Anyone install an aftermarket air filter?

Hiya Kickstand-down, yea I did put the rider on unless you really really know what you are doing. I do accept there are talented & experienced folk out there who know what they are doing (e.g race teams) and if regs were removed and performance was the ultimate goal more could be gained, possibly much more.

However. I don’t see the Euro5 regs as a negative though, just think for a moment. A new BMW S1000RR puts out about 200bhp (or thereabouts), the first Fireblades in 1992 put out about 110bhp (real world) with little in the way of emission control, noise restriction or anything else for that matter (compared to today). It’s got cruise control, heated grips, active suspension, quick shifter and goodness knows what else. That’s nearly double the power and it would literally run rings around it. That’s progress.

I was walking the dog this afternoon through the village and a guy came past on a Harley fat boy, heard it long before I saw it actually. It looked great, had slash cut leaf blowers on it. He left the village and opened it up pretty much in front of me to a properly deafening sound. We have loads of horses and riders around here. Not great. It was way too loud for my liking but everything is a compromise really and it depends upon what matters most to you, or me, or someone else……
 
Rufus said:
Many years ago I did a Univeristy degree in Mechanical Engineering (BEng Hons graduated 1990) and worked for a while in Engineering then changed jobs and career altogether (long story and maybe a life choice regret of sorts….). Anyway. Having this grounding I subscribe to the belief that unless you really really know what you are doing stock is best. BMW will have access to the very best engineers, computers, modeling software and a huge multi million R&D budget. Everything on that bike will be as it is for a reason. Those little plastic intake tubes for example are there to flow cool air from the front of the bike to the air box, the small diameter will speed the air flow up and that helps low down torque, combustion etc etc. Same for the exhaust, it’s all there for a reason. In years gone by, mid nineties and before things were very different. Motorcycles were pretty crude TBH and whilst not exactly thrown together not a lot better. A ‘guy’ with a dyno could make a difference.

I used to watch a tv programme called Orange County Choppers. Many will know it. They used to make these hideous bikes with ridiculous riding positions, open pipes, no brakes, no suspension. The paintwork and chrome was stunning (credit where credits due) but I cannot imagine any were ever actually ridden. They were an extreme example of DIY bikes, just throwing stuff together that was loud and well…..loud.

Nowadays not only are these engines precision built to very high standards they need all the sensors and hardware intact to work properly. Like a hand in glove. Euro5 emission regs will set the high bar for engineers but that just means they put more effort into everything, not less. The R18 is a masterpiece.
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Unless you have access to a dyno to do before and after comparisons it’s all theory.
I will say that the Brenn Tune alone disproves your theory that modern bikes are optimized. They are engineered to pass emission, fuel economy and noise regulations.
 
Rufus said:
However. I don’t see the Euro5 regs as a negative though, just think for a moment. A new BMW S1000RR puts out about 200bhp (or thereabouts), the first Fireblades in 1992 put out about 110bhp (real world) with little in the way of emission control, noise restriction or anything else for that matter (compared to today). It’s got cruise control, heated grips, active suspension, quick shifter and goodness knows what else. That’s nearly double the power and it would literally run rings around it. That’s progress.
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This sounds like "post hoc, ergo propter hoc". I would argue that if you compare virtually any open class of racing to street legal vehicles, you would find that over the same time period the relative gains are far more when unrestricted. I'm by no means saying that emissions/efficiency standards are bad. I'm simply saying that especially NEW emissions/efficiency standards cause OEMs to restrict their machinery's performance (especially if they are retrofitting or applying those regulations to something developed without said regulations in mind). I very distinctly remember even recently (2010-2013?) when certain OEMs built "world" bikes, IE sold euro reg bikes everywhere, and they were an absolute joke compared to OEMs who built multiple bikes for several markets.

As for the rest, yea, I mean lots of unregulated advancements have been made with brakes, suspension, electronics, etc., but I would also say those would be where they are regardless of euro5 existing.

Also, not trying to argue, I just personally think that strict regulation potentially returns us to a situation where swapping some regulatory induced restrictive parts out for those without said framework can give a better experience to those who want it. May be wrong, but time will tell.

Noise regulations exist in most places with dense populations. Granted, growing up DEEP in V-twin land, and always being an ICE enthusiast, as long as you don't blow by straight piped at 2AM, I'll give you a thumbs up lol.
 
