Is an open air cleaner necessary with a Stage 1 kit? I have an`02 RK with an open air cleaner and never had a problem with rain. Thinking about a `15 Triglide in the fall and would like to keep the air cleaner housing stock. Is their a free flowing air cleaner I could use for the stock housing?

 

I believe the Ness "Big Sucker" does. You might also check the Harley SE version, as the one I used on a previous bike did.
Open; as exposed? If that's what you mean, then no.

 

Leave your stock filter as is. Anything below 4K will not matter and how often do you run a Harley up there. (take a look at just small the actual throttle body is just behind the butterfly) The Hoover vac sound is not power.

 

Not necessary...you can also swap air filter element to K&N for better flow...

 

Disagree, just look at the dyno charts, the screaming eagle catalog is a good source. from about 2200 rpms the stage 1 shows better power quickly gaining 5 ft pounds then 10 or more by 3500

along with the other parts of a "stage 1" you will see typical gain of 7 to 10 horsepower.

the best bang for buck is the Ness big sucker, get the chrome backing plate version, about $125 on ebay from easternpc.
this is an easier install than the SE, better value and has washable, reusable oiled filter media.
Re-Uses your stock air cleaner cover.

aside from the filter media, the meat and potatoes of a high flow air cleaner is a velocity stack or air horn cast into the backing plate- this ensures high flow, high velocity- into the "small" ( I';d say just right) throttle body


but unless you are changing to an open exhaust and getting some kinda tuning compensation - you don't have to change air cleaners...the stock air cleaner on the '14 models do flow better than earlier- about 15% H-D says- that may be fine as is.

We can expect the '15 triglide model to be similar to the 14- which has twin-cooling, cams and higher compression than the aircooled 103"
check back in if you do get the new ride


mike

 

mk, not sure why you fill the need to take the tin man approach and quote me with you opinion. There is a lot more things to consider then a few more HP, for a Tour bike. If you want to hopefully run a high mileage life tour bike with a filter that if you hold up to a light and can read news print thru, fine. Express you opinion. But you need to allow others to express theirs. I have one of those oil slinging SE setups with a window screen filters that sounds like a Hoover vacuum cleaner on mine. If I rode like I use to and put 40K in the dust, rain and such ever few years, I sure would not have it on there. I cannot measure the time difference from 0-60 mph on my Deuce between the stock filter and the SE one. Sure is less then a second. However I agree it sounds faster and in my opinion, looks a lot better. My term small was a figure of speech in reference to the equally small but similar opening size in the factory air filter case opening that feeds it. The actually fan folded filter media it probably 10 times over the actual flow rate of the throttle body opening.

 

You expressed an opinion.
I'm not taking a shot at you, but the opinion expressed runs counter to published dyno chart comparisons of torque and HP at rpms below 4K
( source Screaming Eagle Catalog)


"small" when used to describe an intake or exhaust tract may be be misleading- a larger tract may have less velocity.
So a tract needs to be sized correctly to provide good air velocity for fuel mixing and for cylinder fill.
just as a 1000 CFM carb won't work well on a 350 chevy, too large an intake won't work on our motors, we need our motors to work well thru the entire rpm range


To touch on the air cleaner thing, the filter media is only part of that, a reusable oiled filter media may do a better job of cleaning the air while still allowing high flow. so becomes a better value.

but the most crucial component of a high flow air cleaner is a velocity stack or air horn, this will help the air do a 90ş turn and flow into the intake faster and cleaner, less turbulence and eddy currents.

oil slinging; over a dozen SE ( they used to use K&N) and Ness conversions and still no problems. my highest mileage head breather was a '95 FLHTC at 82K when I sold it.
this is subject to many factors, some out of the owners control- but I use stock spec oils, that may help.

Harleys of the past 30 years have used compliant air cleaner housings- and stock produced between 45 (CA Evos) to 68 HP ( 103's).
to get 7 or 10 HP by allowing more flow through the motor is a huge, inexpensive power gain.

The difference can be felt and is of use in canyon or city riding- that 5 ft lbs torque coming on at 2500 rpms or so is right where needed- and if you are running at 4k, the 10 ft lb gain is there to pull a grade.

If noise is an issue- maybe some of the pleated medias are noisier than the cloth type I use. I generally ride with thigh to the tank and that blocks higher frequency noise.

years ago hot bike did a really cool air cleaner comparo, as I recall the numbers were like this

Bare carb intake 98 CFM
cupped hand 115 CFM ( the hand acted as would a velocity stack)
stock 138 CFM
kuryakyn hype-charger 152 CFM
SE 240 CFM ( I think this was the old evo version with the plastic velocity horn and K&N)
Ness 250 CFM ( cast VH and K&N)

Zipper air horn 400 CFM (no filtering)


Most of the high flow air cleaners will flow more than our motors will ever demand

Mike

 

An S&S classic teardrop is basically a closed filter. Draws air from the back. What sets it apart from anything else, is the radiused inlet back plate and the stinger cone on the cover.

This design is proven to add power while keeping the filter element cleaner longer. It also helps reduce the oil mist drips from the breathers onto the filter element, due to smoother air flow.

 

New, fuel injected, computer controlled engines run just fine stock. The days of "piping & jetting" Harleys to get them to run decently have been over for a long long time. These days, unless at a racetrack...a waste of money with minimal results...it's all just hype and peer pressure.