or "spokesmodel" for the marque. No offense intended to you Steve. So, don't confuse writing style with sentiment. OK?
One: The "pods" term is way too often used as a specification where none is warranted. It is easy to grasp the style aspect of it. Far harder to ascertain its functional contribution while in use. The engine doesn't have a grasp of style. It simply responds to functional changes. Different brands of pods can operate differently from each other, and few brands offer any performance or functional parameters to use in their selection and applicability.
Two: The term "good" in itself is imprecise at best. My breakfast tasted good. ... and bonus, I didn't throw up afterwards. Tomorrow, who knows? My bikes run well, too. And they don't have pods. The latter is of little surprise and there were millions of examples sold off the showroom floor that ran well, too.
I suppose in the context provided, it means "pods didn't stop me from riding it about, or barf on my boots during the particular weather patterns and time spent while I owned it".
For the record, I don't think I said that a pod type filter can't be employed anywhere to good effect. The issues are "which pod" and "how used".
One thing I am certain of is, that a pod type filter won't show any improvement over stock during normal street operations. Near or above standard red line, perhaps. And, usually at the expense of some lower RPM operation where it is far more difficult to establish a fine tune, related to the prowess of the tuner.
What I find it amazing, is the assumption that removing and discarding, components that took thousands of developmental man hours and money, with a cheap generic un-engineered component, is somehow a technically sound thing to do. Since when did style dictate function?
Here is Black Buti just before I sold her for $2700.
Perhaps I need to trailer up my collection and drag them to Texas, so as to pad my nest egg.