Not pleased with K&N Air filter!

HAHA! :lol:

 

hows the pipercross filter holding up? i have one on the way right now. i read that they have been oem equipment for triumph over the past 10 years.

heres a picture of my bmc after 4 years and 30,000 miles of proper care:

 

This last post just made up my mind about getting a BMC! Anyone have regrets about BikeMaster? MotoSport has one for $50 shipped to my door, has stainless screen to keep the mice off and it's oil/washable.

 

Hmmm my BMC doesn't look like that at all. I don't know the age of it as it was already installed when I bought the bike, which is an 07. That one appears to have been exposed to some unpleasant chemicals to break down like that. Just speculation..........

 

If you are speculating that it has been properly cleaned, serviced and oiled with the kn recharge kit twice a year, for four years and 30,000 miles by only me, then you speculated right.
There is a reason why bmc offers zero warranty.

 

Whoa,
It wasn't my intention to suggest that you had done anything other than follow the manufacturer's recomendations. I'm sorry if that is what you read into my post.

I'm simply trying to say that based on the picture, the unit looks like it simply fell apart and the discoloration of the rubber looks like it was attacked by something. Obviously that is just how they look after four years of normal use and maintenance. I don't know how old mine is or how many miles are on it or how it was maintained by the PO, but it doesn't look at all like yours so one or all of the factors mentioned must be different including the possibility that yours was from a different manufacturing batch. Lots of unknowns..

 

you are right though, it does look like it has been attacked by chemicals. it literally fell apart.

 

I wound up going with a simple OEM style Emgo ... for now. When I tear into the top end to do valve clearance check and such I plan to commit to something that can be oiled and cleaned.

 

Interesting blog post from a Melbourne mechanic about high flow air filters here.

Also interesting to note that he sells K&N air filters.

My understanding is that reusables need regular cleaning and re-oiling to work properly, and are more applicable for dusty environments (eg. off road). For general road riding I just use stock paper filters.

 

My experience with K&N is that is does let fine particles through. I've felt the silty dusting inside my cold air intake on my Honda SUV.
They also have been known to foul MAF sensors on at least BMWs when over oiled. I never did foul the MAF but its been widely reported.
When servicing it as per directions I could put a lot of oil on it and hold it up to sunlight to look for white spots (daylight peaking through), and I couldn't seem to ever eliminate them completely.

I spoke to some local mechanics and they confirmed that in their experience the oiled filters do let some fine dirt through. And that they are best left unserviced for that reason. As to how much damage such fine particles can do- well the general consensus was that if you are running the intake very close to the road (I was not) or in a very dusty/dirty environment then you probably should skip using them.

I left mine in the SUV until I sold it.
My VFR came with one from the previous owner.
Where I live (not the Midwest) I'm sure it's fine.

 

I'll gladly pay to replace the stock filter every 2 years or so in my streetbike, no problem, and not have to screw with an oily mess, sticky residue in my airbox, and dirt particles that leaked through the cheezy K&N. As far as quality, I proclaim, yes I said I PERSONALLY PROCLAIM , a BMC to be a much better filter, and I used them in every racebike I've had. The guy that tuned my engines outwardly tells people to avoid K&N. And he doesn't sell BMC either...he's got nothing to gain either way. I'll have to ask him specifically the reasons why, because I cannot recall what he said. It's been a few years.
My wife has a K&N in her ZX6RR. Thing feels like a flimsy, cheap, barely adequate piece to me.

 

BMW car mechanics Ive spoken to tend to feel BMC is a much better filter as well.
But car mechanics all agree BMW cars are doomed past 6 years old or 100k miles lol.
I found that one out the hard way.
Only German Ill ever buy again is new and be prepared for the bath at re-sale time. But I digress...

 

And whoever said BMC has no warranty is totally spewing untruths. I got a warranty with every BMC I ever bought, although I never needed to use it.
Here....right off the BMC website:
7.4 Warranty coverage is provided for a period of two years starting from the product’s date of sale.

7.5 Warranty coverage is provided only on the condition that the BMC products have been installed by specialized technicians and regularly serviced according to the Manufacturer’s specifications available on the website High Performance Air Filters | BMC AIR FILTERS and in the BMC catalogue. Warranty coverage is considered void whenever tampering with the products has occurred.