Just got a very prompt E-mail back from Peter Gilbert from K&N and he advised me that they will not be able to even start on a new air filter for the ZX-14R until one of us comes in with a bike to use for design and testing. Hope someone from Riverside, Ca. gives Peter a call at 1(800) 858-3333.

Wow, that would be a pretty cool story for all you Cali guys. Not to mention the free K&N shit you would get for free hahaha

Just ordered part number FM 727/04 from BMC World in Italy for a standard bike filter for the 2012 ZX-14R. The race version is also available for the same price of $91.70 plus freight of $9.50. We will see how long it takes them to get it here, but it looks like they will be the first to offer the filter.

But as Brock and others have proven, you will get exactly zero performance increase over OEM with a K&N, but you will pay more for it.

Paying for a Pipercross so you can wash it and re-oil it over and over, on the other hand, is a great idea.

BMC available now (?). I am not sure if its ready to roll or if its still a preorder.

http://us.bmcairfilters.com/race-bike-filters/fm727-04race_d1140_11.aspx

RACE BIKE FILTERS - FM727/04RACE

From what I've read on the 2012 ZX, it seems like the stock current air box and filter has such an increase in air flow from previously, that you may not get squat out of paying $100 for a *high flow* filter, as stock may be free flowing enough.

Maybe others with more knowledge on this will chime in.

* Last updated by: ZX14MAN64 on 9/9/2012 @ 10:26 AM *

Even with the pre-2012 ZX14s, you got nothing for your money buying K&N or BMC unless you increased the intake velocity a great deal.

With the 2012, its a total waste of bucks to put anything but an OEM filter on it.

The BMC Race filter is just being released, and has not been tested in USA by anyone on any dyno, so we don't really know if it can or will increase power until someone with the equipment can put it on his dyno and see the before...stock..and the after BMC Race 727/04 unit.

The price is 98.25 very expensive....really ripping the public to make this filter, paying the price for having the 14r rocket in your garage.

I would think that less restriction of any air flow will increase power...don't know if it is worth picking up 1-2 HP for 100.00 filter tho.....

What do you guys think?

Maybe if you can keep cleaning it long term it will pay for itself the longer you have the bike....??

I think Brock's have even tested the 2012 with NO filter, and it actually put out less power than with.

So any aftermarket is gonna be money wasted from a HP gain standpoint. At least from what I can tell.

* Last updated by: ZX14MAN64 on 10/2/2012 @ 11:26 AM *

+1

Why waste money on a gimmick ?

Being a young adult in the 90s K&N was all the rage. Since I have a brain though, I figured out for the most part K&N is, IMO, basically a sham company offering scam products. Products like the K&N "Stub Stack", any one remember those? ****ing con artists BS tantamount to today's fuel economy gadgets. Maybe their oil filters are good, or still good, I dunno, IMO there's planty of other options that perform as well that cost less.

K&N air filters for people that like rebuilding engines a lot. As other's have said, verified over dozens of power test they do nothing except let far more junk into your engine.

If you're looking to gain power from an air filter, instead lose 5 lbs because you'll gain a greater benefit from that over any gains from an air filter. If you have no other options to lose 5 lbs, or maybe maybe start looking at your air filter.

This is no gimmick per say in a racing type of environment. It's called one gain opening of the many cuts in the pie.

The difference is flow rate change.

There is camp more air.
There is camp faster speed event.

Camp more air has to use a packing device to have more air.

Camp speed event knows the valve closes at atmosphere each and every stroke is the normally aspirated.