k&n filter ??

hello, new to vfrs and new to fuel injection, i would like to use a k-n filter but on past bikes found have had a "too lean" condition with just the filter and no re-jetting. will the fi compensate? will my brand new vfr like this filter?? any input is more than welcome!:smile:

 

You bet, the FI will compensate. Just install it and go. Personally, I don't buy into the hype about its performance gain advantages, but the reuseability is nice.

 

yeah, i too like the million mile thingy! im led to believe they provide "cleaner" air which, if true, has obvious benifits!

 

Yeah, but who wants to clean and re-oil the darn thing every time? That just seems like a crappy job to me.

 

Hmmm, I have searched around but couldn't find anything on this. Is there a big air kit for the 2006 VFR's?

 

I havn't seen any big air kits either but a k&n can't hurt. I think if you get a little more air in and couple the filter with a less restrictive exhaust.... a Staintune for instance.... and help the fuel injection cope with the extra air in and out with a Power Commander you could have a great sounding bike that has a stronger power curve and never have to replace the air filter.... I'm in. These additions don't do much by themselves but the whole package works.

 

I have a K&N in my VFR only because I got it for free. I noticed absolutely no difference in power at all. In fact the only thing I noticed was a slight increase of intake noise.

I know this is comparing apples to oranges but, I just removed the K&N Uni-Pod kit from my 89 Hawk GT. It had any annoying stumble just off idle that no shop could diagnose & therefore I couldn't fix it. I finally got my answer from a guy who races a SV-650. He said bikes with carbs AND an airbox (the Hawk) need that airbox for street conditions to ensure the carb have positive pressure going into them. When you run the Uni-pods you don't get that pressure, they simply suck in when you roll on the throttle and sometimes the engine is demanding a shot of air and therefore the hiccup. With the STOCK airbox set up, the Hawk runs better, much better & I swear it makes more power. Mind you, the bike only has 45hp tops but the seat-o-the-pantsometer says I'm getting more power with the stock airbox & Honda filter.

In summary, on a motorcycle that makes nearly 100hp, you're going to get TOPS 2hp with a K&N. Therefore the ONLY benefit is being able to reuse them.

KC-10 FE out...

 

what about "cleaner air" possibly resulting in a "cleaner" motor? ive been led to believe air filtration is a major component in performance and longevity of most internal combustion engines. im not trying to start an air quality debate but when youre as anal as i am you lose sleep over these things!!:tongue:

 

Really?!?!
Seems like it would be clogged to the point of blocking airflow at that point, no? Mind you, I have never had one, so I don't know, just trying to think it through logically. Or as logical as I can be before the first RedBull hits my system:smile: But why would it go longer between changes/cleanings than a stock one? They are both the same size, correct? to fit in our airbox. Not like some applications where it is an outside mount. There has to be a limit as to how much exposed media you could have within a given area. No?

Then for cleaning, what do you do, fill an old coffee can or something with the cleaner, then another with the oil? Can you reuse both? endlessly?

I just always, without looking into it real hard obviously, thought the cleaning & re-oiling of the K&N seemed like a pain and then what to do with those chemicals afterward? Just seemed like more hassle than it was worth for negligible gains.

 

Spike,

The k$n actually uses an oiled gauze in a wire "mold" to trap dirt. The gauze flows better than paper and the oiled gauze as it gets dirtier actually traps more dirt.... I don't think the intervals are actually longer, its just that you can use it again. I service mine once a year. The cleaning is pretty easy actually. All you have to do is spray it with the cleaner in the recharge kit, let it sit and then rinse it with fresh water. Letting it dry takes the longest but then you spray the oil on the filter again, reinstall and go. The oil is a light oil that sprays on from a squirt bottle. It doesn't take much either, like spray on sunblock. The cleaner you spray on the filter actually makes the pan just have dirty water in it after you are done. About as toxic as water would be if you washed your bike. The whole process takes a total of about a half hour and you can use it over and over again. I have k&n filters in just about everything I drive or ride.

 

Ahh, for some reason I thought you had to soak it in the cleaner, or the oil or both, from last time I looked at it. I thought you were supposed to soak it and then squeeze ot the excees oil or something. Maybe that is the old way, or my mind is cracked on it.

And I get that the oil traps dirt better, and as a filter gets dirtier it blocks more particles (and more air for that matter). I just don't get someone, going for longer intervals with the K&N. I think I would clean it just as often, if not more so than the regular paper changes.

 

I hear ya on the intervals..... I think it just flows better longer so people tend to keep them in there longer before servicing. As far as the actual service procedure, the recharger kit makes life pretty easy. A k&n isn't a dramatic improvement at all but together with other modifications like exhaust more air flowing in and out is going to help power. The thing is the power each adds isn't "stackable".... It comes in at different parts of the power curve so the dyno isn't going to show a huge peak improvement but the "butt dyno" might. We all like to think we feel a difference anyway. These bikes today can get us in enough trouble box stock!!!