Removing air intake kills engine

I was preparing to decarb the Vulcan (darn pinging), removed the air intake tube at the throttle body, started the engine, ran for 5 - 10 secs and died (before adding any water). So I had to keep the air intake tube partially on the throttle to keep the engine going and increase rpms (to suck the water mist)

Is it normal for it to die like that.

Oh yeah. You were bypassing the MAF. The engine had no idea what to do.

That is what I was hoping and not a sign of other problem. I am going to have to rig a sprayer head to go in the air intake, I do not think I got enough water in there as the engine really did not sputter much at all (and perhaps that was due to the crack in the intake) and nothing was coming out of the tail.