I have a stage 1 one. a/c and pipes. Will getting a k&n air filter help at all? Anything even slightly noticable? Just curoius if anyone has spent the 50 bucks for it?

 

Anyone? I'm wondering the same thing!

 

yepper

 

money well spent imo

 

K&N is the way to go. Better performance, and you don't have to think about it for 50,000 miles!

 

what year sporty do you have? the stage 1 should have the SE cleaner which is similar to the k&n and should work well. the k&n for new 04-06 bikes won't work with the SE backplate (if you plan on using the stock cover). in talking with k&n the new SE filter is just like theirs, just white medium instead of the red that is k&n.

 

Skull: Before you spend that money, do yourself a favor and do a Google search on "air filter scientific tests". You will find that K&Ns don't filter as well as the OEM paper filters and do not reduce the air flow resistance as much as claimed. The selection of any aftermarket change for 'your' engine is a choice you have to make. Do you want a longer lasting internal parts in your engine? Do you want the utmost in horsepower/torque development and to hell with engine longevity? The difference in power development between a free flowing air filter (K&N) and the OEM filter is scientifically very small. Note the word 'scientifically'. There are books written on why we purchase one gadget or another. Then the supplemental books are added as to why we justify those decisions. If we don't use scientific testing before and after a part change, everything we assume and testify to is judgmental, not actual.

With all that said, you have to make up your own mind as to what you want out of your engine. I might want to maximize reliability and am willing to not develop the absolute maximum power. You might want that power development and are willing to put money away to pay for an engine rebuild as a much lower mileage figure than me.

IMHO, reading the scientifically done tests on air filters, one could expect to develop just a little more power using the K&N line. One could also expect to be rebuilding the internal parts of the engine sooner than if one used the OEM filter. I also think that the claim of 'saving' money by using K&N air filters is a subjective statement and does not take into account several 'other' eventual expenses that will occur over the life time of the subject engine. As a wise man said; "yous pays yous money and yous makes yous' choice." ...........BC