Does oem air filter need screw?

[stillshot2]

I bought a 2015 FZ07 a few months ago and want to put an OEM air filter back in it since the owner before me put a k&n filter in there and i don't want to deal with oiling it etc. Since a k&n doesn't require that screw it is now missing. If I put an OEM filter in I can't see why it wouldn't be ok without that screw since the snorkel and lid would hold it down fine, right?

[sweetscience]

Yeah pretty much all aftermarket air filters don't utilize it.  It's for added security.  Just be sure the 4 screws holding the base plate is secure.  DO NOT over torque those base screws, too easy to strip plastic material.  I label each screw (1, 2, 3, 4) to each corresponding hole and align with bright paint mark colour using a paint pen.  This makes for easy visual check if they have loosened.

[klx678]

19 hours ago, sweetscience said:

I label each screw (1, 2, 3, 4) to each corresponding hole and align with bright paint mark colour using a paint pen.  This makes for easy visual check if they have loosened.

I like that!  Simple, smart, fast...  

[stillshot2]

So I put the OEM filter in, and when installed without the snorkel the top cap does allow a gap for dust to pass through into the tube where the screw goes down such that if the filter isn't snug against the bottom dirt could theoretically suck through past into the air box. Since I am running it without the snorkel for safe measure I shoved a piece of dense cylindrical foam down that tube just in case. It's kind of nice to be able to inspect the air filter without disassembly and without a snorkel I don't have to remove all the panels or tilt the gas tank to change it anymore. I did tune the bike for this as well, the dyno shop said it adds 4 hp