[biggersm]

The dealer where we usually go to recommends K & N air filter to replace the OEM Honda filter. We have experience with K & N filter from a motorcycle we owned several years ago so our memory is a little faded. We know that it is pretty much a wash, oil and put back in place sort of deal. We all know that the air filter replacement on a GL 1800 is more complicated than should be (did they ever fix that on the 2012 model?). Our questions are as follow:

1. Flow rate worse than/equal to/better than OEM?
2. Do we need to change any settings (back in the old days the question would be about re-jetting).
3. The dealer says to keep the filter change at the 12K mark even with a K & N, what are your opinions?
4. Do any of you have any horror stories, or best decision ever stories?

FWIW - We trust the dealer overall. We have been though a great deal together, both good and bad (long story). They said they put K & N filters on all the cop bikes (usually proudly displayed in the service area and for the most part ST1300s). We average about 8-10K a year so it should pay off quickly. Please give your thoughts.

 

[azjerry]

What is your dealer saying the advantage would be?

 

[biggersm]

Same filter, just wash, oil and replace rather than a new OEM paper filter each time. They said it will save money in the long run.

 

[Biker John]

I know the K&N will pass more dirt.
Stick with the OEM.
The high cost for dealer filter changes is labor.

 

[Peteswing]

K & N filter are great for Vehicles were you can access them easy. With the wing its not an easy job and not done very often. I use the OEMs there better made let less dirt in. Plus dealers always fine problems and cleaning the filter will cost you more they charge you for everything they do. :agree:

 

[azjerry]

I don't think you are going to need to change the air filter at 12K miles, no matter where you live.

 

[JohnACman]

K&N has to be oiled very carefully or oil gets on the Mass Air Flow sensor that all fuel injection engines now have, including the GW. The Honda OEM filter does a very good job and last a long time. It is just a pain to change.

 

[wing4stan]

I recently asked a similar question. There are a lot of threads discussing the pros/cons of K&N.

I'm not sure of your arrangement with the mechanic, but if they install it, does that mean the labor is free to get to it (2.5 hours - remove shelter, etc.) and clean it (can be an overnight process if done as others have stated) every 12k?

Essentially, the cost of your 12k service is the same regardless if replacing OEM or cleaning K&N?

Search for the other threads - a lot of good information for you to consider before making that choice.

 

[ScottR]

My dealer charged me $22 for a kit to "restore" my K&N filter, plus 15 minutes of labor during it's 100,000 mile tuneup.

 

[ksrider]

In my view the K&N filter is not a good choice for most vehicles. They let through way too much dirt and will coat the Mass Air Flow unit with oil which degrades performance. I would stick with OEM and change it every 25,000 miles.

 

[wendel]

I have had several K&N filters, so this is from my personal experience. They are quite a bit more expensive. Their fit seems good with the rubber sealing surface. Supposedly they pass more air and filter more fine particles, especially when they are slightly dirty. I do not know and will not pretend to know. I quit using them because of the time it takes to clean and allow them to dry, and amount of oil that invariably gets on them. I have used both recharge kits. One with the oil in the bottle you squeeze and one you spray the oil on the filter. After oiling, I would leave the filter on a papertowel and always had oil drip through. I do not know the process K&N uses to oil their filters at the factory.

So, the time it takes to deal with the K&N, the additional expense of the filter, the need for a recharge kit, and what do you do with it once you sell the vehicle? I have went back to stock filters. Plus I do not believe you will feel any increase in power on the GoldWing.

 

[TXREALTOR]

I like K&N filters, I am probably a minority here though.

Here is the thing, Wing filters will last a pretty good while, usually over 25K. For a lot of folks that is changing in 2-3 years or more. Even if done yearly, it isn't really worth it.
OEM will supposedly handle and flow more air than the bike can digest, and it is quite a time consuming job changing the air filter. Add the cleaning and drying time, and you turned a 2-3 hour job in to an all day affair.

I think they are a good filter and econimical after the initial expense, but they don't seem to be very practical for a Wing.

 

[cycledude]

K&N filters are just another gimmick to get at your wallet, lots of folks get suckered in

 

[IDWingrider]

I think if you are wanting to go to a K&N air filter to gain some bit of performance, you're wasting both time and money. You'd no doubt never even notice any power or performance gain with a K&N filter, but you would notice what a pain it is to remove it, clean and re-oil it and then install it again. I had one in a GL1500, and the only thing I noticed was more intake noise, but no power improvement. Stick with the OEM filter. It's cheaper and does a great job, plus you don't have to oil it then wait for it to quit dripping oil before re-installing it.

 

[ksrider]

Any filter that really allows more air into the engine is going to allow more dirt. To be honest, If I knew a vehicle had used K&N I would either walk away or downgrade the value. Even if I represent half the buying public why take that chance. On the other hand using OEM is not going to offend anyone since the buyer can still add a K&N if that if what they really want. Certainly I would not buy K&N on the premise of saving money. Maybe if you are racing your bike and the tiny bit of HP is more important than engine life it might make sense.... even then I think there are better choices available.

By the way, there are many discussions of the K&N filter available. Here are a few. The spicer study summarized on the first link below was widely circulated a few years ago.

http://forums.nicoclub.com/debunking-the-k-n-myth-why-oem-is-better-t180100.html
http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41302&page=6
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2040364&page=3

 

[biggersm]

Thanks for all the feedback. It seems everyone is in agreement so we will stay with OEM filters. We also spend the extra money for Honda Oil and buy it a gallon at a time from the dealer (at a rather high price) so we have the receipt as proof of maintenance.

We all know that the aftermarket has options for everything (synthetic oil, engine ice coolant, iridium spark plugs, etc.) but if we stick with Honda parts and stay on the Honda maintenance schedule we should have no problems if we need to make a claim on our extended waranty. We would also seriously consider the darkside for tires except for the fact that we have a seperate wheel and tire waranty.

FWIW - We have a 2008 that was bought brand new June 2010 (4 miles on the odometer) and we now have about 10,400 essentially trouble free miles. We got used to the low speed wobble and engine surging. BTW - still have the original Dunlop tires too and as of yesterday they measured 4/32" (front) and 7/32" (rear).

 

[mejojo]

After oiling, I would leave the filter on a papertowel and always had oil drip through.

I believe that if you have oil dripping off it, you are using WAY too much oil. On the one I have oiled (for a different bike), I applied just enough for the material to soak it in....in other words, no runoff. I believe this is the intent of the instructions, and it seems correct to me.

On the argument some have made that K&N allows "more dirt" to pass, we recognize all vehicle air filters allow some particles to pass. Presumably the engine can "process" particles under a certain size due to its longevity. To presume, without evidence, that the count/size that pass K&N filter is somehow harmful to a particle-processing machine causes deleterious effects is flawed.

 

[goldwing fan]

I recently put in a K&N and have about 5k on the filter bike runs fine same as the OEM filter did i plan to clean it every 50k or so hope my engine lasts 300k or so :shock:

CHEERS :thumbup:

 

[Destindoc]

K&N filters are just another gimmick to get at your wallet, lots of folks get suckered in

:agree:

 

[twyn]

Dealer tried to pressure me to get a K&N filter. Even showed me how much extra air flowed through it. After telling him no a few times, he said, "Do what you want, it's your bike." Stick with OEM and change it every couple years at your rate.

"we have a seperate wheel and tire waranty." What is this you speak of?