Is an air cleaner the same thing as an air fliter, or is an air cleaner maen the filter and intake? I am trying to figure out what is all included in stage 1, and want to be sure i understand the terminology.

Big Sucker, KN, etc are just the filter changes, or the whole air intake?

 

The air cleaner that comes stock on your bike should be replaced with a new back plate and filter with your new hi-flow air cleaner purchase.
A screamin eagle hi-flow air cleaner comes with a new back plate and filter.
Same with arlen ness products.
SEII and some Arlen Ness backplates take the carb mist and send it back into the carb intake. Some people like that and some dont. For the people who dont, they can get something like a forcewinder which has a tube and a filter for the oil mist.....


So.. air cleaner to me means filter and backplate or the whole assembly.

 

I think most folks on here define the high flow "a/c" as the filter itself and whatever backplate assembly pieces need to go with it. For instance, your not going to really find a high flowing replacement filter for your stock air cleaner setup that would fall under a Stage 1 upgrade.

Your Stage 1 Kit will include a filter and whatever else needs to replace your stock set up.

Whiff

 

The air cleaner is the whole assembly. The air filter is just the element that actually filters the incoming air. The HD Stage I and Ness Big Sucker are complete high flow air cleaner assemblies with a new air filter.

Some incorrectly refer to the air cleaner as a "breather". The "breather" is the crankcase breather that lets gases from inside the engine escape, preventing pressure buildup.

 

hey bro, where u get your cover for you airfilter at?

 

When we say air cleaner, we are referring to the entire assembly, not just the filter. Some people have previously gotten the impression that they can change the stock filter to a K&N filter and have a high-flow a/c. That is simply not the case. If you want stage 1, buy an entire stage 1 air cleaner kit which includes a backing plate, filter, and installation hardware. Popular kits are made by HD (SE Stage 1), Arlen Ness (Big Sucker), K&N stage 1, Kuryakyn Hyperchargers, and S&S. Of course there are many others as well.