Hi there and Happy Fathers Day weekend.

SE Heavy Breather Rain Sock? Is this cover really necessary?

 

You absolutely can saturate a K&N style filter.

I use one. I've dumped WAY to much time and money into my motor to skimp on a $20 bit of DryCharger material. With that said though: I also ride the brakes off my bike, rain or shine. Unless it's hail or ice, I'm riding.

Ever see the head or crankcase of a hydrolock'ed motor? Ever had a sudden and large oil leak at speed, in the rain, right in front of your rear tire? "Catastrophic engine failure" and "right between my legs" are two phrases I hope to never have to combine.

Admittedly, I'm being a bit dramatic - but the filter industry spent a lot to R&D those things, and it damn sure ain't for looks. The way I see it - if I'm putting rain gear on, my bike oughta have a little extra also.

 

I don't have the se breather, but I figure it will keep the bugs out of the filter and it's cheap insurance if I get stuck in the rain.

 

I use mine year round.

 

I keep mine on all the time too.

 

I would call a rain sock more of a prefilter then a water stopper. If it could stop the rain from getting in the filter it would also be air tight to and stop the air.
With that said my answer is they are not needed .

 

K&N makes a "Pre" Charger as well as a "Dry" Charger. They are two different products. DryChargers were originally designed for marine applications, and also serve as a spark arrestor.

Water tight and air tight are very different things. Water molecules are considerably larger than air (generally speaking) - that's how things like Gore-Tex can breath hot air out and keep water from getting in.

 

I like them because they keep the filter cleaner longer.

 

To reiterate others comments; the rain sock isn't just for looks. It is important. It is, for the most part, impermeable to water but air flows freely through it.

I, on the other hand, only use mine with possible or during inclement weather.