K & N Air Filter, hype or real ?

[Hobbesca]

So I just finished several weeks off from work and after a bunch of ripping around on the island with friends I am not sure if a K & A air filter is worth the price.

I have some folks that are telling me it improves their power and gas mileage, and others that are telling me that it also makes their bikes run cooler.

I am sure that a few folks have them on here and the question is, is it really worth it ? What change do you see ?

Any engine breathing better is good but a clean air filter should give you the same effect.

Just curious so if any one has any info I would appreciate it, I searched on here and it was back and forth on results.

 

[dschult2]

I have one and am not sure it really makes a noticeable difference but I look at it the same way I look at iridium plugs which I also have on my bike. The cost to pick one up over O.E.M. is really not that much more and it should be the last filter (or plugs) you will have to buy so what's a few more bucks now for less maintenance down the road.

 

[Lefty]

My bike had one installed when I bought it used. Since I never had an oem I can't say if it's better performance wise but maintenance wise I couldn't be happier. Even after sucking up Cali riders dust on our last adventure the K&N filter did it's job. Douse it with cleaner, rinse, dry, and re-oil and it's good as new. :thumbup:

 

[Carlos840]

I would personally not use one.

The only way to increase airflow without increasing surface is to decrease filtration. They is a lot of info saying that they do not offer the same filtration level as a good quality paper filter.
I would rather have a clean oil and engine with a stock filter rather than gain 1 or 2 hp (which is arguable) that lets sand and dust pass through!

Have a read through this article:

K&N Air Filter Review - Debunking the Myths (and why OEM is better)

 

[FZ09Bandit]

Yeah, on a 90s model chevy pickup they will actually make it run like crap, having owned one on just about all my vehicles they have never done my engine any harm from "under filtration" and I since I cleaned mine all the time I know it catches air and dirt doesn't make it through the filter because the oil you use, there would be grimy dirt all over the opposit side of your airbox. The only real good thing about it is its lifetime.

Of course lets asks some long time drag racers to find out if they use paper filters, because I highly doubt they do.

More air=better, cooler air = better. It's a supporting mod anyways, so it acts well with other big mods.
Just like pcIIIs ask you, the reason it asks you so it can squeeze a tiny bit more fuel through the injectors. More gas + more air = more hp

Big into turbo cars and you can't convince me that a stock box with a paper filter is better. Usually when someone goes out and spends a "chunk of change" it means they get a whole intake setup. Which does increas efficiency and gives it a little bump in HP. Good luck with a paper filter on a CAI running almost to the bottom of your car.

Besides if paper filters are better than why do we change our oil at all then? O wait because it still lets crap through it. Most people (who aren't dumb) know that when they start modding anything, more maintenance is involved, don't drive for 4 years with oil that looks as black as death and you will be fine.

 

[Carlos840]

Yeah, on a 90s model chevy pickup they will actually make it run like crap, having owned one on just about all my vehicles they have never done my engine any harm from "under filtration" and I since I cleaned mine all the time I know it catches air and dirt doesn't make it through the filter because the oil you use, there would be grimy dirt all over the opposit side of your airbox. The only real good thing about it is its lifetime.

Of course lets asks some long time drag racers to find out if they use paper filters, because I highly doubt they do.

More air=better, cooler air = better. It's a supporting mod anyways, so it acts well with other big mods.
Just like pcIIIs ask you, the reason it asks you so it can squeeze a tiny bit more fuel through the injectors. More gas + more air = more hp

Big into turbo cars and you can't convince me that a stock box with a paper filter is better. Usually when someone goes out and spends a "chunk of change" it means they get a whole intake setup. Which does increas efficiency and gives it a little bump in HP. Good luck with a paper filter on a CAI running almost to the bottom of your car.

Besides if paper filters are better than why do we change our oil at all then? O wait because it still lets crap through it. Most people (who aren't dumb) know that when they start modding anything, more maintenance is involved, don't drive for 4 years with oil that looks as black as death and you will be fine.

This pros/cons argument has been done to death in many many forums.
You will find people like you who swear by them and say they make you gain power and you will find people like me who would not touch them with a stick.

If i was a racer and knew that my bike/car engine was going to be completely rebuilt every 1000 miles, and if i was trying to squeeze the last HP from my engine, then i might go for it.
Unfortunately it is not and IMO the 1 or 2 hp gain is not worth the potential risk.

To each his own...

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest3.htm

 

[Motogiro]

This will no doubt be like an oil or gas thread.Lol!

I ran a K&N on a dynotuned FZ6 (sold) with a Two Bros slip on and PClll and for fuel management. I spent a few bucks to get actual numbers on a dyno and although the bike always ran very strong, the amount spent for a little horsepower gain was sort of uneducated on my part. Somewhere in the spectrum more air flow can bring you more ponies with the proper fuel management but where is that? Probably somewhere near WOT. Air flow is a very complex science and some high performance bikes now use variable velocity stacks for the varied volume of airflow efficacy.
There's nothing wrong with with science except maybe the people paying for the research. I might try a K&N on my bike but it is pretty different from the FZ6.

 

[DavesFZ]

The only reason I would consider one is the cost. When my oem craps out (still clean after 6000 miles) I still probably get one just for the reusable factor. If the oems were 10 bucks I wouldn't bother worth the k&n.

 

[FZ09Bandit]

The only reason I would consider one is the cost. When my oem craps out (still clean after 6000 miles) I still probably get one just for the reusable factor. If the oems were 10 bucks I wouldn't bother worth the k&n.

