K&N Filters

[Rob J]

Just changed the air filter on my 2007 1200GSA.

It has to be said that the old filter was tired and clearly in need of replacement but what a difference the new K&N has made!!

She is now running ssssoooooo much smoother and is now alot more reposnsive!!

Best £40 i have ever spent and the whole thing only took 5 minutes.

A highly recommended modification.

Go on check yours! You may be surprised by what you find.

 

[EggChaser]

Just changed the air filter on my 2007 1200GSA.

Best £40 i have ever spent and the whole thing only took 5 minutes.

A highly recommended modification.

Might cost a bit more when you phone your insurance company as I have a feeling that counts as a performance enhancement (which things like crash bars, lights and luggage don't)

 

[elevensies]

doubtful, if in the advent of an insurance claim, i would doubt they would go looking for a filter

 

[EggChaser]

doubtful, if in the advent of an insurance claim, i would doubt they would go looking for a filter

I heard from a rider that was in an accident who said that his insurance assessor specifically checked the air filter - sorry can't remember which insurance company it was - although it was a sports bike, not a traille

 

[G4]

Just changed the air filter on my 2007 1200GSA.

It has to be said that the old filter was tired and clearly in need of replacement but what a difference the new K&N has made!!

She is now running ssssoooooo much smoother and is now alot more reposnsive!!

Best £40 i have ever spent and the whole thing only took 5 minutes.

A highly recommended modification.

Go on check yours! You may be surprised by what you find.

Hi yep changed to a K&N on my 07 GSA about a year ago have not regretted it, though It is in addition to a full Remus system and power commander so runs sweet.

 

[GSband]

Not to put a damper on your experiences, but anyone interested in K&N should read this : http://www.duramax-diesel.com/spicer/index.htm

In short :
- K&N gives more initial airflow
- K&N gets clogged up faster (thus reducing airflow)
- K&N lets through more dirt
... than a regular standard OEM paper filter.

K&N is the perfect airfilter for racing (short distance, regular maintenance, no need for long engine life), but I won't have a K&N in my R12GS.

The only advantage I see is that since it's oil based, it won't collaps when it gets wet, e.g. when crossing rivers. That's something paper filters won't survive. But then, it's not an experience I intend to put my GS through.

 

[elevensies]

GSband, head this many times, the other thing not mentioned is the fact the K&N has a smaller filter area than the standard item.

i fitted a pipercross but in essence its the same as the K&N

they dont give extra horses either, as the standard exhaust zaps it

 

[Kremmen]

Interesting reading on the K&N filter issue.

I have used BMC filters ( not of course to be confused with British motor Corporation) for the last 5 years on every machine i have owned with very good results .... interesting that the investigation didn't include this make in the trial as this is an American filter???

Any way certainly worth considering.

http://www.bmcairfilters.com/

 

[gsbiker]

I'm considering a K&N or similar. Have bought an accelerator plug n play cable, want to improve performance as much as possible and now considering a K&N. Is it advisable to change to a performance air filter without adding something like a Power Commander?

 

[AndrewD]

Just to add my 2p worth

When I was choosing my 1150GS, I spent lots of time looking at a mates who had a K&N at one point he removed it and wiped out a shit load of crap from the lower chamber, lots of fine dust that had then stuck there with a little of the oil drawn through from the K&N.

When I got my GS I did a full service (the P.O was a muppet so it needed it!) the OEM filter was black as yer hat but the lower chamber was clean as a whistle, so a new OEM filter went back in!

Like Slick50, great for short run engine performance, if you want more poke add 5% methanol

 

[gbpot]

Interesting reading on the K&N filter issue.

I have used BMC filters ( not of course to be confused with British motor Corporation) for the last 5 years on every machine i have owned with very good results .... interesting that the investigation didn't include this make in the trial as this is an American filter???

http://www.bmcairfilters.com/

Quality item. No problems in running. Changed at last service and much smoother, more response etc.
BMW mechanic recommended BMC when I went to buy a K&N.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Just to add my 2p worth

When I was choosing my 1150GS, I spent lots of time looking at a mates who had a K&N at one point he removed it and wiped out a shit load of crap from the lower chamber, lots of fine dust that had then stuck there with a little of the oil drawn through from the K&N.

When I got my GS I did a full service (the P.O was a muppet so it needed it!) the OEM filter was black as yer hat but the lower chamber was clean as a whistle, so a new OEM filter went back in!

