Air filter recommendations?

[Femmekat]

Part of my ever growing winter project list is buy a new air filter prior to having the carbs cleaned/and possibly jetted... Have been shopping around but am looking for suggestions for an air filter. I was also curious what the pros and cons are of buying the "standard" version as opposed to the "race" version... as most filters I've seen listed have these options, the race version having 25% greater airflow typically.

Discuss

***And Bergs.... I am genuinely looking for feedback, I am not posting this with my mind already made up about what I am going to get...

[Jim]

go on the K&N website & get the part # for your bike. Call AutoZone and have them order that part #. it's the cheapest route to go. K&N filters are fine, and wont require remapping your bike. should only cost you $40

[klepsta]

I would say BMC or DNA. Flow better than K&N. If you are looking for better performance, why not go with the "race" version, the price difference isn't that big. If you are already planning to re-jet, why not stuff as much air in there as you can?

[nt650hawk]

+1 one the BMC. I've heard the same thing. When I get an air filter for the 929, that is where I am going.

[Slyder]

Oh boy, how can I not post on FemmeR6's thread?

Ok so I've read reports of people trying different filters on a bike on a dyno with no other changes, no fueling, no nothing. Swap filters and run the bike. OEM filters are actually really good, but spendy. They offer excellent protection / filtration.

K&N filters caused the bike to loose power (minimal, not more than 1-2hp).

BMC race filter saw a slight gain 1-2hp, but will offer less protection.

BMC standard filter gave no gain in HP, but offers excellent protection, like the OEM filter.

DNA filter was the best, as it saw a 1-2hp gain and offered excellent protection, like the BMC standard and the OEM filter.

K&N filters are some of the worst you can buy. I had an email at work (its gone forever now) that showed the hows and whys. In a nutshell one fellow spent oodles of his own money just to test random filters. Of all the tests he did, K&N was dead last in all, IE the worst. So if you care about your engine and what goes into it...well, BMC standard or a DNA filter, if you could find one, are my suggestions. 2 OEM filters would probably cost more then the DNA or BMC...so even though they're spendy (BMC was around 85 for my bike, I think) it's still worth it. Just remember to clean them a few times a season. Especially if you end up with something like a K&N or a BMC race filter.

[Degsy]

If you get a BMC, go wth race version. Fuck the street version.

[Degsy]

Oh, and you'll never use all that power.

[Slyder]

http://www.dnafilters.com/filterdetails.asp?filterid=66 '00-'05 R6...sweet they make one for your bike

[KawiSmurf]

I would say BMC or DNA.

DNA filter was the best, as it saw a 1-2hp gain and offered excellent protection, like the BMC standard and the OEM filter.

http://www.dnafilters.com/filterdetails.asp?filterid=66 '00-'05 R6...sweet they make one for your bike

on DNA

My supplier went through several brands on his race bike (650R), even cut the foam out of his stocker, but said the DNA gave him the best power output for his setup (no snorkels or PAIR, full exhuast). For street/track use, its what I use, I'd go with it.

[Stegosaurous]

If you use a DNA filter, with no exhaust mods, will you need to retune the bike? I'm asking in my case as the op is already going for a tune.

[Femmekat]

I've heard bad things about the K&N as well.... was also wondering if their oil filter is as bad (heard it didn't offer much protection?) I bought one last season that I was going to throw on this spring with an end of winter oil change because I like that the bolt is drilled and easy to get the filter on/off and safety wire... but should I junk it and get something else?

[Jim]

lauren, both my bikes use K&N oil filters. my street bike has had a K&N air filter since i bought it

[Degsy]

I've heard bad things about the K&N as well.... was also wondering if their oil filter is as bad (heard it didn't offer much protection?) I bought one last season that I was going to throw on this spring with an end of winter oil change because I like that the bolt is drilled and easy to get the filter on/off and safety wire... but should I junk it and get something else?

Anyone who told you bad things about Kand N AIR filters is crazy.

Oil filters I would not worry about either. i only use OEM, but that's just me.

[KawiSmurf]

If you use a DNA filter, with no exhaust mods, will you need to retune the bike? I'm asking in my case as the op is already going for a tune.

Disclaimer: Not an expert here. It's been my experience (after working on my bike, and looking at the experience of others I've helped) that swapping only the filter will have minimal effect on performance. Some say it will actually decrease performance.

Look at it this way, the way it was best described to me. Your engine is an air pump, and three major parts of that system (minus the block) are the intake, fuel injection, and exhaust. If you change the input (the intake), you really need to change the output (exhaust). Changing the FI (by either jetting or an EFI programmer) smooths out the snappy responses caused by increased intake/exhaust flow. I find my bike runs just fine without a PCIII, but it would help to have one. Your experience may vary.

[Kurlon]

BMCs in some applications are horrible, but I've no info on this exact fitment. Myself, I'd go with the standard version rather than the 'race' variants. You're putting more miles on the filter, likely in dirtier conditions than a race bike typically sees... I'd want the improved filtration myself.

