K&N Air filter BAD IDEA? HELP!! 911

[fudgie]

I clean mines every spring no matter what the miles are. anywhere from 8k-15k. Its usually very clean. I do get a occasional cottonwood seed or bug on top of the prefilter. filter itself rinses out very clean.

[BIG--T]

FWIW I installed a K&N when I first bought the Valk new.  The heads have been off twice since that time.  At 28k miles and 60k miles.  No wear at the cylinder walls, piston heads, valves, stems or anywhere else.

I never installed the prefilter which I had thrown away.

Showing no wear is good. I just bought mine thinking they were bullet proof after always hearing good reports. I know proper routine maintainence is the key to any vehicle.

So having said that, what went wrong with yours at only 28k and 60k? Just curious, I learn a lot just asking questions. That's great you didn't use the prefilter and no signs of wear! I've been debating whether to use mine, There's are a lot of pros and cons. I think it may restrict the airflow somewhat.

Thanks for your input! 

[Tundra]

'98...K&N, no pre-filter. Six-degree trigger wheel, Interstate springs, shimmed stock needles, tank shimmed. Stock header only, into truckstacks.
  It was labor intensive playing with adjusting pilots and shimming needles to get it "right". Voice of experience...leave the airbox alone!! We played with drilling holes in the front for more airflow on several valks, with different exhausts. It never worked, we wound up patching the holes to make it a stock set up again. (after butchering it) 

[BIG--T]

'98...K&N, no pre-filter. Six-degree trigger wheel, Interstate springs, shimmed stock needles, tank shimmed. Stock header only, into truckstacks.
  It was labor intensive playing with adjusting pilots and shimming needles to get it "right". Voice of experience...leave the airbox alone!! We played with drilling holes in the front for more airflow on several valks, with different exhausts. It never worked, we wound up patching the holes to make it a stock set up again. (after butchering it) 

Thanks a bunch Tundra! Since ya'll tried it and it didn't work it just saved me a lot of work and patching holes! Lol  BTW, when you first dropped the K&N in without the pre-filter, did you notice ANY difference?

Thanks, Tony

[Tundra]

No, I did not. I could tell by looking at the plugs it was running leaner.
After shimming  needles and adjusting pilots with the above mentioned mods all together, it runs like a scalded dog.

[BIG--T]

No, I did not. I could tell by looking at the plugs it was running leaner.
After shimming  needles and adjusting pilots with the above mentioned mods all together, it runs like a scalded dog.

Well I was hoping there would be a difference, but I guess the good thing is I'll never have to buy another filter! So other than dropping in the filter, I wii just leave her alone. I shoild  have learned from my 1800 VTX from doing mods and tinkering with it...always having to work on it from tthings I did. So in retospect, I should have only dropped in the K&N(which made a huge difference alone), and just the normal maintaince. So I think I have learned from my mistakes and will leave the  Valk alone. She's fast enough just with the Cobras6-6 and the smoothest bike I've ever ridden!! I didn't buy her for speed anyway but intend to make my own version of an IS so me and Momma can do some serious traveling!

Yeah after a lot of trial and error, like yours, my VTX will run like a raped ape or a scalded dog with it's tail on fire!! Lol