Air Filters

[Jimbob]

Hey guys im about to get a new air filter for the bike and im wondering with the K&N filters do you need to re-jet as well or can you just use the filter as in and is it worth it over the $20 standard filter?

[codajastal]

Hey guys im about to get a new air filter for the bike and im wondering with the K&N filters do you need to re-jet as well or can you just use the filter as in and is it worth it over the $20 standard filter?

Depending on what you are told you will need to rejet if you are in the USA?
If you are in Australia then you dont as our bikes have HTFU.
I use the K&N Lunchbox without rejetting and works fine.

[Jimbob]

i live in Aus, this are the 2 that im deciding between. Just wondering if its worth spending the extra if im not changing the jets

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/K-N-Air-Filter-SU-5589-Suzuki-GS500-F-VZ800-85-09-/190612021648?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c615ca190&_uhb=1

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Suzuki-GS500E-GS500-GS-500-1988-2009-Air-Filter-New-/360282886364?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item53e28890dc&_uhb=1

[weedahoe]

I used the lunch box for a while also and didn't rejet and was fine. I did however at one point adjust my mixture screws but that was more for maintenance and overall tuning

[codajastal]

Personally the cheaper of the 2 you listed will be just fine. If I were to change my lunchbox filter I would go for that cheaper one


Sent from my iPad using a big stick

[Kerry]

If I recall correctly, the stock paper filter (or equivalent) is "supposed to be" blown out with compressed air every couple thousand miles, and replaced every ... 4,000 miles?  I don't know of anyone who actually does that, but I know that Srinath (The Buddha) used to "wash" his paper filters in gasoline and re-use them multiple times.

Back when my '99 and I were both fairly new, I wanted to do things "by the book" ... but the price of stock paper filters was a bit intimidating given the recommended frequency of replacement.  So I looked around and settled on the K&N SU-5589 ... the first filter you linked to.  (See this [10+ year old page on my website].)

I've used that filter for probably 40,000 miles and haven't done a thing to it except pick out the occasional dead wasp, etc.  I have a cleaning / re-oiling kit for it, but I think I've only used it once at the most.  (Hmmm ... I should probably put that on my "To Do" list.)

On the page I linked to, be sure to note the "restrictor ring".  My carburetors are "bone stock" (no changes to jets or "turns out" on the mixture screws) so I use the restrictor ring because I want to keep them that way.  Before pulling the trigger on the K&N filter (if that's the one you choose) I would write to the seller to confirm whether it includes the restrictor ring.

[gsJack]

I went all the way with oem air filters in my GSs and if every 30k miles was good enough for the Buick it was good enough for a GS500 I figured, the Buick being closer to rocket science compared to the GSs tractor science.   

Bought the 97 GS new and changed the air filter twice at 32k and 62k miles.  The 97 was totaled at about 80k miles, bought back from ins co and restored, and parked for a couple years replaced by my current 02 GS.  Son JP took it for a commuter bike and put another 30-40k miles on it.

Bought the 02 GS with 4k miles on it and changed the air filter 3 times so far at 26k, 57k, and 86k miles.  Doubt I'll change it again, with 99k miles on the GS and 80 years on me my annual mileage just isn't what it use to be.  Put 21k miles on the 97 GS the first year and less than 6k on the 02 GS last year.   

[Jimbob]

Out of curiosity why do you need a restricter if you get a K&N filter I also thought it was the bike which controlled how much air that goes in not the filter?

[gsJack]

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=64838.msg774018#msg774018

[Slack]

DO NOT get a Hi-Flo filter if you have an F model.  It is more restrictive then the stock filter and you will have to rejet DOWN.  From what I've herd (no personal experience) they work ok on the older bikes with only 2 carb jets.  If anyone wants one I have 1 slightly used and 1 brand new that I'll ship you for next to nothing.

[Jimbob]

Thanks guys I think ill go with the stock model.

[chsonnu]

Doh.  Just got a hi flo for my 2001, the first year where our carbs have 3 jets.

DO NOT get a Hi-Flo filter if you have an F model.  It is more restrictive then the stock filter and you will have to rejet DOWN.  From what I've herd (no personal experience) they work ok on the older bikes with only 2 carb jets.  If anyone wants one I have 1 slightly used and 1 brand new that I'll ship you for next to nothing.

[G.Rossman]

DO NOT get a Hi-Flo filter if you have an F model.  It is more restrictive then the stock filter and you will have to rejet DOWN.  From what I've herd (no personal experience) they work ok on the older bikes with only 2 carb jets.  If anyone wants one I have 1 slightly used and 1 brand new that I'll ship you for next to nothing.

Why or how would a K&N be more restrictive?  That just does not make sense to me.

[Bluesmudge]

This is an old thread, Slack did not say that K&N is more restrictive. He said a Hi-Flo filter is more restrictive. Hi-Flo is a brand name.

[G.Rossman]

I see. 

I knew it was an old thread but some times people get too uptight about the search button.