Motorcycle air filters are such an essential component in keeping your motorcycle running and breathing efficiently. While there are different types of motorcycle air filters, they all work to trap dirt and other particles when working correctly, stopping them from entering your engine.
Changing your motorcycle’s air filter based on the owner's manual suggested schedule has many benefits, such as:
- Improved fuel efficiency
- Reduced emissions
- Extended engine life
Your engine is supplied with clean air when you have a clean air filter. Therefore, your engine will not have to work as hard to accelerate, and it will omit cleaner air out of the exhaust, extending your engine’s life.
Whether you need to clean your air filter or replace it is entirely dependent upon the kind of air filter you have. Below we have included some information on the different types of motorcycle air filters.
Air Filter Box Types
There are two types of motorcycle air filter boxes you can use: stock or custom. Here is the breakdown and suggestions for each air filter box type.
1. Stock Air Filter Box and Air Filters
There are certainly benefits to sticking with stock when replacing your air filter.
First, if you plan to keep your original exhaust, your stock air filter box will work exactly as it was designed. You won’t have to worry about re-tuning when sticking with an OEM or OEM-equivalent replacement air filter.
Second, if you ever plan to sell your motorcycle, using a stock air filter will make it easier on the new owner, as they can simply refer to the owner’s manual for information on the stock air filter box and filter.
Stock Air Filter Box and High Flow Air Filters
There are also benefits of taking the route of keeping your stock air filter box while using high-flow air filters. You maintain the integrity of an OEM air box while increasing the airflow to the engine. This makes finding and replacing a filter easy while adding a bit of life to your ride!
Some of our top air filter brands for stock boxes are:
- Hi-Flo Filtro (high flow)
- BikeMaster
- Emgo
2. Custom Air Filter Box
A custom air filter box requires specific filters, so you would need to save information on the custom one to give to the new owner, should you ever sell your bike. Custom air filter boxes give you the ability to personalize your bike and get more of what you want. If you decide to change your exhaust, then you should change to a custom air filter box and filters.
When you change to a custom air filter/box setup, you have the potential to get more power and get more out of your new exhaust. If you upgrade your exhaust and do not upgrade your air filter box, you’re essentially just giving your bike more noise, not more power. Another great perk of a custom air filter box is that the air filters are likely washable.
Some of our top custom air filter box brands are:
Now you need to decide which type of motorcycle air filter you want to use - a stock air filter box and filter or if you want to replace it with a custom air box. Either way, we have what you need to always keep you moving forward. You can browse our entire air filter/cleaner collection to browse all brands.