[Femmekat]

Disclaimer: Not an expert here. It's been my experience (after working on my bike, and looking at the experience of others I've helped) that swapping only the filter will have minimal effect on performance. Some say it will actually decrease performance.

Look at it this way, the way it was best described to me. Your engine is an air pump, and three major parts of that system (minus the block) are the intake, fuel injection, and exhaust. If you change the input (the intake), you really need to change the output (exhaust). Changing the FI (by either jetting or an EFI programmer) smooths out the snappy responses caused by increased intake/exhaust flow. I find my bike runs just fine without a PCIII, but it would help to have one. Your experience may vary.

After some carb crankiness in the cold at the end of last season, and after sitting all winter the R6 will definitely need a carb cleaning in the spring, and I was going to leave it up to the carb guru whether it needs jetting or not... I'm not looking for any performance increase necessarily, just figured that the bike is 10 years old and most likely has the original air filter. If I have to buy one anyways, may as well get something good... and the bike has a Leo and Vince exhaust, and I doubt has ever been tuned... So my plan is to take care of it all in one fell swoop I suppose.

[lrrs313]

BMCs in some applications are horrible, but I've no info on this exact fitment. Myself, I'd go with the standard version rather than the 'race' variants. You're putting more miles on the filter, likely in dirtier conditions than a race bike typically sees... I'd want the improved filtration myself.

Not to mention that race motors are expected to see a rebuild (or at least internal inspection) at much shorter intervals than a street bike.

[Stegosaurous]

I'd want the improved filtration myself.

That's what made me think i'd stick with OEM Air Filters and Oil filters.

[butcher bergs]

Thanks for the honerable mention, Lauren.




I have always run an OEM filter in my streetbike, even with mods. Reason being is that they typically filter more contaminates than the aftermarket filters and with a streetbike, I'm looking for reliablility and longevity considering the many different conditions a street machine is exposed to......like when DucDave finds every single dirt road in VT for example.

However, the intake growl produced with an aftermarket filter is addicting.

[FAST GSXR750]

Lost power with a K&N ?wtf never heard of that. I run them on my 750 and my truck without any problems at all. Maybe i missed something. Lost power with more air going in? and an exhaust-scorpion slip on.

[Slyder]

Yer R6 probably has a K&N in it, have you checked? Or did the previous owner or his/her add mention it?

Your bike is carbed, if you want to get it dialed in right some dyno time with an exhaust gas analyzer would be best. Not cheap, but an experienced tuner would make the R6 run like a top regardless of your filter and exhaust choices.

I'd be skeptical of a drop in jet kit, there's a lot of variables to take into consideration. Course I've been riding EFI bikes for a long time, I could be wrong about jet kits. I've installed them before, long ago and flat spots weren't uncommon.

+1 on OEM oil filters. Not cheap, but they work well. And some after market filters are actually smaller than the OEM.

+ another 1 on the intake sounds. I have a BMC race filter in the gixxer and it does make a cool sound. Can't even describe it.

[Slyder]

Lost power with a K&N ?wtf never heard of that. I run them on my 750 and my truck without any problems at all. Maybe i missed something. Lost power with more air going in? and an exhaust-scorpion slip on.

Like I said I had it all saved in an email then got laid off...and never forwarded it to myself because I forgot to look in the archived mails.

But one fellow at a shop did that test. I forget what bike it was, gixxer 600 or 750. Strapped the bike into the dyno and ran it with the different filters. I'd also suggest it depends on the bike too, I imagine some bikes would lose power with a BMC race or a DNA filter.

The other lost email had charts and graphs, measuring the flow rates of the filters and he even tested the amount of sand the filters allowed through. It was an interesting read. I think he spent nearly 15,000 of his own dollars doing it...he was clearly some kinda engineering geek with $ to blow.

1-2hp loss or increase you'd probably not really notice. Take it with a grain of salt

[FAST GSXR750]

Like I said I had it all saved in an email then got laid off...and never forwarded it to myself because I forgot to look in the archived mails.

But one fellow at a shop did that test. I forget what bike it was, gixxer 600 or 750. Strapped the bike into the dyno and ran it with the different filters.

BUT even a BMC race filter could lose power, as someone else said you have to compensate for it on the other end.

The other lost email had charts and graphs, measuring the flow rates of the filters and he even tested the amount of sand the filters allowed through. It was an interesting read. I think he spent nearly 15,000 of his own dollars doing it...he was clearly some kinda engineering geek with $ to blow.

1-2hp loss or increase you'd probably not really notice. Take it with a grain of salt

Would be interesting to see graph of that. Wonder where it drops power. High rpm or low.

[Degsy]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8330/4.5.0.77 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Lol. More air flow=potential for more power. You have to get more gasoline into the fuel to get that power though. Its true but unlikely that an aftermarket filter could possibly decrease power. It will lean the mixture out which almost always gives you more power at the risk of a grenading motor.

[richw]

I am always suspicious about k$n

With the HP wars would the factory leave 2 HP on the table without a reason

I am convinced that v"oiled" k$N work OK but really how often will you be oiling it ?

Run 6k with a nice stock one

Yes if your jetting was borderline then more air could easily make less power.

jet kit slip on be happy