Air filter replacement question

[Mister Tee]

Okay I have 15K on my bike and I'm going to have to pull the fairings off to tighten the header bolts.  Does it make any sense to put a new air filter in there while I have it stripped, rather than wait for the specified interval?

[Tactical_Mik]

with the right combo of tools you wouldn't have to take plastic off to tighten those pesky nuts.  It would be considerably easier to do go ahead and remove them though.  The air filter isn't that expensive and there would no real reason not to change it while you are in there.  You might want to check your radiator and overflow bottle while you are at it.

[DenverC-14]

Might as well since you'll have the plastics off. I have a K&N and it works quite well. Clean it once a year typically ~15k miles.

[Son of Pappy]

Yep, do it.  Although not a bank breaker, they aint giving them away, I decided to go with a reusuable (BMC from Fuelmoto) and clean it everytime I have the tuperware off.  I'll be doing mine tonight, if I remember I'll even snap pics just to see how nasty it is.

[DenverC-14]

Yep, do it.  Although not a bank breaker, they aint giving them away, I decided to go with a reusuable (BMC from Fuelmoto) and clean it everytime I have the tuperware off.  I'll be doing mine tonight, if I remember I'll even snap pics just to see how nasty it is.

I cleaned mine last weekend and it was full of bugs, as usual. The way the intake runners are on our bike, it seems to just sucks bugs in, or perhaps it's just how/where I ride(?) Didn't take any pics of it though.

[stevewfl]

I change my filters whenever the mood strikes and not when the manual says.  proof:

Here's what mine looks like after serving for > 23,000 miles. Bike running fine, no loss of MPG or performance



And here was the new gift to my bike

[Tarheelbob]

Here's mine at 20,700 miles:

[Shoe]

If you have the plastic off you might want to consider changing the anti freeze if it hasn't been changed in 2 years.

[B.D.F.]

Once the left / mid fairings are off, it is pretty easy to remove the air filter cover and the air filter itself- so if your filter has 15K miles on it and you are already there, I would suggest removing it to take a look. You can buy an air filter in advance and then decide to replace it or not or you could look at the filter and buy one if you need it; the only real difference is $30 or so and having to wait a week for the filter itself (assuming you will use an OEM replacement filter). I have changed my filter twice, at 25K intervals and both times I probably let it go too far- I have one coming in this week and will change it again at 73K miles. Betcha' it is pretty dirty. 

Brian

Okay I have 15K on my bike and I'm going to have to pull the fairings off to tighten the header bolts.  Does it make any sense to put a new air filter in there while I have it stripped, rather than wait for the specified interval?

[C1xRider]

Hmm, shameless dirty air filter posts!  OK, here's mine at 15K.  It probably could have gone a little longer, but I had a new K&N and, well ...

[wally_games]

How long does it take to change the filter? Do you HAVE to pull bodywork? At 5k, I don't think mine is ready for a change, but wouldn't mind checking it out. Mine is a 2011.

[B.D.F.]

On an '08, maybe 20 minutes if you have had the fairings off at least twice before; the first time getting into the bike might take a while fumbling around. A second generation C-14 will be a little different due to the glovebox change and the relay location (you have to remove the relay mount on an early but not on a 2nd gen. bike).

Yes, you have to remove the left / mid fairing to get to the air filter.

How dirty it is depends entirely on the conditions you ride in mostly. Lots of riding on gravel roads or through road construction will get a filter dirty much faster than riding on relatively clean roads. 5K miles is not much though unless you typically ride in sandstorms and the filter should not be very dirty yet.    I check mine when the fairings are coming off anyway for other maintenance; I will change the air filter, the anti- freeze and check the throttle body balance during the next maintenance cycle.

Brian

How long does it take to change the filter? Do you HAVE to pull bodywork? At 5k, I don't think mine is ready for a change, but wouldn't mind checking it out. Mine is a 2011.

[Jeremy Mitchell]

I change my filters whenever the mood strikes and not when the manual says.  proof:

Here's what mine looks like after serving for > 23,000 miles. Bike running fine, no loss of MPG or performance

Hey Steve, how much did you end up selling your dirty filter on ebay for?  Last I saw the bid was at $15.  You must've gotten at least $35 or $40 for it.   

[B.D.F.]

It could be worth that though- it is only the one side that is dirty, right? And air filters are like underwear and you can turn them around for a little more use, right?  So Steve's air filter has one more good side to use....

If Japan can have three [leg hole], six- day underwear, why can't they have a double sided air filter? http://www.longview-group.com/LIBRARY-documents/Newsletters/08APR-sightingsCLR.pdf

Brian

Hey Steve, how much did you end up selling your dirty filter on ebay for?  Last I saw the bid was at $15.  You must've gotten at least $35 or $40 for it.   

[ZG]

It could be worth that though- it is only the one side that is dirty, right? And air filters are like underwear and you can turn them around for a little more use, right?  So Steve's air filter has one more good side to use....

If Japan can have three [leg hole], six- day underwear, why can't they have a double sided air filter? http://www.longview-group.com/LIBRARY-documents/Newsletters/08APR-sightingsCLR.pdf

Brian

 

[stevewfl]

I should've listed that filter on ebay =)

[Conrad]

snip...

And air filters are like underwear and you can turn them around for a little more use, right?  So Steve's air filter has one more good side to use....

If Japan can have three [leg hole], six- day underwear, why can't they have a double sided air filter? http://www.longview-group.com/LIBRARY-documents/Newsletters/08APR-sightingsCLR.pdf

Brian

I tried that Brian, but having the skid mark in the front was a little unsightly.   

[VirginiaJim]

I tried that Brian, but having the skid mark in the front was a little unsightly.   

My wife didn't think dual use undies were a good idea, either.  I've tried to convince her but, nada.  On the bright side, my grandson (independently I might add) tried that tact on his mom.  It didn't work, but made me extremely proud of him.

[C1xRider]

How long does it take to change the filter? Do you HAVE to pull bodywork? At 5k, I don't think mine is ready for a change, but wouldn't mind checking it out. Mine is a 2011.

wally_games,

You can see what I wrote up on changing the filter on my 2010 here : http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2844.msg32812#msg32812

Hopefully that helps.

[Mister Tee]

Anyway, I did end up stripping the bodywork per the manual and replacing the filter.  It was pretty gnarly after 15K and the bike ran noticeably better after the new one went in.

I could get -a- header tightened, but no combination of extensions and u-joint swivels would allow me to get a socket on either of the #2 header bolts.  #1 was loose, and I didn't bother to pull the bodywork off the right side to tackle #3 and #4.  I don't know if it solved the problem, but there is no way I'm getting the two inner pipes without pulling or moving the radiator and lower plastics.

Damn that bodywork is the worst I've EVER dealt with on a fairinged bike.  I don't know how you pull the upper side panel off and replace it without scratching the hell out of the lower fairing.