How to Change your Harley Davidson’s Air Filter

The Harley Davidson air filters
on your motorcycle is a crucial part of the air intake system in your
bike. The air that’s brought into the engine is used to combine with the
gasoline in your motorcycle to create combustible fuel. If the air
that is mixed with the gasoline isn’t pure or of the right consistency
and quality, the fuel will be of a lower quality as well. The result is
that the engine will not run as smoothly, and you’ll likely need to
change the air filter. The air filter on your motorcycle cleans out the
air and makes sure that it is of high enough quality to be used in the
combustion process. Your air filter should be changed every 3000 miles
if you drive under normal conditions, or more frequently if you drive in
a place with poor air quality.

Step 1 — Gather the Materials

You’ll need the following tools and materials to replace the air filter in your Harley:

• New air filter element for the exact type of motorcycle you have
• Screwdrivers of various sizes
• Wrenches of various sizes
• Vehicle mount (optional)

Step 2 — Prepare the Bike

Before you can replace the air filter, there are a few things that
you’ll need to do quickly in order to prepare the motorcycle itself.
First, park the motorcycle in a space that is open and has plenty of
room for you to work in. Make sure that the motorcycle engine has been
off for at least a few hours, as this will ensure that the air filter
and the surrounding parts of the engine are cool and that they won’t
burn you or cause other damage as well. Finally, if you wish, you can
mount up the portion of your motorcycle that has the engine (in most
cases, this is the back of the bike). This may make it easier to work,
but is not entirely mandatory.

Step 3 — Locate and Remove the Old Air Filter

To put in a clean air filter to your bike’s engine, you’ll first need
to locate the air-filter housing. The housing is the protective casing
that holds the air filter element, which is the item that the air passes
through on its way to the engine. The air filter housing is located
adjacent to the engine along the air intake tube. Locate the engine and
find the air intake tube to the side of it. At the base of the tube is
the housing.

You’ll need to use your screwdrivers and wrenches to undo the various
clips and retainer pieces that hold the air intake housing system shut
at all time. Be sure to keep track of the screws and bolts that you
remove, as you’ll need them shortly. Open up the housing and locate the
air filter element, which you should be able to remove by hand.

Step 4 — Replace the Air Filter

You’ll next need to replace the air filter housing element by hand.
Simply place the new element into the section of the housing where the
old one was previously situated. This will then click into place. Be
sure that it’s secure before you close up the housing once again and
attach all of the bolts and retainer clips back into place. Check the
engine to be sure that it runs smoothly and idles properly.

The parts necessary for this job are available at most hardware and
motorcycle repair shops. Ask a professional for additional advice or
tips.