How good is the K&N filters??

[400exBro]

I am going to pick up my WB pipe and K&N power kit tonite, i was having second toughts about the K&N filters letting in Dust and Water, so i want to know what are the molecule reading of the stock and K&N filters are( is K&N better or worse at keeping dust out)????????????
Thanks i would realy like a response on this it's ergent
400exBro

well my friend your gonna get mixed feelings about this question...I've been using k&n filters for about 5 years in muddy, dry, dusty, wet, just about all conditions but sand and I've never had a problem...I don't know why some people have so many problems?? I also kept my filter clean, oiled, installed properly ( I think that's most peoples problems, they half arse throw em in there and take off) and I also kept the outerwear oiled,,I can't see why K&N engineering is a leading aftermarket filter maker for so many forms of racing motors and is so profitable and still in business if they, supposedly make a crappy filter?? I guess it's each persons opinion..UNI and Twin air make good filters too, but ya gotta throw them away after about a year if you keep them oiled and cleaned properly because the fabric just breaks down...just think about it this way,,K&N makes filters for just about every combustion engine made and the other 2 companies don't??? Good luck in your decision..

[Pappy]

i miss my k&n

[JATV250]

Hey, Rico took the words right out of my mouth. i prefer K&N myself.

[OutlawEX]

I like mine. The K&n was a pain it needed the speacial cleaner just to much work imo

[RiPPiNiTuP7]

I didn't care for the K&N either. For some reason I didn't feel safe when I was out in dusty areas. They can't block water for crap either...I know thats not the purpose of them, but a foam can do a much better job than a paper one can. Not to mention you need special cleaners, etc. for them...the foam you can throw in a bucket of soapy water and let it dry. I know Rico mentioned they need replaced after a year or so...yea thats true, but notice their cheaper in price, and I don't know about you, but buying a new airfilter every year doesn't sound like a bad thing to me

[White_Knuckles]

K&N's claim to fame is when they created oiled gauze element filters for street/track sports cars i. e. Weber carbs in the 70's. We're talkin' major flow improvement and a performance gain over restictive factory air cleaner assemblies, these babies clamped right to the carb intake horn. A natural path was to street bikes and yes, even Harley's.

The product line evolved into dirt machines in the last few years. I did some research on the buggers and found they do indeed pass fine particles more than foam. Under lab and real world testing foam is superior for fine particle blocking. However, if you add the Outerware and oil it properly they seem to work for most applications and have a slight flow rate edge on our foam friends. Most riders trust 'em when they're loaded up with a dust coating. I qurstion the flow rate in this condition.

The best published test was to wipe a fine line of Vaseline around the inside of the boot leading to the carb. Install the K&N, Outerware etc. Run for a normal filter service period (in a dusty environment) and inspect the boot stripe. In all cases - dirt. Repeat with Mr. foam and dirt is not to be found. Racers don't care, flow is everything and an engine teardown is never too far away. Desert riding is not "fine particle," sand = big chunks on micro filtration scales. I went with a UNI but dust is the summer treat where we live. Are K&N's bad? no, just find out the facts before you buy 'em.

[Mr_Bub400ex]

i think i am still gonna use a K&N with an outwear + outwear airbox lid.

[400exBro]

wow this is almost 2 years old....

i like k&n becuase they have warrenty on their filters and mine is starting to come apart and they replaced it for free, no questions asked....

and they work quite well, i am happy with my k&n

im with rippin and outlaw..i ran a K&N for a year...i didnt have too many problems but then i went to a race..that was full of water..with no airbox lid and my quad kept staling because it was injecting so much water....so i bought a UNI for races like that..then when i installed it, i didnt feel any difference in power, my jetting stayed the same and everything..so i figured it was jsut as good so i sold my K&N...but yes there is a lot of mixed feelings on this topic