Like Slick50, great for short run engine performance, if you want more poke add 5% methanol

I had the same and went back to the BMW filter, sold the K&N

Couldn't believe the crap in the K&N

I believe Timolgra went back to a BMW paper filter for his Mongolia trip this year and most of that was offroad, so seeing as I stay on the road the OEM BMW paper filter will do for me

 

[(RIP) ugg]

Just changed the air filter on my 2007 1200GSA.

It has to be said that the old filter was tired and clearly in need of replacement but what a difference the new K&N has made!!

She is now running ssssoooooo much smoother and is now alot more reposnsive!!

Best £40 i have ever spent and the whole thing only took 5 minutes.

A highly recommended modification.

Go on check yours! You may be surprised by what you find.

The only way you are going to get a true comparison of performance

is if you fit a k,n filter. (test ride the GS in all weather conditions)

Then swap back to a new ,oem bmw filter . (same test again)

This way you have "true" on the road ,real life results to compare both filers performance.


Expensive , but no dealer will do it , will they?

 

[D6]

thats fine ugg, but such a long winded test, youd forget what the other filter was like, and as you say itd av to be under the same conditions, you,d av to run 2 bikes at the same time
only way is blastin crap at it then same to the other,
wich is what they do, neither filter company will tell you how they flow dirty though.........., only new


mine runs fine with a K and N,

did with a standard too,
good thing about the k an n is its washable, and seein as i tend to overservice things itl do me fine, i can wash it,
england aint that dusty anyway,but morocco etc, thats a different story, i dont think anything bad would get through a properly maintained K an N anyway,,,certainly hasnt on mine,,,
anyone who can tell a k an n is better /worse to a NEW standard filter , by taking it down the road is talkin bollocks, can be done on a dyno, for power, but thats only on a new filter
u takes ya choice

 

[AndrewD]

england aint that dusty anyway,but morocco etc, thats a different story
anyone who can tell a k an n is better /worse to a NEW standard filter , by taking it down the road is talkin bollocks, can be done on a dyno, for power, but thats only on a new filter
u takes ya choice

I agree, the change might be an old BMW to a nice new K&N filter!

As for dust, fine in the winter but in the summer it's dusty and when you do a few green lanes you quickly get lots of dust if there's another guy in front of you, BUT if I thought I was fording I'd probably fit a K&N for the trip, again it's a ballance of use vs maintenance repair and cosmetics. Mine used, dirty but serviced, I'd not want to but at 70k I'm probably due a rebuild at some point or get a shiny one that's been kept prisoner in a garage and never ridden in the rain!

It's amazing how the 1200's never turn up at Foxes when it's raining!

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

I had the same and went back to the BMW filter, sold the K&N

Couldn't believe the crap in the K&N

I believe Timolgra went back to a BMW paper filter for his Mongolia trip this year and most of that was offroad, so seeing as I stay on the road the OEM BMW paper filter will do for me

And another one here, eggzackaly the same experiance

Paper filter back in for forthcoming Calum's Road trip and no noticeable change in performance (fuel controller, shortened intake and BOS system) so will be sticking with the OEM from now on

Andres

 

[Pukmeister]

I bought a K&N when living in Western Australia as the standard paper element got contaminated with sand every 5 mins (place is a giant sandpit anyway).

Had to clean the K&N and re-oil very regularly but saved me the hassle of trying to get paper elements from the only BMW agent within a million square miles in Perth at extortionate dollars each.

Absolutely NO evidence of any dirt, sand etc in my airbox when using a K&N - I'm still using it.

 

[gsbiker]

Quality item. No problems in running. Changed at last service and much smoother, more response etc.
BMW mechanic recommended BMC when I went to buy a K&N.

I spoke to BMW dealer about K&N, they recommend BMC so I ordered one and now waiting for a call to say it's in stock!

 

[Kremmen]

Go go go for the BMC ......the allegro series II is by far the best

Regards

 

[gsbiker]

Go go go for the BMC ......the allegro series II is by far the best

Regards

Do you mean this one...

Code 397/01

BMC REPLACEMENT FILTER - FLAT FILTER

BMC has developed a particular production system based on soft rubber moulding which produces the familiar BMC red filters. They are made in one single piece with no welded joints in the corners, thus avoiding breaking risks.