[Thebrain]

I spent my afternoon installing a K&N air filter. Was easier than I thought. Those darn push pins in the radiator cowls were the most difficult bits to remove. The cowls don't have to come all the way off as you just need to be able to flex them out of the way just enough to remove the tank. Now for some warm weather to let her breathe.

 

[shrubbo]

It was daunting for me for time as I had never done anything like it but now... meh

 

[Viking]

I have K&N in my Mustang, for quite a long time. I'd recommend not to use any fan to dry it when you'll be cleaning. Just let it dry as is, or it may damage the foam structure. You can also use a pre-filter to protect it from water splashes https://www.motorcycleid.com/knn/drycharger-oval-tapered-black-pre-filter-mpn-rc-1820dk.html

 

[Thebrain]

I've put a K&N filter in every vehicle I've owned for the past 20 years and stand by them. I agree to not blow dry them. I usually let them drip dry in the sunshine before reapplying the oil.

 

[JackB]

I have used K&N in most of my vehicles but on my Valkyrie and my F6B I will use Honda filter's because they last for 30,000 miles or more and once I take it apart I don't want to wait for the filter to dry.

 

[Buster]

I've been a fan of K & N but thought I read on another string here that they don't work well in this model without other adjustments? I'm so happy with my dragon, I hesitate to do anything that changes the way it runs... So who's put some miles on a K & N in their 2014/15 Valk and what say you?

 

[Firefight100]

I have about 10k miles on my k&n air filter. I wont bet anyone, but I swear I lost mpg's after the install. I check my mileage on my big trips only and I saw a significant decrease in mileage. YMMV...

 

[use2b]

I will stick with Honda Filters but do have a k&n on my 1933 model A truck with 289 HiPo . they are good filters

 

[Rox]

I have about 10k miles on my k&n air filter. I wont bet anyone, but I swear I lost mpg's after the install. I check my mileage on my big trips only and I saw a significant decrease in mileage. YMMV...

I believe it. When it comes to companies like Honda, for example, they always dial in their products to work with OEM for optimum performance (mostly, not always the case. But certainly with these bikes).

 

[KurNorock]

I can't say I'm a fan of K&N filters. They may indeed flow more air, but they do it by having larger holes in the filter media, meaning it allows larger particles into your engine.

I had a K&N filter on my jeep for years because it was on there when I bought it. Whenever I took the filter off to clean it, I found the inside of the intake tube caked with dust.

I went to a junk yard and got the stock air cleaner and installed that in my jeep with a quality oem style air filter. No more dust in my intake.

To me, keeping particulates out of the engine is more important than the 2 or 3hp you MIGHT get with a K&N filter.

 

[shrubbo]

I can't say I'm a fan of K&N filters. They may indeed flow more air, but they do it by having larger holes in the filter media, meaning it allows larger particles into your engine.

I had a K&N filter on my jeep for years because it was on there when I bought it. Whenever I took the filter off to clean it, I found the inside of the intake tube caked with dust.

I went to a junk yard and got the stock air cleaner and installed that in my jeep with a quality oem style air filter. No more dust in my intake.

To me, keeping particulates out of the engine is more important than the 2 or 3hp you MIGHT get with a K&N filter.

Was it properly oiled?

 

[KurNorock]

Was it properly oiled?

Yep. And I had the drycharger pre-filter as well.

And it wasn't a case of just running the filter too long either because I would often clean and oil the filter, go on a day long trip, then clean the filter again because it is caked in dirt from 4 wheeling in the dry Arizona summer. And the intake tube still gets dust inside from that one day of running.

The thing about K&N filters is that the filter elements have large openings. You can even see right through them. Oiling the filters doesn't make the holes smaller, it just makes the filter media sticky. So any dirt that touches the filter media will stick, but any dirt that goes through those large holes will just pass right through.

 

[shrubbo]

Ok., just in my experience I haven't had a problem and I give it what I think is a hard time for sure.

 

[shrubbo]

BTW not saying you are wrong, just saying up until this point I have had no problem but of late of I have been pretty extreme. I tell you what, next time I pull that filter that box will either be totally nasty or it won't because over the last month I have done a stupid amount of k's on dirty really close to other bikes. I got videos of how close and I just got home (8:30pm) from an all day lolz that had substantial dirt with me very close to the bike in front again.


I am hoping in this case it is good but hey if it isn't it isn't and good advice. I kid you not it will be a good test


Either way I'll post up the pics mate.

 

[KurNorock]

BTW not saying you are wrong, just saying up until this point I have had no problem but of late of I have been pretty extreme. I tell you what, next time I pull that filter that box will either be totally nasty or it won't because over the last month I have done a stupid amount of k's on dirty really close to other bikes. I got videos of how close and I just got home (8:30pm) from an all day lolz that had substantial dirt with me very close to the bike in front again.


I am hoping in this case it is good but hey if it isn't it isn't and good advice. I kid you not it will be a good test /forum/images/smilies/tango_face_grin.png


Either way I'll post up the pics mate.

It is entirely possible also that my issue was just where I live. The air here always has super fine dust particles (silt) floating around at all times. People that move here from other climates end up getting "Valley fever" because of the constant dust.

Maybe in an area that doesn't have such fine dust, the K&N would be fine.

 

[shrubbo]

Possibly. I know for the riding I have been doing it has been clean as a whistle in there. 99% road. These last few months I have gone hard though and not at the front so it will be interesting to see what it is like in there when I get around to it. I wouldn't hold your breath but when I do I will post up the picks here. I don't know how it will turn out but I can say with absolute certainty I am giving it a hard core test atm