Chaps and Chops: Especially those who ride adventure bikes… READ THIS!
Your Air Filter is your main defence barrier when it comes to looking after your expensive engine.
If you ride a dirtbike, you should know all about how important this is – and you’ll clean and oil your filter on a regular basis.
But there is a sneaky problem that dealers across SA are picking up… the Adventure riders, especially the ones that ride in the dirt, are not doing routine filter maintenance and this is often the cause of big bills down the road.
What does an air filter do?
It’s in the name – it filters muck, particles and dust out of the air before said air enters your carburettor or fuel injector system. In SA, we often ride in dry, dusty conditions and most ADV riders seem to wait for service intervals before paying attention to their air filter – and that’s a problem.
The thing clogs up, the bike battles to start, starts to run badly as dirty bits get through and start grinding valves, throttle bodies and all kinds of other nasty stuff.
It doesn’t happen immediately, but over time it makes a big mess of things…
Dirty filter Vs clean. A Pre-Filter sock (pic on right) is also made to keep the dust out before it hits your filter.
Chat to your dealer about access to your filter – it differs from bike to bike, with most easy to reach and service. Some, like Triumphs old 800XCX are not that simple and require the removal of your fuel tank and all sorts – but irrespective, simple maintenance will keep your bike healthy, especially if you are one of the aforementioned dusty riders…
KTM has a Pre-Filter under the seat that is quick and easy to service and replace…
Pre-filters are inexpensive – a simple barrier that fits in front of the filter and removes the bulk of the dust before it even hits your filter. We looked at the system on an 890 Adventure at TRAX KTM in Silverlakes – and it’s a really simple, 15 minute job – and yet, so many riders don’t do it…
Going on a multiple day trip? Time an issue? Invest in a couple of spare Pre filters. They take up no space and will do the job.
If you ONLY ride on the tar, then your dealer can do the filter at service time but, if you ride in the dirt, you’ll have to get your own hands dirty.
Types of Filters:
Paper:
Most motorcycles are equipped with Paper filters. Paper filters are the most basic and are disposable. When a paper filter is full of grime it needs to be replaced with a new one. Occasionally, you can blow them out a bit with a compressor, but generally you can’t clean them because they tear.
Foam Filters:
Common to most dirt bikes are foam filters. Foam filters are wet filters that look like a common household sponge. But there is a catch, foam filter are manufactured according to application. So. If you are using an off-road bike, a dense foam filter is used to catch all the sand and dirt. For normal road usage, lighter foam is used which allows more air to pass for better performance. Foam filters block and catch the dust particles thanks to the application of foam filter oil. Foam filters are thicker than any other type of filter, making them pretty effective. If cared for and serviced correctly, they also have a long life.Â
Cotton:
Washable cotton air filters are the most expensive options in the motorcycle industry. Cotton air filters are used mainly for pumping out more power from an engine, they can be cleaned easily and then reused.Â
Chat to your dealer.
Have a look at your bikes system and ask them to show you how to do it.
Ask them which product they recommend and most importantly, ask if your choice will affect your bikes warranty.
We guarantee that they will only be too happy to impart some knowledge and you’ll thank us for saving you some bills…
