spin-on oil filters

[dmp221]

I'd like to tap into the accumulated wisdom of my fellow message board members .  Why aren't more motorcycles designed with spin-on type oil filters??   They seem to have so many advantages, and,  changing oil and filter is probably the most frequent and basic maintenance job an owner does (other than, maybe, chain-cleaning..).  So what am I missing here?  Why so many bikes with element-type filters in a housing with a bolt-on cover?  Cost?  Space?  I don't get it.

[Blueknyt]

still not sure, of thisone, but, trying to figure out a way to make an insert and convert to spin on. and perhaps re routing oil feed for ballencer shaft.

[JasonB]

Good question, My dad's Concours has a cartridge type and its a 4 cyl with balance shafts. But his honda VTX 750 is a V-twin and has a spin-on filter.

I was thinking oil pressure but the Kaw should be higher than the VTX in that manner. I know most of the newer bikes I have seen are spin-on now. Maybe it was just an older thing from the racing days so a punctured filter didnt spill oil all over.

[Black Snowman]

friend of mine took my bike for a month, i get it back, with a screw on filter, GOD DAMN IM HAPPY!

Don't keep us in suspense, HOW! We want diagrams and photos damn it!

[scratch]

How long have spin-on filters been around? The original design of this engine was back in '77(?).

[Afterburner]

I have two other zooks (an Intruder and an SV1000) and they both take the K&N 138 spin-on oil filters.  VERY nice.    Not only that, but the K&N's have a nut on the end so you don't need a filter wrench.  And I believe they already have holes in them for race wiring, for those of you lucky enough to get to do track days.

If anyone knows of a spin-on for the GS500, I'll be out tomorrow getting one.

[Jared]

I've seen conversions on other engines (bolt in insert that accepts a spin on filter...). I'll see if I can hunt down who made them...

[Jared]

I found a link to someone in Japan that has one on a ZX11.

Link

I translated it but it didn't say who made it.

Here's a message string on the ZX11 forumn...has a pic of it off the bike.
Other Link

[KevinC]

Looks fairly expensive though - big piece of aluminum to start, many chips removed = $.

Nortons had a spin on starting in 1973, so time wise the GS certainly could have had one. It is much easier to add one on a dry sump engine tho - cut a line, mount the base, done.

My BMW takes the cake for being a pain in the ass. It has a cartridge type, but also has a spacers and o-rings (commonly called the $2,000 o-ring, because that's what it will cost you to rebuild the engine if you put it in wrong0 that go in entirely differently in different years. You can even get a filter with a hinge in it!

[Blueknyt]

I have the adpater worked out in a sketch, as soon as i can i will set about making the prototype.im lookin to use the small honda style spin on filter, it only holds about 1/4 Qt.  I might even have a way to incorperate an Oil cooler, but one step at a time.