How often do you..?

[bowhunter007]

I just had brief, but heated discussion with a fellow woods-rider about the frequency with which one should change out an air filter. I change mine every ride...regardless. I know guys who won't swap in a clean filter 'till their bike won't hardly run. "His" arguement...generally "his" riding conditions don't warrant it. Therefore, swapping it out, every time, is a waste of time. "My" arguement...There are too many variables in any weather, riding conditions, etc. So why not exercise a little bit of cheap insurance, and keep your bike running at max performance capacity. "He" claims noone he knows changes their air filter, after every ride. As stated, I do...after EVERY ride. This wouldn't concern me any other day, but we started to argue like a couple of 4 year olds Now I'm curious...Do you guys have a certain criteria by which you time this bit of maintenance. I can't imagine leaving home without a fresh breather...every time I go riding.

Not judging, but he rides an orange 4-stroke, just saying

 

[djroggen]

Every ride seems a bit excessive, but it really depends on the conditions. I have killed an air filter in a few hours, and I have probably ran almost 10 hours and it was still fairly clean. I guess my philosophy is, if it is dirty, clean it. I have been know to forget for a while, but with filter skins it is a lot easier to clean and replace a filter skin than a filter.

 

[savage sausage]

I just had brief, but heated discussion with a fellow woods-rider about the frequency with which one should change out an air filter. I change mine every ride...regardless. I know guys who won't swap in a clean filter 'till their bike won't hardly run. "His" arguement...generally "his" riding conditions don't warrant it. Therefore, swapping it out, every time, is a waste of time. "My" arguement...There are too many variables in any weather, riding conditions, etc. So why not exercise a little bit of cheap insurance, and keep your bike running at max performance capacity. "He" claims noone he knows changes their air filter, after every ride. As stated, I do...after EVERY ride. This wouldn't concern me any other day, but we started to argue like a couple of 4 year olds Now I'm curious...Do you guys have a certain criteria by which you time this bit of maintenance. I can't imagine leaving home without a fresh breather...every time I go riding.

Not judging, but he rides an orange 4-stroke, just saying

I personally wouldn't change my airfilter every ride ..unless I had money to burn and I was sponsored by twinair......there's no need unless your a factory racer.

It's good that you are keen to keep your maintenance schedule, and I respect you for that but would you change your car air filter everytime it rained or snowed or was blistering heat?? I doubt it
Just keep inspecting it after every ride and you decide when it need cleaning or replacing

This is just my opinion and doesn't mean you are wrong

 

[Jakobi]

Its one of those things that come under preventitive maintenance. I mean, some people won't change a piston until it drops a ring or fractures a skirt. Some won't shim valves until the bike won't start. Some don't change their oil until its black. Some don't change their air filters until they won't breath.

For me my conditions generally mean I'm doing air filters almost every ride. ALMOST. It seems its either so wet and muddy that the airbox is like a swamp, or so dry and dusty that the whole thing is coated. On those perfect days where conditions are just right I can get away with leaving the filter for another ride. It doesn't happen really often though. My feelings are that the air filter is the first line of defence for the engine. Clean air only means better life for all the components that follow. Carb parts, Reeds, Piston, Rings, Cylinder, and also the bottom end, or in the 4T world - VALVES!

There is no right or wrong answer, but a clean airfilter is always going to be better than a dirty one.

 

[Jakobi]

Ride itself is also a variable. You could call a 20 minute session in some pristine single track a ride, or a full day covering some serious kms and mixed terrain a ride. What about a 3 day ride??

I recently went on a 2 day ride and was too lazy to oil the spare filter before leaving. It was dusty and at the end of the first day the layer of dirt stuck to the outside was so thick I could almost peel it off. Needless to say it still ran well and managed to make it all the way back the next.

 

[john01]

I don't change mine every ride but I do check it if conditions call for it. Otherwise it's changed for a clean one every 2nd or 3rd ride depending on hrs and conditions. I sure wouldn't argure with you for changing yours every ride either.

 

[singletracker]

I usually race (HS or enduro) and have one or two practices before changing it again. If I race and don't ride until the next race then I change it before the next race. If I'm not racing then I change it out as needed based on riding conditions, and how dirty the filter is. I have two spares, so I try to keep a clean one ready to oil up when needed.

 

[PEB]

I used to change them every ride or close to it. Now i will go all winter 20-30 rides before changing it. I can generally get 3-5 rides in the summer. I think you are way more likely to knock some dirt into the carb changing the filter than you are sucking dirt through the filter. I have never had any indication dirt got through the filter. In fact the dirtier they are the better they filter. I also love the to run filter skins as you can get twice the mileage out of a filter. I put thousands of miles on my bike every year using this practice.

