After all I have been through with my bike, I had almost no heart to look at my air cleaner after reading all the posts about what a POS the SE air cleaners are. Well last night I went out and took the aircleaner off to inspect it. It looked more like a screen door than an air cleaner. Knowing only enough to make me look stupid, I figured why open my mouth and conferm it. As I was making a delayed trip to the dealer to pick up a replacment rear exhaust sheild (weld had broken and the thing was rattlin), I had asked if it were posible to look at one of these, no problem they said. Well it was the "updated" filter, still has the blue outside edge, but the filtering eliment is intact and could not see any holes. I then put mine down on the counter (I had removed it in the parking lot) and asked if they should look like this. Initialy, I was told that it was normal as it is a high flow filter. I then produced copies of six diferant threads all mentioning the problem with the filter and also mentioned that a screan door would have been cheaper to install and dosen't have to protect any combustion chamber from debri. Well, the "new filter was put on my bike and the "screen door" was packed up to be sent back as a defective part. I'm happy that the filter is changed as the machine only has 2800 miles on it, but why could the situation have been more like - "Oh, glad your hear, we have a replacment filter we would like to put on, were sorry but there was a manufacturing problem and they are being replaced". I once owned a SATURN car. It made headlines on the national news when 5 or 6 cars caught fire due to a starter wire that was undersized. The company had a month long barbique - If they saw you come in for an oil change or any other service work, you got dinner while you waited. If you had to make a special trip, you got dinner and a carwash. - It was like a big party and NO, They were not forced to make any recalls whatsoever, they chose to do this on their own. I love the bike and having a great friend who works the counter at the service department helps, but why am I so damb aggrivated???

 

1) Because you're developing a close relationship with the dealership instead of the bike.
2) Because part after part keeps failing.
3) Because they insult your intelligence by trying to tell you that a) it's your fault or b) it's normal.

I must say you have more patience than I do. At this point I would have either gotten the dealership to alleviate all my problems. Sold the bike or drove it through the dealership building. Which ever would have been convienient.

By the way, if/when you get fed up with the SE a/c here are some options. Arlen Ness Big sucker. It can be bought for the same price or less than the SE a/c. The only disadvantage for sportsters is that it's round and you can't use the stock ham can with it. Not a problem if you aren't attached to the look of the stock air cleaner. HurricaneFlow; you can keep the stock ham can look and it's probably the best a/c for sportsters around. The downside? You'll pay a nice chunk of change for it. Ram-flo. It's cheap, it works well, but how it looks is up to interpretation. Personally, I think it's the ugliest a/c, but you know what they say. It's all in the eye of the beholder. Oh ya, you have to scrap the stock ham can with a ram-flo as well.

And just something else to point out that probably won't make you all that happy. If your a/c looked like a screen from chunks of the air filter element falling off, then guess where those chunks are probably located now. Yup, they're probably in your engine.

 

I did mention that to my "friend" at the dealership - you would not believe the answer. Yeup, his answer: "Oh I wouldn't worry about that. it won't hurt these engines, these are high volume air filters and they do this, IT'S NORMAL!" To which I replied: "Seriously?, Being a shop teacher and having spent some time with engines, we always preach the need to keep any crap out of the engine, WETHER IT'S CRAP IN THE FUEL, OIL OR AIR." His answer: "You got a point" - we'll goahead and chage out that filter and then deal with the MOCO. they may need to adress this and since you've had so many problems with the bike, IT SHOULDN"T BE A PROBLEM" Well at least I did get a new filter (new, looks like the old when it was new) - now if I could get more than 2800 miles on a bike after 14 months! Yes I know I'm venting - but i do love the bike. I'd love it more if it was dependable. Actually thinking of figuring out how not to store it but to drive it all winter through the snow and ICE - but I do value my life. Seasons just about over here in upstate NY.

 

PS - 1200c - thanks for the info and the "support" damb! I would like to really have a **** fit at the dealer but somehow I outgrew that method - might be that when I do "loos it" I am beyond control and that won't do in my life anymore (Kids, wife, teacher - all awsome - not dealing with a real S#itty situation in a mannor that is juvanalistic but would make me fell good at that moment - sucks) As my hunter/traper/woodsman partner at school likes to say when he is stressed, "time to go get Drunk, Laid and shoot somfin - not necessarily in that order".

 

High flow doesn't always mean low filtration. Read this K&N information (possibly propaganda) when you have the time.

http://www.knfilters.com/facts.htm#FACTS

It's a long read, but worth it. The SE a/c used to use K&N filters, but doesn't anymore with the new SE a/c. The new one with the problems. Surprise Surprise. However, lots of debris in your engine is a formula for early engine failure.

By the way, both the arlen ness big sucker and the hurricaneflow that I mentioned before use K&N filters.

 

I agree with the choices offered up by 1200C, but I would also add the S&S air cleaner as a good choice as well...

Thumper26

 

Don't know if you saw this yet, but here it is https://www.hdforums.com/m_67662/tm.htm

 

TCSTD,
Yes, I have seen that. However, it doesn't solve the problem for sportsters. The K&N filter is in the shape of a big twin filter and so far only a big twin filter. The ham can shape that the sportster uses isn't available from K&N the last time I checked. Also, I listed those other filters for those who would look at this thread before purchasing an air filter. It wouldn't make any sense to buy a SE A/C and then go out and buy an additional K&N filter. It would be better to just buy an Arlen Ness big sucker that already came with a K&N filter. That would cost as much as an SE a/c, but you wouldn't have to spend additional money to buy a K&N filter that worked. And yes, I know there's an update to the SE a/c that can be identified by a gray band, but it has it's own problems as well.

 

The numbers were differeant - I think the new one ended in a "B" - And I didn't have to pay for it (in cash)- agrivation - yes

 

I have a 05' 1200c. I called K & N and asked if they had a filter that would fit my bike. they told me to use filter hd-0800. and it would fit my bike. so I ordered one. after thinking about it I called them back and asked about a mounting plate, if it would still work in my housing. they said it would. they told me it would get bolted to the carb. and to use my old housing. after hangup with them somthing still didn't make sence. I called a dist. for K & N and he told me to call back K & N and talk to a Fred or Leo. So I called them for the 3rd time and they said the hd-0800 will not work in the 04-05 sportsters. that filter would only work on air filters with Harlry part #29442-99b or 29442-99c. the one I have in my bike is a 29044-04b. so I'm out 42.00.