Question of the Day.
I am coming up on 6K service, which I am thinking I can do myself, vs. riding 250 miles to and from the dealer. Although that can be done. I am looking at the DNA airfilter because of discussions on this forum. So I see 2 different airfilters for the r18 Stage 2 & 3, for like 150.00 and then another for 113.50 both from DNA both advertise increased airflow and reuseable. The higher priced filter mentions remapping of the fuel flow. Which I assume (and we know what that means) that Bren-tune would need to be done. Something I would like to do at a later date. Maybe I am out of sequence? The other thing I am wondering about is if you are increasing airflow in, yet still running OEM exhaust the back pressure is increased. IMHO increase in must increase out.
So am I throwing money into the wind by contemplating the higher Air Flow in? or should I wait until I can do the exhaust and possibly the Bren Tune also. Thoughts?
 
OscarTGrouch said:
Question of the Day.
I am coming up on 6K service, which I am thinking I can do myself, vs. riding 250 miles to and from the dealer. Although that can be done. I am looking at the DNA airfilter because of discussions on this forum. So I see 2 different airfilters for the r18 Stage 2 & 3, for like 150.00 and then another for 113.50 both from DNA both advertise increased airflow and reuseable. The higher priced filter mentions remapping of the fuel flow. Which I assume (and we know what that means) that Bren-tune would need to be done. Something I would like to do at a later date. Maybe I am out of sequence? The other thing I am wondering about is if you are increasing airflow in, yet still running OEM exhaust the back pressure is increased. IMHO increase in must increase out.
So am I throwing money into the wind by contemplating the higher Air Flow in? or should I wait until I can do the exhaust and possibly the Bren Tune also. Thoughts?
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I've done the DNA Stage 2 filter & bracket install combined with a BT Moto (Brent Tune) ECU remap. First thing, first - the bike sounds 10x better and has a really nice roar due to less restricted air flow. It's so good that I'm not even considering removing baffles out of my exhaust etc. BT tune on top of that make the bike ride 10x smoother. Throttle control is so much better, the bike is a lot more responsive and overall just so much more enjoyable. My bike has only passed it's run-in service and has lots of warranty left. I'm not bothered with remap as I will most likely switch the ECU maps ahead/after the yearly service anyway. I would 100% do it all again if I had to. (y)
 
TodkaVonic said:
Tonight I learned that the air filter isn’t exactly near the chrome “air box cover,” and removal of said cover isn’t required when accessing the filter. No, it’s an item which is accessed by removal of the engine cover. Because of course. I’m sure this isn’t news to many of you, but I couldn’t find hardly a peep about this on the inter webs (or here) and was genuinely curious.

View attachment 1783
Thar she blows! Er, sucks!

So now onto the topic at hand: any advice regarding aftermarket filters? Waste of money? Inbound air passes down a pair of these wee tubes prior to reaching the filter.

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I’m thinking a marginally less restrictive filter will have little consequence. Any “Butt Dyno” experience with filter mods on other boxer engines?
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Waste of money. You have a very expensive motor there, that breathes fine and dandy between 2000-4000 rpm and for it's displacement, really doesn't make a lot of horsepower or suck a lot of air.

Nothing, and I mean nothing, filters air better on internal combustion engines better than the stock paper air filter element. It holds more dirt and traps the smallest dust and dirt particles that give your engine a quickie bore job. There's a very good reason all mining equipment and agriculture and harvest equipment (Think CAT, John Deere, etc) use paper air filter elements. They can't afford the down time, loss of crop harvest when ripe, etc... There's no margin of error and down time is too expensive to run anything less than the best.

Leave the stock factory air filter in there, nothing does the job better after market than whats in there, probably a Mann or Hengst filtration device. They make billions of Euros being OEM and the best at protecting your engine and giving it clean air that's to spec for maximum longevity of your engine. You and I don't know more than the filter makers and BMW about the requirements for filtered air. I'd be the first to tell you to go pound sand if you had warranty issues on your engine with an aftermarket air filter and wanted it covered under warranty.
 