 

[bowhunter007]

I don't change mine every ride but I do check it if conditions call for it. Otherwise it's changed for a clean one every 2nd or 3rd ride depending on hrs and conditions. I sure wouldn't argure with you for changing yours every ride either.

All valid points, I am sort of anal, in this regard. On dry dusty days, I keep a spare in a plastic bag(in my backpack) and will change it, if I deem it necessary during a break. Keeping in mind, I generally load a backpack like I'm preparing for the end of the world My 2 closest riding pals generally carry nothing, assuming I carry "everything". I have been known to stop during a cold winter ride and brew up some tea or coffee. My airfilter & oil changing is probably excessive, but it makes me feel better...thanks for the insight

 

[bukwheat]

I'm like most here...if I check it and its dirty, I clean it. If its not dirty I don't clean it. Some people change their oil and spark plug every ride. Some people don't. Back when I was young and racing for a living, I didn't want to leave any thing to "chance". Nowadays, I got better things to do than work on the bike all the time. The last three bikes I've had, and I had each one for at least 3 years, had the stock spark plug in them when I sold them.

 

[desertgasser300]

Once a year, wether it needs it or not!

 

[jostby]

I think you are way more likely to knock some dirt into the carb changing the filter than you are sucking dirt through the filter. I have never had any indication dirt got through the filter. In fact the dirtier they are the better they filter.

True facts from PEB
You're doing more harm than good when over-servicing the air filter as long as the filter is properly oiled.

 

[Rick]

I have 3 air filters, one in the bike and 2 always ready to go, stored in a zip lock bag.

I change them out after every ride, the reason is i wash my bike after every outting, due to being wet from washing. I have a second cage with a second" storage filter" that i use when the bike is sitting idle. The storage filter is a old filter that is clean but not oiled and is in place so nothing get into the air boot.

 

[Jakobi]

True facts from PEB
You're doing more harm than good when over-servicing the air filter as long as the filter is properly oiled.

Yes no yes no.

The potential to do harm by either having crud drop into the boot or by not mounting a filter properly increases. Especially mid ride, or at the end of a big day when half tired and three quarters pissed.

While a really dirty filter may not directly be allowing dirt into the engine it does inhibit the performance, and in the event that the bike does go for a swim the chance of all that dirt being pulled into the engine is much greater.

I guess it depends what everyones opinion of dirty is too! I wish I took pics of my filter after the mega dust ride!

 

[jostby]

Yes no yes no.

The potential to do harm by either having crud drop into the boot or by not mounting a filter properly increases. Especially mid ride, or at the end of a big day when half tired and three quarters pissed.

While a really dirty filter may not directly be allowing dirt into the engine it does inhibit the performance, and in the event that the bike does go for a swim the chance of all that dirt being pulled into the engine is much greater.

I guess it depends what everyones opinion of dirty is too! I wish I took pics of my filter after the mega dust ride!

With 28 years in the automotive and heavy truck industry I now also work directly with suppliers and manufacturers within one of the largest (and best known) companies in the world. I stand by what I say but realize and also respect that everybody will have their own opinion on this. And I do also realize that dirt bikes aren't cars or trucks.
But you can also ask any parts counter person or Oil Can Henry's lube shop tech and they will ALWAYS tell you to replace your air filter if there is even a little dust on it. And most people won't question their suggestion.

And this isn't directed towards those that come back from a ride with a 1/2" layer of dust or a 2" layer of mud on the filter. Obviously that would warrant cleaning or replacement.

A good layer of dust on a well oiled filter does help to filter even finer particles without inhibiting performance. Common sense must prevail. Overservicing needlessly allows the chance for foreign material to enter the engine. And most people over-service their air filters on their cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

 

[bowhunter007]

It seems the general opinion(s) is...OVERKILL! I got no problem with scaling back a bit(maybe when the weather's nicer). Winter riding is here, for me. Frequent mud flinging, puddle splashing, and deep water crossing means breather cleaning & oil changing. Which reminds me...I need to find the tranny vent(is there one?), to extend it above the high water mark. Thanks for all the input. I sort of fell into this routine by wanting to keep max service life for my machines. My biggest failing is not giving the bikes a proper bath more often.

 

[jostby]

Tranny vent comes off of the right side PV cover (spooge vent is off of the left side cover). Common to reroute it up the steering stem.

 

[bowhunter007]

Thanks...found it, and routed it exactly as stated Now maybe I won't have to change the oil as often