50$ and a 20$ recharge kit. Will far outweigh the cost of alot of oems

 

[FZ09Bandit]

This pros/cons argument has been done to death in many many forums.
You will find people like you who swear by them and say they make you gain power and you will find people like me who would not touch them with a stick.

If i was a racer and knew that my bike/car engine was going to be completely rebuilt every 1000 miles, and if i was trying to squeeze the last HP from my engine, then i might go for it.
Unfortunately it is not and IMO the 1 or 2 hp gain is not worth the potential risk.

To each his own...

Filtration Testing for Amsoil, K&N, Napa, Jackson Racing, Baldwin, and Mazda air filters on a Miata

I said the effective gain in said supporting mod is only equal to the big mods.
And also said that oil gets dirty anyways, just Change it more often. I get mobile 5000 and change it way before then, waste of money maybe, I religiously take care of everything I own.

You could post statistics all day, it won't change my personal experience and countless others who use it every day with zero problems.

 

[DavesFZ]

$45 for k&n filter and $11 for a refill kit on Amazon. Oem replacements are $30 on eBay. You're ahead after 2 filter changes.

 

[lawlberg]

My 2 cents -

On a car, replacing the restrictive airbox with an intake system that pulls (possibly more) air from a cooler location will definitely have a positive impact on your performance. The problem with our bikes are that you're not going to be able to suck the air from anywhere else, I'm sure there are slight differences from stock in the amount of air that the K&N filter lets through, but you're still stuck using the same airbox, which is right above the hot engine.

I've put 10k miles on the filter that came with the bike when I bought it, which was probably the stock one, so we'll say 23K miles - it doesn't appear dirty, I'll shake a little dust out if I have the tank off, but it's really not bad. (My FZ is not an adventure bike, not by choice, but because I can't find the right roads for that).

Anyway, Filter is still fine IMO, and who knows how much longer I'll have the bike- probably till at least 50k, but someday I'm probably going to sell it for something bigger and better (really really really want a ZX6R 636 -something I would only buy new, because I'm responsible and still plan on riding the piss out of it, put a squid on it...) What I'm saying is - Unless you're swapping out your filter element a lot, going to have the bike forever, or think that there is a performance increase, there's not a huge benefit to it. Hey, do what you want, but I'll probably stick with paper.

 

[FZ09Bandit]

Then why do we do the airbox mod?

 

[Erci]

I've got a BMC filter in my FZ1 (K & N actually does not fit properly into FZ1 or FZ8.. everyone knows this, including K & N, but they're not willing to do anything about it).

I felt no difference whatsoever by replacing stock (dirty) filter with high-flowing BMC. Same power and same fuel economy. I got it because I'd rather clean a filter than throw one. I didn't not expect any power gains, so i wasn't disappointed :thumbup:

 

[chroline]

It's definitely REAL. I got about 2-3 mpg increase and I can feel the extra power too. Also the extra air produce amazing sound from my Leo Vince. Definitely worth the extra $10.

 

[lawlberg]

Then why do we do the airbox mod?

Airbox mod (In theory, I can't speak to it) allows more of the air in that area to get towards the filter, no idea how well it works, or if it does, since mine was modded before I got the bike.
It does other things too, like decreasing the annoying whine of the intake, from what I've heard. It gave me a little more space in the battery area to put relays for my HID setup.

Whether or not you have a modded airbox, it shouldn't make a difference on which filter to use, I expect the same performance from a modded airbox with a paper or K&N filter, just like I'd expect the same performance from a stock airbox with either the paper or K&N.

 

[Carlos840]

I said the effective gain in said supporting mod is only equal to the big mods.
And also said that oil gets dirty anyways, just Change it more often. I get mobile 5000 and change it way before then, waste of money maybe, I religiously take care of everything I own.

You could post statistics all day, it won't change my personal experience and countless others who use it every day with zero problems.

I'm not trying to change your mind, it is pretty obvious you like your K&N and don't want to change it, good for you!
I am just giving the other side of the story.

 

[Def]

I asked the same question when I changed my air cleaner the first and only time on my FZ6. (and I put 57000 kms on it before I sold it). The experienced mechanic at the repair shop I used thought the K&N didn't filter out the tiny particles as well as the stock air cleaner. He told me that he would love to sell me a K & N over OEM because it was more expensive and he carried both...but he wouldn't recommend the K&N. The big question in my mind was how many km's was I going to put on the bike, anyway. The highways in BC are pretty dust free. Blow out the one you have with low pressure compressed air and stick er back in! Unless of course, it's really really dirty. FWIW.

 

[chroline]

I asked the same question when I changed my air cleaner the first and only time on my FZ6. (and I put 57000 kms on it before I sold it). The experienced mechanic at the repair shop I used thought the K&N didn't filter out the tiny particles as well as the stock air cleaner. He told me that he would love to sell me a K & N over OEM because it was more expensive and he carried both...but he wouldn't recommend the K&N. The big question in my mind was how many km's was I going to put on the bike, anyway. The highways in BC are pretty dust free. Blow out the one you have with low pressure compressed air and stick er back in! Unless of course, it's really really dirty. FWIW.

Sure your mechanic wants you to buy the OEM filter. Because you have to come back each year and buy a new one! Do yourself a favor and don't ever trust this guy again. I'm living proof that K&N is the best.

 

[xgrafcorex]

I recently put a K&N filter in my bike. The original filter was kinda dirty and had a bunch of stuff wedged in the filter also. Actually, it looked like a squirrel was living in my airbox! There were about 10-15 acorns in there too. :BLAA: The bike was in Georgia for about two years covered and outside but under cover.

It seems that there is a slightly different sound (not very noticeable and could even be a placebo effect) and I can't say the butt dyno can tell the difference between the K&N and the OEM.