Air intake question

im just up for my 12.000 mile service, and part of it is renewing the airfilter.. question is,
ive purchased a K&N air filter, after all sorts of chinese whispers and false info.
will i see a noticeable differance in performance or the way the bike runs? im not HP counting at all i ask because i hate getting new bits.. the bike feeling different and me thinking something is wrong lol,

any info?

[yorkie_chris]

Depends how it flows, if it's freer flowing than stock then it may end up running lean, which isn't good.

It depends which one you got as well - there are two that fit some of the pointy SVs.

One is a straight replacement for the standard one, but made out of battery farmed K&N pixies (so it lasts for ever). The other is made out of free-range pixies, so the airflow is a bit higher and that can make it run lean as Chris mentioned, especially if its freer at the other end.

I had a quick gander over at K&Ns site (www.knfilters.co.uk) and they don't appear to do the latter one for the 2005 bike (they do for the 06, as I had to check myself). Like you, I'm not in the chase for HP either, but I haven't noticed any difference between before and after.

The other thing to watch out for is to make sure you stick the little K&N sticker on the airbox lid (before they open it), and mention that you've done the air filter when it goes in for the service, if you're not going to get them to do it for you - would be a shame if they chucked a filter thats supposed to last a million miles after less than a hundred.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Depends how it flows, if it's freer flowing than stock then it may end up running lean, which isn't good.

Hiya , How can you tell if the bike is running Lean?

I have a 2003 SV650s and have installed K&N air filter. The first day out on I found that it kept cutting out if the revs were too low then it sorted itself out but Im still a little worried. Is this a sign of it running lean?

[yorkie_chris]

What K&n? There is one type that is the same as the standard just reusable.

Lean makes it hesitate when you open the throttle. Among other things

There are two different K&N air filters available?

It's interesting to me (was ignorant of the fact til I looked) that the same air filter is quoted for the SV1000 too. Given that, I wouldn't have thought that it would give a 650 any air restriction problems at all.

Also, I could only find one filter on my search - SU-6503

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by YZEtc

There are two different K&N air filters available?

Isn't there a road and a race one?

Or am I mixing myself up with BMC ones on the curvy....

BMC does have two version for the 1999-2002 models, the street version and race version.
I've been told the race version flows more air with the trade-off being more dirt flowed, as well.

The size of the air filter element or even the size of the airbox on the Pointy SV-650s doesn't look restrictive to me, but the size of the puny air inlet snorkel does.
I'd imagine that freeing this up to allow more air (and fuel after proper adjustments are made via a Power Commander) in will get you a corresponding increase in intake noise.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by YZEtc

(and fuel after proper adjustments are made via a Power Commander)

Or TEKA/ yoshi box for a sight cheaper.