oil filters
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,139
Likes: 11,206
From: San Diego, CA
Just a big FWIW.....
The Hiflo Filtro filters are a very high quality filter... I get them for about $11 each on Amazon.. There is at least one well respected performance shop that I am aware of, that uses them as their shop preferred oil filter...
Hiflo Filtro is probably the largest PowerSports filter manufacturer in the world.
Their filters are TÜV approved, which means they meet the standards of the German Equipment and Product Safety Act. Supposedly, Hiflo Filtro are the only ones making TÜV approved filters.
I suspect the Hiflo Filtro oil filters are made to a higher quality specification than those spec'd by Harley to their oil filter manufacturer.... just call it a hunch.. In the past, HD has proven that some of their part's quality could be labelled "just good enough to get it through the warranty period"..
Am I saying that HD filters aren't capable of properly filtering HD engines... of course not... but if for the same money you could get a better filter, why not..?
The Hiflo Filtro filters are a very high quality filter... I get them for about $11 each on Amazon.. There is at least one well respected performance shop that I am aware of, that uses them as their shop preferred oil filter...
Hiflo Filtro is probably the largest PowerSports filter manufacturer in the world.
Their filters are TÜV approved, which means they meet the standards of the German Equipment and Product Safety Act. Supposedly, Hiflo Filtro are the only ones making TÜV approved filters.
I suspect the Hiflo Filtro oil filters are made to a higher quality specification than those spec'd by Harley to their oil filter manufacturer.... just call it a hunch.. In the past, HD has proven that some of their part's quality could be labelled "just good enough to get it through the warranty period"..
Am I saying that HD filters aren't capable of properly filtering HD engines... of course not... but if for the same money you could get a better filter, why not..?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 3,257
Likes: 3,710
From: oxford, pa
I think hattitude covered it pretty well, I personally go with the K&N because they are carried by my local Autozone, they are a quality filter, and the 17mm nut on the end makes them pretty much fool proof
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,139
Likes: 11,206
From: San Diego, CA
Because...
There are some that are just as good, if not better, and the same price and/or cheaper than OEM.....
That's above and beyond any convenience factors, like local vendors and/or online sales..
IMHO....
If you've been riding Harleys as long as I have (since mid 70s), especially in the last 10 years, it has become obvious that the decisions made by the MoCo are strictly made for shareholder profit.... That rarely leads to the "best" part being made, and it more often leads to a "just good enough part"....
That's just the nature of a publicly traded company in today's world...
Love him or hate him, when Willie G. Davidson retired (2012), and there was no one left at MoCo corporate who's name was on the marquee, the mentality of the MoCo switched. Then President and Chief Executive Officer since 2009, Keith Wandell, was the first outsider to ever run the company... The corporate mentality took over BIG time with the exit of Willie G ...
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 11,531
Likes: 8,368
From: Inland NW
I have no issues with OE. There was an availability issue for a while, and I have always had great luck with WIX over my career, and in many vehicles so I was buying them by the case when they were cheap.
I now have to use the shorter filter because of my DynaTrack, and the K&N, S&S, Wix, and Amsoil are the filters that I use. I just don't let them go beyond 3500-4000. Usually just do the change at 3K
I now have to use the shorter filter because of my DynaTrack, and the K&N, S&S, Wix, and Amsoil are the filters that I use. I just don't let them go beyond 3500-4000. Usually just do the change at 3K
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 5,465
Likes: 6,325
From: pacific northwest
I use the OEM, they are reasonably priced, when I had my BMW the OEM was 23 bucks in 2014, the Motorcraft FL910S I use for my Ford Fusion had the same specs for 4 bucks, ran them on the BMW.
I also always prime my oil filters when changing so the pressure comes up faster.
I also always prime my oil filters when changing so the pressure comes up faster.
Last edited by MRFREEZE57; Jul 14, 2022 at 11:38 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,673
Likes: 2,073
From: Massachusetts
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,139
Likes: 11,206
From: San Diego, CA
The date on that article is 2022, however, I think it may have some old info...
I'm still looking for the article, and the K&N tech bulletin issued I think around 2016.... I thought I saved them, but can't seem to find them...
It was about 6-8 years ago, K&N changed the manufacturer of their oil filters that used to be made by Hiflo Filtro.
It was noticed on another forum I read, in a 2018 thread, that the K&N oil filter quality seemed to have gotten worse. It was brought up that K&N changed vendors for their Harley oil filters. In the thread, a guy posted a response from K&N explaining their filters will differ ,"based on the vendor used". The thread showed a Hiflo Filtro K&N and a newer version of the K&N.. The newer version had an "A" stamped on it, red filter element, and 6 holes v the Hiflo Filtro K&N with 8 holes.
That's when I switched to Hiflo Filtro from using K&N. I got spoiled by the 17mm nut on the end... I actually had a new & old K&N filter in my parts cabinet... I didn't take a pic of the two showing the difference... but this pic is from the other forum thread, showing the change in K&N Harley oil filters..
The Hiflo Filtro K&N is on the left and the newer (2017/2018 era) K&N is on the right... the one on the left looks the exact same as the Hiflo Filtro oil filters I now use.
Sorry for the 2nd/3rd hand info that I can't back up.... I'm hoping someone else knows of the article/history about K&N filters I am referencing...
Note: I haven't bought a K&N filter in 4 or 5 years, so if the current K&Ns look like the one on the left, they may have gone back to Hiflo Filtro oil filters...
Last edited by hattitude; Jul 15, 2022 at 12:17 PM.