What does a 68 000km old Airfilter look like?

[Erabe]

Hi guys, my first post here, took delivery of a 2012 700X on Monday, so haven't REALLY gotten to do much with work in the way, but I did get a service kit, and I've done oil and filters, valves and rad flush/fill so far. Just wanted to show you guys what an airfilter looks like that has 7 years and 68000 km on it. I've never seen one this bad. Strangely enough, and kudos to the Honda motor, the brand new one made NO difference in how the bike runs.

 

[Jt105]

I think they waited a little long on that filter!
This motor is amazing. The fuel injection is very adaptable as your experience shows.

JT

 

[670cc]

There is little doubt that filter is past due for replacement. But here is my skeptical thought. It looks very dirty, but how can we really know how much air it will flow? Like engine oil, perhaps we can’t totally know the condition of the filter just by looking at it. Also, maximum air flow through the filter is only called for at wide open throttle and higher RPM. With the bike ridden gently, the demand for air flow is low, and maybe that’s why you noticed no difference when a new filter was installed.

 

[Erabe]

There is little doubt that filter is past due for replacement. But here is my skeptical thought. It looks very dirty, but how can we really know how much air it will flow? Like engine oil, perhaps we can’t totally know the condition of the filter just by looking at it. Also, maximum air flow through the filter is only called for at wide open throttle and higher RPM. With the bike ridden gently, the demand for air flow is low, and maybe that’s why you noticed no difference when a new filter was installed.

That's a good point, tho even "revving" an NC it's still not really moving a ton of air. Also being a brand new bike to me, I guess I wouldn't really pick up on a slight difference. I only rode it once for about 30 minutes before doing the replacement. There WAS a layer of caked on sticky filth on most of it probably as thick as a t-shirt, it scratched off in sheets, so I do think THAT might have reduced airflow a lot. Either way, brand new hi-flow is in, bike is happy.

 

[MZ5]

That’s just nasty!

 

[Rapturee]

...WoW, glad you thought to check the air filter! welcome to the Ride Erabe and a hearty welcome from northern IDAHO USA!! :{)

 

[New Commuter700]

It's also been noted that the NC air filter is huge when compared to other bikes. In fact I think that it is similar in size to the filter in my wife's 6 cylinder Toyota. That size means that we don't usually have to worry about choking the motor out when they get a little dirty.

 

[Ruggybuggy]

I've got about 40,000 kilometers on mine and when I checked it I returned it back to service. Very clean with just a bit of dust which I blew out.

 

[Jt105]

Checked mine at 2000 miles and it was caked with cottonwood tree seeds and cotton fluff. Michigan is like a blizzard with this stuff in the spring.
Vacuumed it off and put it back in.
It all depends on your local environment.

JT

 

[Erabe]

...WoW, glad you thought to check the air filter! welcome to the Ride Erabe and a hearty welcome from northern IDAHO USA!! :{)

Thanks for the welcome Rapturee!

It's also been noted that the NC air filter is huge when compared to other bikes. In fact I think that it is similar in size to the filter in my wife's 6 cylinder Toyota. That size means that we don't usually have to worry about choking the motor out when they get a little dirty.

Haha yes! It is actually larger than the filter on my wife's car too. Almost as big as the one in my Z4 and that's a 2.5... Good point!