Replacement Air Filters?

[hobbs]

My search hasn't yielded much. At 8k miles it's time to replace my air filter. (Spark plugs too, and a diy tutorial coming tomorrow.)
 
Anyway, I don't really want a $50 k&n filter. Is the only option go to the dealer? Are there cheaper options readily available?
 
My local auto parts stores are typically under stocked and this time of year, sold out. Admittedly I haven't checked though, closed so I'll do that tomorrow.
 
Much obliged fellows.

[mjh937]

Do not forget to enter your how-to in the contest. I am interested to see it as I intend to do my own when it is due and I have not done plugs on a bike before.

[pantheraleo]

My search hasn't yielded much. At 8k miles it's time to replace my air filter. (Spark plugs too, and a diy tutorial coming tomorrow.) 
Anyway, I don't really want a $50 k&n filter. Is the only option go to the dealer? Are there cheaper options readily available?
 
My local auto parts stores are typically under stocked and this time of year, sold out. Admittedly I haven't checked though, closed so I'll do that tomorrow.
 
Much obliged fellows.

I have a K&N air filter on my Suzuki. They aren't cheap....but, you can buy the cleaning kits for them and re-use the filter for a long time.

[mjh937]

This link to a K&N air filter was posted somewhere else on the forum. 

[crazycracka501]

I hear you on the original cost of a K&N, however I look at it like this: They save me money in the long run by not buying filters over and over and consequently save me time and gas driving back and forth to the auto parts store. They also (in general) allow for better fuel mileage and save money that way. IMO power gain usually isn't enough to impress but the savings add up especially when putting mileage on a machine as you seem to 

[Guest Ralph]

The air filter is not slated till 24,000 miles so though it is worth having a look it may not need changing.
Unless that is they are changed like the oil at shorter distances in the US. 

[YZEtc]

I change my street bike air filters once a year, even if I haven't reached to mileage shown in the Owner's Manual.
Why?
Getting clean, filtered air in the proper proportions into the engine is important, and a great way to torpedo that is to ride around with a dingy-brown air filter.
 
This is even more apparent if you've spent the time and money on exhaust, fuel programmer, researched and experimented with fuel programmer settings to get the best throttle response and power, etc., etc., and rave about how the bike runs, and then neglect the air filter, the thing that all of the intake air must pass through.
 
I have already changed the air filter on my FZ-07 at the start of this riding season, and the bike had about 3,300 miles on it at that time.
Worth it to me because now, that is a non-issue for the whole season to come.
It's been done.
 
I used an OEM Yamaha air filter from a Yamaha dealer.
The full list price is $31.36 I do believe.

[hobbs]

Thanks guys, I'll probably just go with K&N then. I was thinking a no frills basic filter could be had for under $10, but I suppose not.
 
@ralph I'm pretty certain it said replace @8k miles in the U.S. owners manual.. I'll double check that bit of info though, I may be wrong.

[crazycracka501]

My owner's manual shows to change air filter every 24, 000 miles.  But that's way too long for me especially as I live in a very dusty windy environment.

[hobbs]

I see this now. Still gonna go ahead and replace it since I'll have the tank off anyway.
 
No luck finding the filter, or plugs locally. So I'll have to make the drive to a motorcycle shop tomorrow. Bummer not having much around... well, for metric bikes anyway.

[Beemer]

Compared to the price of a regular, throw away filter, it seems expensive but really, with the cleaning/oil kit (kits) you can buy time after time you won't have to buy another filter again ... and the K&N adds h.p. which throw away's don't. Just seems like the logical choice, IMO.

[crazycracka501]

I see this now. Still gonna go ahead and replace it since I'll have the tank off anyway. 
No luck finding the filter, or plugs locally. So I'll have to make the drive to a motorcycle shop tomorrow. Bummer not having much around... well, for metric bikes anyway.

Order from K&N website & delivery is free.  Got mine in like 3 days.

[hobbs]

I see this now. Still gonna go ahead and replace it since I'll have the tank off anyway. 
No luck finding the filter, or plugs locally. So I'll have to make the drive to a motorcycle shop tomorrow. Bummer not having much around... well, for metric bikes anyway.

Order from K&N website & delivery is free.  Got mine in like 3 days.

 
 
I'm gonna have to, 3 auto parts stores and 2 dealerships later and nobody has shet! Nobody could even find the parts in their database, books, online or anywhere. I'm kind of surprised I couldn't even get spark plugs, let alone an air filter.
 
Bummer too cause the bike is on standby until I get this done and sync the throttle bodies. It's feeling a little less responsive and more vibey, so I don't want to test the luck which I do not have.

[gregjet]

K&N and DNA both make hiflow cleanable filters. The point is you can clean you filter everytime you change the oil if you so desire. You can was them both as well and get them completely clean. believe it or not dishwahhing detergent soaked in then washed out with hot water until they stop foaming is perfectly good. LIGHTLY oil only. Even spray DWF/RP7 ( which ever version you use) works as a wetting agent to improve filtering and is less messy and washes easier.
My preference is DNA's as they tend to flow a bit better but any good washable filter will be cheaper if you keep the bike for any length of time. Tiny amount extra free horsepower as well.
DON't buy foam ones. They self disintegrate after a while especially in hot climates. There advantage is they stop water egress much better, so very useful on dirt bikes but not necessary on road bikes.

