Hello everyone, just wanted to give my thought on the HD heavy breather intake system for people who were considering buying one.
I would rate the kit at 6-7/10 based on my opinions.

Coming out of the box the kit was well packaged and everything was secure as it should be. The instruction were a bit vague with a lot of little pieces that took me a while to organize but after a bit I understood what I was doing.
My first major complaint is that Harley did not supply a pair of Head Breather Bolts with the kit, and the instructions just simply state to reuse your stock ones which is very problematic since not everyone knows what "stock" looks like nor do they all have "stock" filters to begin with like yours truly. With the help of the forums and the dealer ship the next day I discovered the I had the "wrong" bolts in my old filter which happened to be the "right" bolts for the new kit "Harley its a ****ing $3 bolt, please include it in the damn kit"
My second complaint is that the air filter backing plate (a decorative item) is actually glued on to the back of the filter with a double sided adhesive tape gasket, thats very disappointing from a 350$ kit.
Lastly the performance that the Stealer was so vividly selling me on - there is none, or at least no benefit that i have noticed, (yes I know I'm a sucker!) and as for the looks - it looks better in the pictures, so in conclusion a waste of money thats going on CL to recoup looses
A review for the Performance Machine Max HP filter is coming as soon as I get done tearing their customer service a new one! thanks guys

 

what part number kit did you get, and what bike did it go on?

I have HB kit 29008-09B on my 14 Street Glide and have no complaints. I might complain about the chrome stick on trim piece for the back of the filter, but I dont like chrome and keep the rain sock on at all times. I dont know how you would attach the backing plate to a generic K&N filter that HD has sourced for the kit, but you could send your suggestions to them, maybe they would figure it out.

I felt that the instructions were spot on, including the part about the head bolts with a picture and a measurement to check ensuring that they are the correct bolts.

while I am sure that there are better performing intakes out there, this intake (in my eyes) performs and looks great. I personally feel it is in line for cost for comparable looks as well.

seems as if you are making a plug for PM Max HP filters in my eyes...

 

That's the thing the instructions that my kit came with dos not specify, meaning Harley never recalled the unsold kits to fix the instructions, I called the dealer and they said "ow BTW yea we had a few blown motors come in". Yea the Max HP isn't much better, I though money would buy you quality - just not the case with either

 

It's a high flow intake. What type of performance did you expect exactly? You said you didn't have a stock intake and air filter to begin with.

 

if you have a stock motor (or near stock), you are going to be wasting your time chasing air filters. fact is virtually all of the 'performance' air filters will flow more air than your engine needs. so it doesn't matter if air filter x flows 5cfm and air filter y flows 50cfm, both are more than your engine can use so you'll see no difference.

as for the trim ring attachment, how would you have done it different? you've got to be able to clean your filter. I suppose you could glue it on there and just wash it along with the filter when you clean it....

 

A simple teardrop style air cleaner like found on S&S carbs is all you need for 90% of street performance applications.

 

I've had one on this and my last bike. Why? I like the way it looks. That's all.

 

And that kids is essentially what all these "high performance high flow" air cleaners and intakes all boil down to. Whatever you think looks the best.

 

"Lastly the performance that the Stealer was so vividly selling me on - there is none, or at least no benefit that i have noticed"

Can you post your before and after tunes and dyno runs?

 

^ that is why I got it as well.


And I would like to think that I am getting cooler air in instead of pulling air from near the motor... but while moving that is a moot point.