Do K&N air filters noticably increase horsepower on your bike?

Question

They're damn expensive for my bike - $65.00 dollars.

Answer 1

The cleaner and less restricted the airflow , the more power you create . You will notice the differance in fuel millage and performance. The reason they cost so much is because you only have to buy one ! Period , for the life of your bike . they let more air in because of the filter design and they trap smaller particals makeing the charge cleaner alowing the fuel and air to mix better , thus creating more power. Go to the k$n site for the breakdown of the physical and tecnological aspecs , along with volumetric efficencys for your given application . one such mathmatical equasion would be ,cubic inch X rpm divided by 3456 , multiplied by 85 percent ( for street , 110 prcnt race) will give you cubic feet per minit ( cfm )

Answer 2

I didn't do a before/after test with a dyno to see if it increased horsepower, but it certainly gave me 3-5mpg more range. My Hayabusa can (and I emphasize _can_) get past 52mpg now and before it would hang out at about 48mpg.

One problem I see is how much of a pain it is to deal with it. You have to get a special solvent to clean off the old filter oil and then reoil it. I don't know if these are absolutely required though.

That means instead of just pulling out the old filter, throwing it away and putting a new one in, you have to take out the K&N, blow out the filter with an air hose, pick out all the dead bugs and other debris (not required but hey), spray it with the solution which cuts the oil, let it sit, wash out the solvent, let it dry, and then oil it again.

I think it's a toss up really. If I were in your place, I might not go with the K&N a second time. Still, I do a lot of touring (56k in two years) and it does save a bit on gas so it's still a 50/50 chance.

Answer 3

Noticeably? No. They are good because you tend to clean them more since they don't have to be replaced. Have you checked the price of a stock one? It isn't far off! Using a dyno to test them, some stock air filters actually give a hint better power. Are you after power? This isn't the way to go for it. Are you asking if it is worth it to buy one? I use them, so I just clean and oil the thing and put it back in...walla, clean air filter. If you want to get the most power on a modern sport bike you can also remove the metal backfire screen on the stock one and put it back in. If you have a well tuned bike this gives a WEE bit more power according to thorough tests on my particular bike than the K&N. And I choose to run the K&N anyhoo.

Answer 4

Don't go with K&N there are cheaper better filters on the market these days, it is recommended to change your jetting but this may not be needed if you are not a hard out rider, if you are however then i would not only rejet but fit a sports pipe as well then you will really feel the difference, and if you are not in a dusty terrain i wouldnt bother oiling them either as it shortens the life of them and turns the dust into mud which can cause all sorts of problems, if oiling i would recomend cleaning regular too

Answer 5

No. Notice that nobody provided a dyno chart.
Jetting your bike correctly if it is lean is the best way to ensure crisp performance.

You couldn't give me an aftermarket air filter.

Answer 6

In conjunction with re-jetting, the increase in air flow + additional fuel will give a mild increase in power. Do not expect a huge difference. One nice thing about the K+N is you can use it for years.

Answer 7

K&N filters do increase the horsepower because it lets more air in. This also means the filter will not catch as much particles as other filters. And I have no clue how much damage that will do to your engine in the long run.

Answer 8

I use them on all my race bikes, BUT it is not a cure all.
Re jetting is usually required.
Change stock exhaust system, re jet, and bike will perform better,
Ask yourself if spending 400 to 700 bucks is worth the price before you go crazy.
I would rather see you spend the same amount of cash on a kick butt paint job.

Answer 9

Yes and No. It really boils down to your air box design and what type of element your using already. I have used them and I seem to get 1 more mile to the gallon as for power 1 or 2 h.p. respectively or 0. Proper way of doing it ""use clamp on style air filters with stage 3 jetting""

Answer 10

If youre talking motocross then DONT BUY ONE!!! More air does get through them but guess what else goes with it! I bought one and it lets a lot more dust into the carb. They are bad new if you ask me. Not worth the money! buy a good foam filter and clean it often. its the best way to go.