I'm still on the fence about these reusable filters. It would be nice if someone could come up with a test to just see how a standard Harley filter and a stainless steel filter actually compare.
Maybe drain the oil in a mechanically sound bike, agitate it somehow to fully mix any particulates in to oil, split the sample and under normal Harley oil pressures run it thru (a single pass) both and compare the size of the particulates each allowed thru. Maybe run the test using oil from 5-10 bikes and post the average.
To me, that is the only way this argument could be put to rest.
Or run the oil and filter for 5000 miles and send a sample to Blackstone for analysis and a particle count for $42
Compare to the same bike with the regular HD Sportster oil filter.
LOL I use to use paper coffee filters and now use a reusable coffee filter so I don't have to buy and change filter every time I need to make coffee. It is a convenience...no need to test to see which filters coffee better or how much you will save on filters.
The point is....it is a personal choice how and what you do to care for your ride. No need to trash the other methods, just justify your "preferred" choice.
FWIW I run one on my sporty. the local Indie mechanic also runs a Harley rental service and runs them on all of his bikes. I've never had any issues with mine, never leaked and I havnt seen any difference in the dirty oil when I change it. I payed $102 with the thought being that I will have this bike until I cant ride any longer. It's also touted to keep the oil temps down slightly which is a bonus although ive never confirmed for myself. @DK Custom could probably through down some facts for us all
I do like the idea that it could help cool the oil a bit, even if its a minor temp drop, ill take it.
We sell them because we use them. Not the other way around.
We test thousands of products, and end up using and selling very few of them.
From our website-
As stated on our Home Page, since Day One- "We're dedicated to enhancing Your Riding Experience."
We do that by designing and manufacturing Quality Motorcycle Parts, right here in the USA.
From Concept to Production, our parts are Street Developed & Street Tested on our own Harley's.
If it's on our website, it's because it's a product we use ourselves and have confidence in recommending it!
We understand there are many companies that make/sell parts for Harley's that don't ride or really care about riding....we are not one of them.
hmmm, I may be sold on the running cooler part. In AZ looking for whatever extra cooling I can get. Although had to break out the chaps at 46° this morning. But mid summer in 107 that would certainly be helpful.
There's alotta good info and opinions here, thanks to everyone for pitching in. Sounds like, to a degree, it really comes down to personal preference. As far as the price argument goes, yeah the reusable filters are more spendy, but in the long run the cost of disposables are much higher, if your running a bike you intend to rack up high miles on, like me and my sporty. I change my oil every 1-2k miles, so id see the return quicker than most. (Before anyone comments on my frequent oil changes, I'm a believer in the statement "it doesn't matter what oil you run, as much as how often you change it". So I run high quality oil, and change it out way too often. Thats just me and I sleep easy at night, so to each their own lol)
Taking the time to clean the filter wouldnt bug me at all, and I have a machine shop, which means I have various cleaning chemicals and high pressure scrub washers, ultrasonic cleaners, degreasers, etc, so I know getting it CLEAN won't be an issue.
I also like the idea of the oil possibly running a bit cooler with a finned cover, though its hard to prove it would... Its a nice idea though.
Ill just have a chew on it for awhile, see where I land. Ill check out DK Customs stuff, and look into their research.
hmmm, I may be sold on the running cooler part. In AZ looking for whatever extra cooling I can get. Although had to break out the chaps at 46° this morning. But mid summer in 107 that would certainly be helpful.
I feel the same way, I'm always up for a decrease in oil temp! Even though my ride was in the low 30°s this morning lol
I feel the same way, I'm always up for a decrease in oil temp! Even though my ride was in the low 30°s this morning lol
The alum filter would add a little better heat transfer compared to the oil filter steel can.
The groves would add some surface area too.
Have you ever felt the temp of your oil filter when running in temps below 50 F?
My oil filter feels barely warm even when the oil temp in the tank is around 170F.
I have even considered covering my oil filter in cooler weather to see if I can get the oil temp up to around 200 F
11-13-2018, 08:24 AM
