SuperHawk Forum

SuperHawk Forum (https://www.superhawkforum.com/forums/)

- Modifications - Performance (https://www.superhawkforum.com/forums/modifications-performance-29/)

- - DAM K&N (https://www.superhawkforum.com/forums/modifications-performance-29/dam-k-n-35376/)

I acquired a K&N filter with my SH when I purchase it years ago. I, like many others, was never able to get it to run just right with it so I went with 8451 Hawks guidelines with an OEM filter and have loved it for over 30k miles. I've read everything from K&N's causing turbulence to slide flutter. What ever the cause, I was looking at my unused K&N, and was bored, I decided to fabricate a dam/baffle similar to what is part of the OEM filter. So now it's like the stocker in configuration. Only the element is different. I did a half dozen plug chops and settled on an additional .20 additional spacer under the OEM needles and a 1/4 turn out on the fuel screws and it seemed okay. I took 'er for a 320 mile test ride today. the ride was a combination of 215 hilly curves and a 105 mile of freeway. Going from sea level to 7350 ft. elevation and back. Temps varied from 59 - 93 degree. Amazingly I found no noticeable flat spots or other carburation glitches! It "seemed" to run better at all rev ranges and altitudes. When my local dyno ban (long story) is over I'll see what the reality is. Another plus is that that YLOD doesn't come on until about 115 mi. I do run a 19 liter tank. so I picked up about 10% better mileage. It's apparent that I'm running leaner, but it's barely detectable on the plugs after 6 readings on new plugs. I readying a set of extra head pipes with bungs for AFR readings out of each cylinder rather than the (mixed) tail pipes. So, Dam the K&N! It works, for me. I should mention that I have Two Brothers Head Pipes, Yosh slip-ons, Dr. Honda stacks, TPS @500 ohms, 48 pilots, 175 frt. & 178 rr. mains, Shimmed OEM needles with 2 lift holes in stock slides.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaryDG (Post 410314)

Good work and great write up. But i need to know more about this dyno ban....... sounds like a good story!

Why did you post about your dyno ban and waste all the space talking about carb set-ups and air filters?

Click bait.

VTRsquid, I got temporarily banned from the local dyno because myself, and a couple of other old guys, were paying the guy who ran the dyno a few bucks to let us test the tuning of our bikes. The problem was that we could only do it when the business owner was out of town. Well, long story endless, he got caught trying to retrieve some printouts for us and the owner got rather pissed and rightfully so. He missed out on a lot of chargeable hours @ $150 per hour. The group got together and pleaded with the owner to let him keep his job. He bought it with the conditions that we could not use his dyno until we paid for all the hours we had used! In fact he asked us not to step foot on the premises until we did. I don't know about the others, but since 2016 I've used at least 20 hours! Do the math.
VTR1000F, ….NVM

Yikes! Thats quite an obligation.

Lol, that's expensive dyno time. It is what it is though right.

I ran a K&N for years with great results. Never wrote down what I did exactly to the carbs, next time I'm in there I'll have to. I posted here but don't feel like spending hours of my time trying to search for it. Like mentioned, I was tickled for years, then I went and set the TPS near 500 and it took a turn for the worse. Can't explain why, but I ended up buying a HiFlo brand filter and slapping it in. I got a little better, so I backed the tps off to about 520 and left it there. One of these days I'll get back to the K&N.

I've used K&N filters on all sorts of vehicles...in the beginning I found I was being to anal retentive and cleaning them too often...seem to need a bit of restriction to work properly, otherwise jet like you're not running any filters at all...

Quote:

Originally Posted by YMRacing (Post 410347)

The only time I use K&N with any luck is if I soak it in ATF and let it drip over night. Periodically clean I it with soap and water. I have known many people to drop them in with no oil, or to oil the hell out of them and drop them right in expecting performance and miracles. That being said, if I find a used cheap one I can be tempted to run it.

AV

Mine is fitted with a K&N after setting up professionally with a several dyno runs and rejetting way back in 2001 - since then just needed every couple of years servicing with a cleaner spray and reoiling with recommnded oil.

https://www.knfilters.com/cleaning.htm

Yup, I run K&Ns in all my street vehicles (5) and now in my SH. A little pricey at the outset but way worth it in the long run. Treat them as they are designed and I can go lots of miles between services. Even when they appear dirty they still flow great.

Very interesting, I use 8451Hawk setup with the OEM filter and I am very happy with it! I did read that K&N never worked well, I guess you solved it ;-)

Yeah I had good luck ditching the pipercross filter my bike came with in favour of an OEM. Its got smooth torque all over the place now. Pretty sure my bike was dealer fitted with the Yoshi pipes and jetted as a package. Seems like a lot of unnecessary agro trying to rejett a bike for an extra 5hp through trial and error unless you enjoy the process.

I too have had K&N in many bikes, and I put one in my VTR when I first bought it, and before I read that it would be a bad idea. My VTR runs beautifully, super smooth idle and pick-up, completely glitch-free. I have reset the TPS to 500, carbs are stock, I have gutted stock mufflers and I do my own carb balancing regularly.

So any pics of your custom air dams/ spacers / setup? Sounds tuned to the job.

I have a k&n laying around that of course didn't ever work right.

Smokinjoe, I'll shoot some pics of my dam tonight and post them.

And yes, VTR tanks can be tilted without disconnecting any lines. Makes it easy to service, sync, pull carbs Etc.

And don't try it with more than a half tank of fuel!