It is actually a sensual lubricant for him and her, I slather it on…

 

Yeah, but does it also warm up along with that tingling sensation? My KLX deserves the best.

 

hahaha, she starts instantly on the simple push of a button and slowly revs to a blissful crescendo. This is usually followed by a little smoking as she cools down again.

 

It's all academic, really, as we know the smartest of us is using a K&N on their KLX for maximum performance and protection.

 

Wouldn't touch a K&N with a 10 foot pole, after all the trouble my buddy had with his KLR just recently... Spent 2 nights over there trying to figure out why his bike wouldn't run. Finally put the foam filter back in it and it fired right up and idled fine. Put the K&N in, and could barely get it to start, never mind getting it to idle. He ended up sending it to a shop to check the valves. Shop sent it back with the foam filter - been running fine since. Between cars and bikes, I have never had a good experience with a K&N. Some people love them. I guess I'm not one of the smartest of us...

 

Neither a clean K&N nor a clean foam filter will cause your problems. You have something else going on...or a K&N that is almost 100% plugged. I had 4 KLR600/650's over many years, all with K&N filters, and they worked great. Since going to the KLX where I ride a lot more singletrack with a lot more riders in close proximity, I've remained with foam filters for the KLX. I've used K&N's on almost all of my personal vehicles over the years, and just sold my '89 full size GMC Jimmy with a 400hp stroker small block that had a 300,000 mile K&N in it. With proper cleaning and oil servicing I don't know how long these stupid things will last. I even ran a couple of these on XR250R models that I ran enduros on. You eat dust on most enduros for 80-100 miles, and I've pulled them out after the race with them looking like a huge dirt clod. The funny thing...the bike still ran fine.

rgoers, honest, I'm not trying to rag on you about your K&N, but I seriously doubt your problem was the filter. And this isn't a plug for K&N in any real sense, but for many applications they are pretty good options. I'm going to stay with foam at this point for something used as a real dirt bike.

 

TNC - All I know is that we were riding in some very dusty conditions (think: dust the consistency of Talcum powder... and lots of it!), and my friend's KLR crapped out on us. My completely stock foam filter didn't have an issue running in the same conditions. We pulled the K&N filter on his KLR, and it would run fine. We attempted a field-cleaning, and we were able to limp back with it. When he got it home, he bought a K&N recharge kit and cleaned/recharged the filter. With the K&N filter installed, it wouldn't even idle. Remove it and put a foam filter in it, and it ran fine. Just sayin'. That's the way it was. Can't blame anything but the K&N in that situation. He followed the recharge instructions exactly.

I have had similar problems with automobiles, where the K&N is tripping the MIL because it fouls the MAF sensor. Again - not trying to sway anyone one way or the other, but for *ME*, I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole. They're too high-maintenence, and too finicky with how they get recharged (even when following the manufacturer's directions exactly).

 

klr's will eat a lot of their own rear tire dust because the rear fender doesn't seal to the frame and the box intake location, also the filter is smaller than most bikes.

Not trying to be in the middle of the k and n debate, just pointing out that a klr will clog a filter before anything on a ride.

my klx made more power with a k and n on the dyno but I prefer foam offroad after seeing many XR heads int
valve stems polished from desert racing with k and n's.

I recently was on a trip with a wr-r that ran a k and n and he oiled it with sticky belray blue instead of the red stuff. It didn't appear to be eating passing dust as I suspected.