K & N AIR FILTER.
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I put in the K & N filter a year ago at about 1000 miles on the bike. Have 19000 now. I don't remember noticing any difference in performance, sound or anything. The only advantage I can see is the longer service interval; but you may find that you will be digging around under the top shelter for other reasons from time to time and could easily change the air filter during one of those times.
If I had it to do over again, I would save the bucks for something else and just use the stock ones.
I have one on my car also with the same experience as above. I ran K & N in my previous cruiser and did notice some extra performance with my deep breathing after market pipes. 8)
If I had it to do over again, I would save the bucks for something else and just use the stock ones.
I have one on my car also with the same experience as above. I ran K & N in my previous cruiser and did notice some extra performance with my deep breathing after market pipes. 8)
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12,417 Posts
A lot of discussion has been made on the K&N air filter for the Wing. I believe that the consensus was that the K&N is not recommended for the fuel injected wing with the ECM.
In all reality, taking the Top Shelf off once a year is not all that big of a deal.
I used the K&N on the 1500 and other products that I have owned with good success.
Bulldog
In all reality, taking the Top Shelf off once a year is not all that big of a deal.
I used the K&N on the 1500 and other products that I have owned with good success.
Bulldog
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837 Posts
My service manager asked if I wanted a K&N filter at my 12k service. I said no thanks. I told him that my feeling was that if it lets in more air, more dirt could get in with it. The service tech agreed with me.
I'll stick with the stock filter.
I'll stick with the stock filter.
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2,657 Posts
Had one & took it out. It was a bad choice. 
Early on I thought the K&N would be a good idea to prolong mtce so I ordered one and put it in after adding a Sidecar to the bike. The idea was to minimize the hassle getting into the air box with the Hack Brackets on the bike.
After getting into the Shelter several times to do other mtce & trouble shooting I checked on the K&N while in there & noticed a very thick build up of Black Oil Slime in the Throttle Body. Each time I cleaned up the area and let it go. Each time I did more work under the shelter I looked and found the same build up of slime. Putting 2 & 2 together with comments from Stu O. who noted others that had severe Idle problems due to build up's in the Throttle Body caused by the Oil from their K&N's I removed mine to avoid the same situation which involved bikes running so slow at idle they stalled the engine etc.
Note that I had installed the K&N as it was out of the package in it's Pre-Oiled state and had not Re-Oiled it so the Build Up was from the filter as it was supplied.
The logic behind the Slime in the Throtle Body is that without having an Accelerator Pump, like carburators have, dumping fuel in the area & thus keeping the Oil Residue washed off it will deposit & stay untill it blocks the air flow with the butterfly in the Idle position. :shock:
At this point my K&N is sitting in the top of my tool box waiting to be pitched along with the Honda CB PTT Passenger control as just another bad investment. Sometimes it is hard to throw $50 bill's in the trash but not quite as hard as it is to pitch three of them at one time. :roll:
As a long time K&N user it's hard for me to say that it's a no-go in this Wing.
Jerry
Early on I thought the K&N would be a good idea to prolong mtce so I ordered one and put it in after adding a Sidecar to the bike. The idea was to minimize the hassle getting into the air box with the Hack Brackets on the bike.
After getting into the Shelter several times to do other mtce & trouble shooting I checked on the K&N while in there & noticed a very thick build up of Black Oil Slime in the Throttle Body. Each time I cleaned up the area and let it go. Each time I did more work under the shelter I looked and found the same build up of slime. Putting 2 & 2 together with comments from Stu O. who noted others that had severe Idle problems due to build up's in the Throttle Body caused by the Oil from their K&N's I removed mine to avoid the same situation which involved bikes running so slow at idle they stalled the engine etc.
Note that I had installed the K&N as it was out of the package in it's Pre-Oiled state and had not Re-Oiled it so the Build Up was from the filter as it was supplied.
The logic behind the Slime in the Throtle Body is that without having an Accelerator Pump, like carburators have, dumping fuel in the area & thus keeping the Oil Residue washed off it will deposit & stay untill it blocks the air flow with the butterfly in the Idle position. :shock:
At this point my K&N is sitting in the top of my tool box waiting to be pitched along with the Honda CB PTT Passenger control as just another bad investment. Sometimes it is hard to throw $50 bill's in the trash but not quite as hard as it is to pitch three of them at one time. :roll:
As a long time K&N user it's hard for me to say that it's a no-go in this Wing.
Jerry
http://www.cummins.com/na/pages/en/....cfm?uuid=00060D72-0093-1B8D-BCF080C4A8F00000
Note that it doesn't say anything about aftermarket air filters in general, and it names only one filter, can you imagine how much proof they had to have to get that approved by the corporate lawyers? When they come out and name a particular filter, it's safe to say they will have a lot of evidence in hand to protect them.
Added Mine Early
Well, I put mine in shortly after I purchased the bike in 2001. I try to do my own maintenance and repairs and thought it was a good idea since it is a job to get to the air filter.
I now have 47k miles on the bike and she runs the same as new. I did not notice any change in performance or sound due to the change.
I don't see any reason to change it out now since any damage due to contaminants (if this really happens) probably already occured, so I will add myself to one of the beta testers for this filter on the GL1800. :wink:
I will be changing it out at 60k and see what she looks like. Probably put it back in after oiling it and see how many miles I get before the bike needs and overhaul on the motor. I will let you know if the pistons are badly scored or damage happened due to the filter.
This may take awhile since I expect the motor to run a million miles.
Well, I put mine in shortly after I purchased the bike in 2001. I try to do my own maintenance and repairs and thought it was a good idea since it is a job to get to the air filter.
I now have 47k miles on the bike and she runs the same as new. I did not notice any change in performance or sound due to the change.
I don't see any reason to change it out now since any damage due to contaminants (if this really happens) probably already occured, so I will add myself to one of the beta testers for this filter on the GL1800. :wink:
I will be changing it out at 60k and see what she looks like. Probably put it back in after oiling it and see how many miles I get before the bike needs and overhaul on the motor. I will let you know if the pistons are badly scored or damage happened due to the filter.
This may take awhile since I expect the motor to run a million miles.
I know what kind of dirt and grime I saw after 24,000 miles and was glad to put a new clean OEM filter on my bike. The entire time to replace the filter was 1 1/2 hours so while not nearly as fast as my past bikes, but what's an hour and a half, plus nice to give a cleaning to the whole area. I've never really understood the logic of K & N and riding longer with a filter you don't have to change (or clean) as often if the OEM filter is dirty far sooner. I don't know, $15. and 1 1/2 hours is a small price to pay for a healthy engine and carborator, from time to time. To each his (or her) own, but still doesn't make any sence to me.
Good luck on the million, but I'd have to see it to believe it.
DaleC
Good luck on the million, but I'd have to see it to believe it.
DaleC
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2,551 Posts
I used a K&N on my last Honda bike, only because the Honda filters were an overpriced rip-off (around $50 a piece), no one stocked them, and the K&N was the only thing available that was aftermarket. The only reason why I went with it was the fact that it could be cleaned and re-used.
However, with the GL1800's stock air filter priced at $15, I have no plans on using a K&N again.
However, with the GL1800's stock air filter priced at $15, I have no plans on using a K&N again.
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2,628 Posts
Thumper, I'll write it down in my calendar to see how it is after a million miles. :lol:
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