[AK Mike]

Is it worth getting an aftermarket high-flow filter like DNA or BMC, or is the OEM paper filter just fine for real-world riding on the Himalayan?  What are your experiences?

[GSS]

OEM is just fine for regular use....an air filter alone will give you trivial benefit.  Whenever you decide to start tweaking the muffler, fuel injection, etc. would be the best time to also add a higher flow air filter.

[tooseevee]

Is it worth getting an aftermarket high-flow filter like DNA or BMC, or is the OEM paper filter just fine for real-world riding on the Himalayan?  What are your experiences?

           Are you an Itchy Boots follower? She has ridden two different Himalayans 10s of thousands of kilometers in all kinds of conditions of weather and roads with stock air filters.   

[AK Mike]

Thanks to you both for the replies.

I was leaning towards not messing with the filter, especially since I am not looking to do any "performance" mods.  But I do know that some bikes, as they are stock, do suffer from restrictive air-flow from the factory.  Since I am new to the Himalayan, I wasn't sure where it came in.  In general, I like to keep my bikes as stock as possible.

I have been following Noraly from day one, but never saw her mention anything regarding the air filter.  I do know she had done some other performance mods to her first bike that she regretted.

Thanks for the feedback.

[tooseevee]

Thanks to you both for the replies.

I was leaning towards not messing with the filter, especially since I am not looking to do any "performance" mods.  But I do know that some bikes, as they are stock, do suffer from restrictive air-flow from the factory.  Since I am new to the Himalayan, I wasn't sure where it came in.  In general, I like to keep my bikes as stock as possible.

I have been following Noraly from day one, but never saw her mention anything regarding the air filter.  I do know she had done some other performance mods to her first bike that she regretted.

Thanks for the feedback.

           The only thing that's ever been mentioned (as far as I remember) is just cleaning (blowing the dust out?) or replacing. Knowing her, it's not worth a lot of words.

[Richard230]

She just had her bike serviced at a RE dealer and she commented that they said that the filter was very dirty. But I can't recall if they just blew out the dirt or replaced the filter. 

[tooseevee]

She just had her bike serviced at a RE dealer and she commented that they said that the filter was very dirty. But I can't recall if they just blew out the dirt or replaced the filter. 

      I didn't mean just this last recent service episode. I meant all I recall her ever mentioning about air filters over the whole previous trip and this one and it sure wasn't much. I just was spectralating that at some service somewhere someone "might" have just tapped or blown the dust out.

       Notice she has Never used the Kill Switch? Ever. Good girl.

      I love these South America episodes. Some we watch 3, 3 times

[Arizoni]

For what it's worth, I spent about $50 buying a K&N filter that was supposedly made for the RE Bullets.

It decreased my engines power and fuel economy so I went back to using the factory paper filter.
That K&N filter has lived in its box on a shelf for years and there it shall stay.

[GSS]

For what it's worth, I spent about $50 buying a K&N filter that was supposedly made for the RE Bullets.

It decreased my engines power and fuel economy so I went back to using the factory paper filter.
That K&N filter has lived in its box on a shelf for years and there it shall stay.

I had the same experience of slight loss of power 7-8 years ago, and mine lives in a box as well....ScooterBob and GHG thought I had lost it when I mentioned buying a K&N to improve performance   

[olhogrider]

     
       Notice she has Never used the Kill Switch? Ever. Good girl.

Never say never. When she dropped the bike she clearly hits the kill switch. That's why it is there.

[tooseevee]

Never say never. When she dropped the bike she clearly hits the kill switch. That's why it is there.

      Yes. I do remember that one instance now that you mention it. And that's exactly what it's for (when you can't Reach the key or don't want to let loose of the right handlebar); not for just normally shutting down the engine as some seem to want to do nowadays or tell people that that's the way you're supposed to do it for some reason. How did that start, I wonder?

       I'll go put on my Nomex underwear now and prepare to be trashed.       

        The kill switch goes back to hill climbers when the ignition was killed by a lanyard attached to the rider when it all went to shit. Bikes would go postal and try to kill people when they got loose.   

[mattsz]

The kill switch goes back to hill climbers when the ignition was killed by a lanyard attached to the rider when it all went to shit. Bikes would go postal and try to kill people when they got loose.

Is this what the Nomex underwear is for?

[olhogrider]

Our old 2 stroke bikes were hot all the time. The kill switch simply shorted the magneto to ground. I think emergency personnel are the reason it is on every handlebar. Emergency  personnel can't be expected to know where every manufacturer hid the key. Now many bikes come with a keyless fob. My Triumph has a 3 position switch. Off, run and start, all on the same switch.

[tooseevee]

Is this what the Nomex underwear is for?

     No. I was just gearing up to be flamed by those who seem to think the Kill Switch is supposed to be used all the time to shut down the engine and Then turn the key off. And Then put the Kill Switch back to Run. Or forget to and then crank and crank and crank the next time with the Kill Switch off.

[mattsz]

     No. I was just gearing up to be flamed by those who seem to think the Kill Switch is supposed to be used all the time to shut down the engine and Then turn the key off. And Then put the Kill Switch back to Run. Or forget to and then crank and crank and crank the next time with the Kill Switch off.

Yeah, I know...