lund
Well-Known Member
I'm replacing my air filter and thinking of going with a K&N. I used them in the past, have one in my F350 and the wife's Can-Am.
Opinions on K&N air filter
- Thread starter lund
- Start date
Stock isn't bad... but I have K&N on all my bikes. I have some with high miles and they are just fine. Lots of opinions on either side. If you just put a slip on exhaust and a K&N you don't have to worry about fuel maps. Full headers then you should. I like the fact you can go 50,000 miles on a K&N bit clean it every 26,000 miles at valve checks.
~TABASCO~
RIDE ON ADV is what I do !
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NO……. To much dust gets past it. If you want a good reusable it would be a BMC panel filter or even better the UNI foam filters. I run these UNI for almost ten years and I highly suggest them.
If you don’t want to mess with any of that, stock is a great ‘stick with’ filter………….
If you don’t want to mess with any of that, stock is a great ‘stick with’ filter………….
scott123007
Well-Known Member
The ONLY reason I would use anything but a stock filter would be for the ability to clean it. But unless you are riding the Pig in constant dusty conditions, you get great service life, and the BEST filtration from stock, and by the time you go through the cleaning and oiling process of the gauze or foam ones, to me, it's just not worth it. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are getting better airflow with any of the foam or gauze type over the OEM paper, just because you hear more intake noise with them. The limiting factor of air intake is the airbox opening, not the filter. If you were to ever dissect the OEM paper filter you would realize it has around TWICE the surface area of the others, so, even though it is more restrictive per sq. in., overall, it flows as much as the airbox opening can handle.
Like those "cold air intake" kits for cars. Doesn't matter how large the intake is, and how much air is flowing through the filter, the size of the throttle body is going to allow only so much of all that air.
lund
Well-Known Member
The reason I'm posting the question is not for performance purposes but the ability to clean while remote. I consider carrying an OE backup but that takes up too much valuable room.
The K&N can easily gently be brushed off and simply reoiled, installed and go. "As per K&N" if washing is not available.
I will be about a month off the grid starting June 23.
UNI may be an option but air flow restriction is questionable. Great for dirt bikes though.
The K&N can easily gently be brushed off and simply reoiled, installed and go. "As per K&N" if washing is not available.
I will be about a month off the grid starting June 23.
UNI may be an option but air flow restriction is questionable. Great for dirt bikes though.
WJBertrand
Ventura Highway
I'm ass-uming that one would clean their K&N prior to a trip. With the extended advertised range without cleaning of the K&N, I don't know why it would need, or benefit from. being brushed off. To me that would be more pertinent to exposed/individual filters.
lund
Well-Known Member
Interesting, looks like AC Delco is king of filters LOL, awesome. S10 AC Delco filter, does that even exist?
More interesting would be to know how many engine failure are contributed to the use of a K&N filters, thinking few if any.
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Im not here to change your mind... Just speaking from 40+ years of experience and 11 years with the Tenere.. I do 1000+ off road BDR trips and keep a very close eye on my bike.
With the info you have provided, I would probably just run a stock unit your whole trip and not even worry about it. If you would like to check or change it during your trip I would just carry a second OEM unit. I would suggest NOT brushing off a K&N, the cotton element is very thin and I probably would not disrupt the dirt and push it to the other side. Ive seen probably 100+ ST with a K&N. I personally get to see the dirt on the "clean" side of the air box. Inherently gets sucked into the motor. It basically looks like a stock KTM 1290 air box (with that much dirt)
You mentioned the UNI and air flow restriction..... (UNI may be an option but air flow restriction is questionable. Great for dirt bikes though.) Its actually quite the opposite... I use it for the clean ability but also for the performance. Many years ago I did this big write up with info pertaining to the UNI. How many more square inches of surface cleaning area, photos of so many thousands of miles of use, and some power numbers with all my other supporting mods... Yamaha in Australia installed the UNI at the dealer before the ST went on the showroom floor. From what Ive been told by several people over the years is this was done to virtually all the ST bikes, not just "one guys bike".....
Any who - Another bummer is the UNI for the Tenere comes out of UNI Australia. These days they are hard to come by here in the USA. The last set I bought, I found a Yamaha dealer in Australia to send me a set... Great folks.
If you have a stock bike, I would throw a new stock panel in, and enjoy your trip. About the only down side to the stock unit is water, as in water crossings. I do MANY water crossings and water does get in the air box (with some of the deep crossings I do, you have to on the BDR) I suggest you push out the two drain plastic pins at the bottom of the (dirty side) air box. They just push out. If you get any water in the air box it will drain right out, and not just slosh around and get your filter continually wet.........
While you have all that pulled parts, sync your throttle bodies with the 3/4 turned out....
Have a fantastic and safe trip ! !
I have used K&N filters for many years in lots of different applications. Never had a problem. I have one in my ST, Harley and DR650 now. The DR has a pre filter available that wraps around it to catch the majority of dust and dirt. I don't know how this would work on an ST. You can buy sheets of filter media from Uni. Personally I wouldn't try servicing a bike in a parking lot or a campsite unless it's absolutely necessary...too many things to go wrong.
I would be more concerned about tires than oil and filter changes on this trip. Service your bike before the trip, put in whatever air filter you chose, change engine and final drive oil and put on new tires and enjoy the ride.
I would be more concerned about tires than oil and filter changes on this trip. Service your bike before the trip, put in whatever air filter you chose, change engine and final drive oil and put on new tires and enjoy the ride.
lund
Well-Known Member
Ok, going to carry an extra OE filter and go with a new OE in the bike.
On the UNI filter, I'm just going by what my tech is telling me. He said It may require a reflash with the UNI filters. I don't want to do that.
On the UNI filter, I'm just going by what my tech is telling me. He said It may require a reflash with the UNI filters. I don't want to do that.
Tenforeplay
Active Member
You can do an experiment if wanting or using the K&N. Wipe a thin film of oil on the intake past the filter and run the filter for however long. Take the filter off and run your finger over the oil film and see if there is any grit you pick up. I won't run K&N and prefer not to buy anything that has been using it.
All I have to say is that if someone gave me a K&N air filter I would wait until they had left and throw it in the garbage can. IMO paper filters work very well.
Tenman
Well-Known Member
Ditched my K&N after watching this.
IMO, K&N's are made for racing conditions where you can oil the filter up real good, put on a pre-filter and it will only be used for a short time before it's cleaned and re-oiled. The engine will most likely be rebuilt before it gets very many hours on it. I don't think putting one in a street bike and leaving it for thousands of miles over several years is a good idea. JMO
WJBertrand
Ventura Highway
I think the original premise in this thread for wanting to use a K&N filter (easier on-the-road maintenance) is flawed. First the space and weight of the cleaning kit (cleaning solution and oil) would be greater than just packing a spare OEM filter. Second it’s much more time consuming on the road to clean, wait for it to dry and then re-oiling and finally reinstalling the K&N filter, compared to swapping in a new OEM and just tossing the old one. Lastly, unless your trip is 25,000 miles + you shouldn’t need to mess with the air filter in the first place. I don’t think there’s any more benefit or ease to brushing off a K&N vs an OEM filter. On top of all that there’s ample evidence out there that engine protection is compromised vs OEM!
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Cycledude
Well-Known Member
monkeying around changing a air filter while on a trip ain’t something I’m ever going to do. Same with oil or spark plugs.