K&N air filters?

[Plasterman]

What is the pro's and con's to using this air filter in my R1200RT? Opinions?

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

They may tend pass hard small particulates that more restrictive, lower engine performance filters will catch. There was once a rumor in desert/sand riding circles that very small pieces of sand, over time, may work through and, or, cut the cloth.

 

No RT experience.

[Guest Kakugo]

Pro:

Stickers are cool

Being reusable tricks you into thinking you save money over OE

 

Cons:

Doesn't add a lick of performance over OE

The OE filter actually allows more air through than your engine will ever need

It filters nowhere near as well as OE. It won't destroy your engine, but still...

 

I'll add just a few more thing: most production-derived race bikes of the last decade or so use OE filters. HRC kit airboxes are actually designed to use OE air filters. Ten Kate (the Dutch tuner which ran works bikes for Honda in Super Sport and WSBK) has always runs OE air filters on their bikes, the only concession to "modding" being removing the mesh on faster tracks like Monza. Of course then they'll get money from aftermarket manufacturers by "officially endorsing" products they don't actually use!

[RAINEY]

I wouldn't use one. They let way to many smaller dirt particles through with minimal gain if any in performance. When I do oil analysis for some of the motorcycle and auto shops I can always tell who has a K&N or other performance air filter in. The silicate count (dirt) is always extremely high.

[sardineone]

Pro: You can see light through them and they are good bug catchers.

 

Con: See above.

[JWMcDonald]

From my experience with servicing airheads for a couple of decades - saw too many instances of fine grit in the airboxes with K&N's that I did not see with OEM air filters.

[lkchris]

Please post your VIN if you fit a K&N so others can avoid your bike when you decide to sell it.

[tallman]

Greatest thing since sliced bread,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and works almost as well as a filter.

[hopz]

Not only that.. there is a guy over at Luxury Touring on the RT section who has the same question. Maybe you guys could get together and compare notes.

 

Don't do it..... filter wise.

[racer7]

If you actually ever cleaned and reoiled a K&N you're unlikely to think its worth the trouble. Especially when you pay more for the K&N than an oem type.

 

Do you think there might actually be a reason machine makers don't use filters of this type? Their gear has to meet the long miles emissions tests.

 

I ran a filter lab and could write you a text on why I use only oem types but then, folks who buy filters with the idea of improving power typically believe all sorts of fantasy rather than data....

[philbytx]

All Con's.....

[Matts_12GS]

Had one on an old RT I had. It worked fine, and I hit 100K miles on the bike without issue.

 

I guess it filters as well if you are religious about serving it, they are MUCH noisier when you grab a handful of throttle and I really don't think they do anything for performance.

 

OEM is most likely all you'll ever need, but if it makes you happy do it. After all, it's your money.

[Dave_in_TX]

Had one on an old RT I had. It worked fine, and I hit 100K miles on the bike without issue.

 

I guess it filters as well if you are religious about serving it, they are MUCH noisier when you grab a handful of throttle and I really don't think they do anything for performance.

 

I think most of the problems with K&N filters are due to servicing them too often. When they were first introduced, K&N said that dirt caught in the filters improved their filtering ability. Of course, that reduced air flow and now K&N's marketing emphasizes that their filters can flow more air than OEM.

 

I use

[Peter Parts]

All Con's.....

 

+1

 

But an oiled FOAM filter is an entirely different matter. Far better than paper.

 

Ben

[racer7]

Not really.

Lab data won't agree for many and then there is the problem that many of them simply disintegrate in time. Sure, some can hold a lot of dirt without clogging but few users of any type of filter except off road racers are ever going to see enough dirt to come close to plugging one in any normal mileage interval..

[Peter Parts]

All true, but....

 

Oiled foam filters better than paper. Paper has to be pretty porous, eh. Stable performance in all weather and over long time periods. Disintegration not an issue within a biker time-frame.

 

Foam is for bikers who like to be "hands-on" and friendly with their steeds.

 

On the R1100S (with a tiny filter box and a large plenum), K&N is no less constrictive than the stock paper filter and foam is much better.

 

See my quantitative tests at URL below measuring filter media in "square inches" of equivalent hole.

 

Ben