Missing air filters, what to use?

[carkom]

Hey all. Just picked up a '79 xs650 special. Runs great, everything works. The bike is missing air filters...the boxes are there just no filters inside, don't ask me why. I'm wondering what I should use here. The bike runs great as is (strange I know). Everything is stock from what I can tell.

I want something that I can clean and maintain from year to year. Should I go with K&N filters that fit the box (like these) or should I just pull the boxes and go with pod filters (K&N, mikesxs, uni).

I'd prefer to not do any re-jetting until this winter, trying to keep things stock so I can enjoy the bike as much as possible this summer (least amount of tuning/work possible for the best output). At the same time I am thinking I'll want to do tuning and re-jetting this winter but I don't want to have to buy new filters again in 4 months. Suggestions?

 

[Gordon]

Go to Mike's XS .com or over to 650 Central .com. They have stock replacement element's as well as cone tpye filter's. I highly recomend stock replacement until you get the bike running well stock.

 

[azman857]

search air filters and I'm sure Pete's cheap filters will show up. You just need to find some sheet aluminum and RTV. Stock filters ain't cheap at $24 a side.

 

[Ironriot]

I know somewhere online I've seen a write-up of a guy that made air filters that fit in the stock airbox for $6 and change. For the life of me I can't find the link now but maybe someone else on here has seen it also and can point you in the right direction

Yeah what he said ^

 

[jamesgs4]

http://xs650temp.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Fuel&action=display&thread=7303

 

[grepper]

Here's a post I did in the xs650 Garage http://xs650temp.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=Fuel&thread=14888&page=1
Since then I followed 5Twins advice and added an other layer of foam and sprayed them with K&N filter oil. They are still working great.

 

[carkom]

Okay, so pricing aside and if I was wanting to do re-jetting/tuning what are the best filters to use with stock carbs?

 

[retiredgentleman]

Keep your stock air boxes and buy some stock air filters. The stock air boxes are designed for rain conditions and also for flow path from crankcase ventilation.

Believe it or not, the Yamaha engineers actually knew what they were doing.

 

[gggGary]

No Billy-Bob down at rusty bones choppers did it more better!

+3 Stock air boxes, I am biased against oiled filters but they are worse on modern cars than old bikes.

 

[carkom]

Sweet, yeah I figured. That's kind of how I was leaning just wanted some feedback. Would you suggest the K&N filters that fit into the stock boxes (link in the original post) or the stock filters only? I'd rather do the K&N ones so when it comes time to replace them I can just clean and re-oil (saves money).

 

[Gordon]

I am with R.G. on keeping the stock stuff at least until you work all the bug's out. Remember. these bikes have not been riddin in 30+ years, so your going to keep a base system so your not chasing Demon's from putting pipe's, carb's, jet's ect to find out later all that stuff wasn't needed for a good, reliable bike.

 

[Grinder]

I'm keeping the stock air boxes and filters also, but thought maybe I could improve them a bit. They always seemed pretty restrictive with only having the ten holes in the rear of the box to let air in. I thought about drilling some more holes in the side panel of the box behind the filter to let more air in. I know XSJohn did a mod with the newer boxes by adding another inlet. I had a guy on the east coast punch some louvers into a spare set of side covers to get some cooler air in and just for fun. They always say a motor is just a giant air pump, more air in and out the better it will run.