BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

I replaced my oem air filter for a k&n filter ,now my bike run a little hotter and got a small back fire which it did not do before.Can this damage my motor ?and should i go back to the oem filter any comments will be appreciated.
I approvic exhaust and removed one of the baffels.

To use or Not use K&N Filters is as bad as an oil thread. Some say dont, some say fine. Was there an issue with the factory filter?

hi
none at all i just thought i shall go to k&n since mine was due for replacement.
And the fact that it can be used for longer.

i have a K & N on my 2007 and it does not run any hotter. my bike has the stock exhaust and it does back fire a little on deceleration but it always did that. a power commander or similar devise should solve that problem.

I have had K&N air filter on my Golf TDI.Extra performance?vell,I don't know.Did not see any extra power.Easier air flow,yes.How it is achived?Less dense filtering element.If you remember 1950's60's ther was filter made up off wire mesh,got to be washed periodicly and oiled aftervards.Isen't that sounds the same as with K&N?Than come up the modern time with "paper"filters more dense filtering element,ketching up the microscopik dust particles even,wich particles acting in your engine as a very fine sandpaper.Up to you,how long intende to keep your bike.If I would buy a used bike,and find out ther is aK&N air filter or oil filter installed on that bike I would just simply walk away.

brgrds,Steve H.

By the way I am running OM air/oil filters on my bike.

K&N auto oil filters are one of the top rated filters in the market. They are made by Champion Labs who also make the Mobile 1 filter, but they have nut on the bottom. They always score high on the disassembly inspection. I assume the motorcycle filters are made the same.

K&N air filters I am not sold on. Years ago one of the 4WD mags did a test. Yes, the K&N flowed better, but they poured flour down the intake and then pulled the filter, only the K&N had flower in the throttle body. They flow better because they don't filter as well. Fine for racing, but not for a bike I want to keep for years.

going back to oem filter .i think BMW most probly spent months and millions to get the right air flow/filtering ect now i come and change it
in a blink of an eyelid.They (the oem)ones are cheap enough in any case.

This is a K&N filter I took out of a friends RT. Had less than 6000 miles on it. He certainly does not ride in extreme conditions. Can't explain why it got so icckkyy. He's back to OEM.

Several years ago I ran a series of tests using K&N Air Filters in half the vehicles and OEM paper cartridge filters in the other half of the vehicles. The vehicles included both cars and motorcycles. Kendall Oil was used and changed at 3,000 mile intervals. Oil samples were sent after every oil change to the Witco Chemical lab for analysis. After over 3 years and a lot of oil tests it could be clearly seen that K&N filters allowed more dirt to enter engines than the OEM paper cartridges. This showed up as an increase in silica, typically 3-5 times as much. The long term affect of this increase in silica ingestion was not determined as it was outside of the scope of the tests. I decided not to continue to use K&N filters. Your conclusions are your own.

I agree Bill
For "normal" use no need for K&N. For racetracks might bee ok.Earlier overhaul of engine.Probably gives some extra torque/power but not significantly.Your tests/observations just prooving that.At high rpms got better oil flow(with K&N)-better cooling of bearings/sleeves.In everiday use I run my bike at low and medium rpms.In this case oil pressure drops with K&N becose of easier flow.Bearings/sleeves got no enough pressure to "float"= a lot more wear.This is my 2cets only.

brgds,Steve H.

Years back I had a Virago 700. I got to thinking about getting a filter I could clean out when needed so I wouldn't have to buy one every time.

Looked at K&N and Uni. K&N was 2x the cost of the Uni and while the K&N let more volume into the carbs, the Uni filtered better.

I bought the Uni.

+1 !

I got my brand new r12r in april 2012.At present it got 7000mls on it.Regardless of air filter it will outlast me.But I am looking onto my bike like it is going to last forever.Well that is ok my grandsons should enjoj it as I did.I love this beauty and beast in one.Just semple I LOVE THIS BIKE SOOOO MUCH.