For anyone about to do this, just a quick heads up. My Pure, an early build had the four fasteners over-torqued straight out of Berlin —even though the torque value on them is extremely low. They pulled 3/4 of the brass sleeve inserts right out of the plastic base. I wasn’t concerned at first as I figured I’d just thread them back in first and be on my way. Nope, they are press fit and turned a 15 minute job into a 2 hour job. 😑 Please keep an eye on the inserts as you remove the fasteners. If you see one lift, stop and grip it so that it does not pull any further. The fastener should break free pretty easily and you’re back on schedule for a quick change out.
 
burangs said:
For anyone about to do this, just a quick heads up. My Pure, an early build had the four fasteners over-torqued straight out of Berlin —even though the torque value on them is extremely low. They pulled 3/4 of the brass sleeve inserts right out of the plastic base. I wasn’t concerned at first as I figured I’d just thread them back in first and be on my way. Nope, they are press fit and turned a 15 minute job into a 2 hour job. 😑 Please keep an eye on the inserts as you remove the fasteners. If you see one lift, stop and grip it so that it does not pull any further. The fastener should break free pretty easily and you’re back on schedule for a quick change out.
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So much for German build quality. The engineering is there, but the assembly quality is the worse I’ve ever come across in nearly fifty years of wrenching on bikes.
 
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burangs said:
For anyone about to do this, just a quick heads up. My Pure, an early build had the four fasteners over-torqued straight out of Berlin —even though the torque value on them is extremely low. They pulled 3/4 of the brass sleeve inserts right out of the plastic base. I wasn’t concerned at first as I figured I’d just thread them back in first and be on my way. Nope, they are press fit and turned a 15 minute job into a 2 hour job. 😑 Please keep an eye on the inserts as you remove the fasteners. If you see one lift, stop and grip it so that it does not pull any further. The fastener should break free pretty easily and you’re back on schedule for a quick change out.
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They still came out on the 100 Year Edition but definitely were threaded and it was just a simple process of getting them back in. Don't know why they keep having them over-torqued at the factory though..
 
bic said:
They still came out on the 100 Year Edition but definitely were threaded and it was just a simple process of getting them back in. Don't know why they keep having them over-torqued at the factory though..
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I may use epoxy on my bike; I didn't have any issues with my air box when replacing my air filter. I'll definitely take a closer look, at the next annual filter swap (next summer).
 
bic said:
They still came out on the 100 Year Edition but definitely were threaded and it was just a simple process of getting them back in. Don't know why they keep having them over-torqued at the factory though..
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That is good news. As mentioned, mine is an early build so they must have changed the press fit sleeves out for threaded sleeves. Here’s to progress! 🤣
 
bic said:
I've done the DNA Stage 2 filter & bracket install combined with a BT Moto (Brent Tune) ECU remap. First thing, first - the bike sounds 10x better and has a really nice roar due to less restricted air flow. It's so good that I'm not even considering removing baffles out of my exhaust etc. BT tune on top of that make the bike ride 10x smoother. Throttle control is so much better, the bike is a lot more responsive and overall just so much more enjoyable. My bike has only passed it's run-in service and has lots of warranty left. I'm not bothered with remap as I will most likely switch the ECU maps ahead/after the yearly service anyway. I would 100% do it all again if I had to. (y)
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I've done the same and the results are excellent. Night and day diff over stock... especially running high grade, 93octane fuel. At 7400mi it just keeps getting better. I noted around 5k when it really started building more power, smoother, better fuel mileage...and of course the sound. Case and point, even with the tune and DNA, last Summer riding one particular stretch of long, straight deep hills and valleys, I'd try to set the cruise at 65mph in 6th gear, two up... The bike's cruise would switch off on the uphill portions because it just wasn't developing enough power. This year, same situation, but now with over 6k on the odometer, it PULLS me up those hills with authority, like a tractor...love it.
 
Really dumb question .. and I am good on them ... is the DNA air filter a 'must' with the 'Bren Tune'? ... you all got me sold on the re-mapping, but I am still not quite convinced on the filter ... reason I am not 100% convinced is that K&N offers a filter for the R18 as well and I always had really good results with them in the past ....(K&N BM1821)
 
PaulP said:
DNA filter = K&N filter. They are exactly the same.

It doesn’t matter which one you purchase as soon as you get it with a metal frame required for installation.
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I had a hunch ... they look on the pics exactly the same ... thanks! I just might buy the K&N and then do a little 'Arts & Crafts' to see if I can make a frame like that ;)
 
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