[shadowcat]

Order from K&N website & delivery is free.  Got mine in like 3 days.

I'm gonna have to, 3 auto parts stores and 2 dealerships later and nobody has shet! Nobody could even find the parts in their database, books, online or anywhere. I'm kind of surprised I couldn't even get spark plugs, let alone an air filter.
 
Bummer too cause the bike is on standby until I get this done and sync the throttle bodies. It's feeling a little less responsive and more vibey, so I don't want to test the luck which I do not have.

plugs can be had off eBay just type in the part number, I got mine from motosport. Lmar8a-9 that's the part number Ngk spark plugs for our bike.

[hobbs]

I'm gonna have to, 3 auto parts stores and 2 dealerships later and nobody has shet! Nobody could even find the parts in their database, books, online or anywhere. I'm kind of surprised I couldn't even get spark plugs, let alone an air filter.  
Bummer too cause the bike is on standby until I get this done and sync the throttle bodies. It's feeling a little less responsive and more vibey, so I don't want to test the luck which I do not have.

plugs can be had off eBay just type in the part number, I got mine from motosport. Lmar8a-9 that's the part number Ngk spark plugs for our bike.

 
 
Mind posting the listing you went with? All the options I saw were from the UK or Japan and shipping the $20 in plugs cost another $20.
 
Ended up ordering from Yamaha direct, should be here in another day or two. In jonesin here waiting to get my stuff lol.

[gregjet]

Post edited due to incorrect information see my post below
 

[crazycracka501]

This is the same plug as I have on my Husky TR650. By 10000km it was screwed. You couldn't see anything but it wouldn't start or run at low revs very well. Found out that a lot of other Husky owners had the same problem and the TR has 2 of these plugs ( in a single) . Replace them and the problem goes. Then same thing again as they age. Most TR owners whet to single electrode fine wire IX equivalent or the non indium ordinary single electrode and got rid of the problem permanently. Can't figure out why these are so unreliable, but I have a theory that the design reduces the energy density in the spark cross section and as soon as they start to leak a bit of charge they just drop the spark density too far ( or just don't fire consistently). Of course that could be a function of the two plugs and Magnetti marelli ecu but it will be interesting to see if the same problem crops up here. I used a NGK CR9EIX but suspect the std cr9e would be just as good. The husky guys were getting good results with Brisk AOR10LGS or AR10ZS. I haven't tried them so can't talk from experience.

I just did a search and came up with this: http://www.amazon.com/NGK-CR9EIX-Iridium-Spark-Plug/dp/B000CSGWZM Are these the correct ones?  If so, I'll be ordering a pair and installing for preemptive measures. 

[gregjet]

Ok scrub what I said about the plug. It seems that plug for this is a very different plug with a ( confusingly )similar name.
IGNORE the above post. The std plug is an iridium very special plug. Get it.
I will edit the above post.

[crazycracka501]

Ok scrub what I said about the plug. It seems that plug for this is a very different plug with a ( confusingly )similar name. IGNORE the above post. The std plug is an iridium very special plug. Get it.
I will edit the above post.

The std plug?  Could you please specify?  You completely erased the previous post so I have nothing to go off of. 

[gregjet]

Sorry. I erased the previous post because I was mistaken about the plug being the same as the Husky one. When I did a search on the MT plug part number it appears to be a very similar number, but completely different type of plug. I haven't removed the MT plugs so have no useful comments. Please ignore my contribution.
The pictures of the plug that I can find all show a plug that seems ( from the picture ) to have an unusually long thread. It may just be the pictures ( or they may all be generic pictures), but it is different enough for me to be unsure of exactly is in the MT until I get a chance to remove them.
I will research at a later date.

[crazycracka501]

Sorry. I erased the previous post because I was mistaken about the plug being the same as the Husky one. When I did a search on the MT plug part number it appears to be a very similar number, but completely different type of plug. I haven't removed the MT plugs so have no useful comments. Please ignore my contribution. The pictures of the plug that I can find all show a plug that seems ( from the picture ) to have an unusually long thread. It may just be the pictures ( or they may all be generic pictures), but it is different enough for me to be unsure of exactly is in the MT until I get a chance to remove them.
I will research at a later date.

Yea, I was seeing the same thing, that's why I was so persistent asking.  Thanks for the input, now I'll leave you the hell alone...until you do get the right info 

[shadowcat]

Sorry. I erased the previous post because I was mistaken about the plug being the same as the Husky one. When I did a search on the MT plug part number it appears to be a very similar number, but completely different type of plug. I haven't removed the MT plugs so have no useful comments. Please ignore my contribution. The pictures of the plug that I can find all show a plug that seems ( from the picture ) to have an unusually long thread. It may just be the pictures ( or they may all be generic pictures), but it is different enough for me to be unsure of exactly is in the MT until I get a chance to remove them.
I will research at a later date.

here if this helps its the stock plug at 12k (US) miles out of my bike.
 

[gregjet]

It looks much longer than the 19mm reach. I would have to measure directly. The sites selling them say they are iridium plugs but the photo doesn't show a fine wire centre electrode ( could be made of iridium of course but the normal centre negates the fine wire plasma energy density from the tip to the outer electrode). Husky's MAR type plug has twin outer electrodes so is completely different. So much for naming consistency.