Stock Air Cleaner
Banned
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,580
Likes: 7
From: The Internet (& Dyer, Indiana)
It would be a waste of money, time and effort to retune a bike with such an air restriction on it. Remaps cost money. If you want gain, you need to let the motor breath.
It's already been proven so very many times, that the cheapest gain-per-dollar is the air cleaner, pipes and tune combo. Let more air in, let more air out, compensate the fuel for the added ability to breath. Very noticeable gain. After that the upgrades "dollar per gain" ratio starts to increase.
You may get your bike to run a lil cooler by remapping a stock air filter, but u very likely won't notice a gain. You will notice a loss of mileage though! LOL
It's already been proven so very many times, that the cheapest gain-per-dollar is the air cleaner, pipes and tune combo. Let more air in, let more air out, compensate the fuel for the added ability to breath. Very noticeable gain. After that the upgrades "dollar per gain" ratio starts to increase.
You may get your bike to run a lil cooler by remapping a stock air filter, but u very likely won't notice a gain. You will notice a loss of mileage though! LOL
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 530
Likes: 2
From: Hereford, Arizona
I guess it's just hard for me to believe the stock filter is marginal and restricting flow. If it were then every mile I drive the bike it would be loosing performance because of dirt in the filter.
I've got 7500 miles on my bike and the performance feels every bit as good as the day I bought it.
BTW, the stock filter is cleanable and reuseable. At least according to the service manual.
I've got 7500 miles on my bike and the performance feels every bit as good as the day I bought it.
BTW, the stock filter is cleanable and reuseable. At least according to the service manual.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 530
Likes: 2
From: Hereford, Arizona
I found something I hadn't noticed before and it got me to thinking. The actual stock air filter element (the football one) measures 21 1/2 (circumference) x 1 1/16 (wide) filter area.
Now that's a fair amount of breathing room considering the plastic backplates intake holes (3 of them) measure a total of 5x1"! No wonder the filter gets starved.
I think by taking a dremel and opening up 2 large holes on the backside of the plastic backplate will free up the breathing part of things. Poor mans Stage 1.
Cost nada...
Now all I have to do before I do that is go to Fuel Moto and order that darned TTS Mastertune system.
Now that's a fair amount of breathing room considering the plastic backplates intake holes (3 of them) measure a total of 5x1"! No wonder the filter gets starved.
I think by taking a dremel and opening up 2 large holes on the backside of the plastic backplate will free up the breathing part of things. Poor mans Stage 1.
Cost nada...
Now all I have to do before I do that is go to Fuel Moto and order that darned TTS Mastertune system.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 733
Likes: 1
From: Southern Maryland for now
Dustable (not really a word but you get my point) I will agree but for how long. As far as opening up the back side for more air flow. Sure I have used a 1/2 inch whole saw to pop a vents in other bikes I have owned. To each their own. You have been on the forum long enough to know that HD's run super lean out of the show room. If you want your bike running cooler and more efficient then get a proper stage one done or a tuner/K&N/pipes. If it is about saving money leave it alone cuz the paper filter is very restrictive. My two cent and that means about shat!
Trending Topics
Banned
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,580
Likes: 7
From: The Internet (& Dyer, Indiana)
I found something I hadn't noticed before and it got me to thinking. The actual stock air filter element (the football one) measures 21 1/2 (circumference) x 1 1/16 (wide) filter area.
Now that's a fair amount of breathing room considering the plastic backplates intake holes (3 of them) measure a total of 5x1"! No wonder the filter gets starved.
I think by taking a dremel and opening up 2 large holes on the backside of the plastic backplate will free up the breathing part of things. Poor mans Stage 1.
Cost nada...
Now all I have to do before I do that is go to Fuel Moto and order that darned TTS Mastertune system.
Now that's a fair amount of breathing room considering the plastic backplates intake holes (3 of them) measure a total of 5x1"! No wonder the filter gets starved.
I think by taking a dremel and opening up 2 large holes on the backside of the plastic backplate will free up the breathing part of things. Poor mans Stage 1.
Cost nada...
Now all I have to do before I do that is go to Fuel Moto and order that darned TTS Mastertune system.
I am stunned that you would spend money on a TTS and not spend any on a free flowing air filter.
Why did you bother coming here and asking the question, only to block out every single response? I don't get it.
Save your TTS money and go buy some furniture or something, Sheash!
(The performance thing ain't gonna work out for you, I can see that already).
Better off sticking with something you stand a chance at. Ever try knitting?
.
Last edited by Faast Ed; Oct 16, 2009 at 09:00 PM.
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Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 530
Likes: 2
From: Hereford, Arizona
I didn't know I could block responses, and even if I could I wouldn't.
I guess my premise from the beginning was that the stock air cleaner is plenty big and flows plenty of air. Why would they make such a large filter and have a tiny air intake? That's crazy, in fact that inlet is actually 4 1/2x1". Just for the hell of it I took my ShopVac and hooked it up to the inlet of the filter, plugged all of the mounting holes, etc. with masking tape and turned on the vac. There was NO difference in RPM on the motor as I stuck it to the filter and removed it. If the filter was restrictive the RPM's of the vac motor would have increased. I just don't believe that the stock filter is a piece of junk. I do think that the stock intake housing is a joke.
I'm not trying to be a wise *** here. I'm asking for anyone in the know if the stock system will work (modified).
I'm also aware that EVERYONE upgrades their air filters, but again why would MOCO make one that is restrictive to begin with. As I stated previously if the filter was marginal bike performance would immediately start dropping off from dirt ingestion.
When I pulled the filter tonight and saw the really tiny air intake I knew that was the problem, not the filter. Think about it, small intake hole large filter area means as the filter gets dirty there's more than enough area to handle it.
I'm not trying to be cheap believe me. In fact I have my eye on the new Ventilator air cleaner that comes on the 2010 CVO's. But given how times are hard I'm looking for a way to save some coin.
Now really convince me that the stock filter can't flow enough air for a 96" motor.
I guess my premise from the beginning was that the stock air cleaner is plenty big and flows plenty of air. Why would they make such a large filter and have a tiny air intake? That's crazy, in fact that inlet is actually 4 1/2x1". Just for the hell of it I took my ShopVac and hooked it up to the inlet of the filter, plugged all of the mounting holes, etc. with masking tape and turned on the vac. There was NO difference in RPM on the motor as I stuck it to the filter and removed it. If the filter was restrictive the RPM's of the vac motor would have increased. I just don't believe that the stock filter is a piece of junk. I do think that the stock intake housing is a joke.
I'm not trying to be a wise *** here. I'm asking for anyone in the know if the stock system will work (modified).
I'm also aware that EVERYONE upgrades their air filters, but again why would MOCO make one that is restrictive to begin with. As I stated previously if the filter was marginal bike performance would immediately start dropping off from dirt ingestion.
When I pulled the filter tonight and saw the really tiny air intake I knew that was the problem, not the filter. Think about it, small intake hole large filter area means as the filter gets dirty there's more than enough area to handle it.
I'm not trying to be cheap believe me. In fact I have my eye on the new Ventilator air cleaner that comes on the 2010 CVO's. But given how times are hard I'm looking for a way to save some coin.
Now really convince me that the stock filter can't flow enough air for a 96" motor.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 285
Likes: 3
From: Parkton,MD.
Why would you ask such a stupid question? If you wanted to save money why didn't you buy a Sportster? A K&N Filter isn't that expensive and if you want a little more performance that is the way to go. To spend money on a Dyno run and a Sert System?????? Also when you ask a question on the Forum why do you dispute the opinions of riders who take the time and effort to reply.