DS pattern air filter...

[ST1100Y]

Checked the spark plugs (due for replacement) during the 124,000km service: blackish, a tad sooty... sure air filter is due too, and indeed it did look a bit messy...

glaring at the shelf I only found BHCBB-MT3-000P in storage, pattern filter from David Silver UK...



Dimensions similar, appearance similar, should work... it's only an air filter, what could go wrong, right?

Rode 2 days, back in the shop the next w/e, going to check the valve clearances, removing plugs to ease engine rotation... they're white!!!

Leaves me two options:
a) drop the old filter back in till a new, genuine Honda filter arrives...
b) tweak the idles screws out 1/8 turn (which are a bear to reach... even with the Honda tool...)

 

[STeve A.]

I have been reliably informed that it is the same air filter as fitted to Ford Cortina's.......
Not that it is of much help... not many Cortina's about these days, or parts for them for that matter!
Was going to fit a K&N filter many years ago, but was put off by a tuning guy who ran a rolling road saying would need to re-jet the carbs.
Stuck to Honda filters since. Don't change often as done bugger all miles last couple of years.

 

[ST1100Y]

I have been reliably informed that it is the same air filter as fitted to Ford Cortina's.......

Yeah, just for the bling, let's go for a chromed Edelbrock...

Was going to fit a K&N filter many years ago, but was put off by a tuning guy who ran a rolling road saying would need to re-jet the carbs.

Exactly the point (tried K&N back in the 90ies, wouldn't run without nor with the additional foam ring attached...), considering contacting DS to public a warning with their pattern filter...
There quite a number of aftermarket filters offered (I rated DS as more trustworthy there... lesson learned...), attractive due low prices (like around € 20,- onward around here, whilst an OEM comes for like € 67,- incl VAT), so there might be a rather high number of unnoticed/unreported cases...
I did notice the paper on the OEM filter is kinda waxed, whilst the paper on the pattern part appears completely dry...

Anyway, new OEM filter(s) are on the way, I'll document/amplify the case with pictures later on...

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

JuST another data point, but many many of us have run K&N air filters for many many years and miles without a problem; 190K in my case, saved a bundle on OEMs per replacement interval. And none of us have ‘re-jetted’ our ST1100s. FWIW and YMMV

John

 

[Uncle Phil]

Don't know if you can get them across the pond, but I use EMGOs in my ST1100s with no trouble.
Rumor has it they are made in the same factory as the Honda ones (I can't tell the two apart).

 

[dwalby]

JuST another data point, but many many of us have run K&N air filters for many many years and miles without a problem; 190K in my case, saved a bundle on OEMs per replacement interval. And none of us have ‘re-jetted’ our ST1100s. FWIW and YMMV

John

+1

Same here, 24 years on K&N out of the 25 I've owned the bike, since the OEM filter got me through the first year. No jetting changes required.

Haven't priced them lately to be sure, but I could probably buy a used replacement engine for what I didn't spend on a new air filter every 15k miles or so.

 

[ST1100Y]

Don't know if you can get them across the pond, but I use EMGOs in my ST1100s with no trouble.
Rumor has it they are made in the same factory as the Honda ones (I can't tell the two apart).

Not present over here, you'll see a lot HiFlow around (also oil filters), but visually they're just like the ones I'd gotten...

And DS responded with the to be expected "... we sell large amounts of this product and never heard of such an issue ..." routine...

Well, once the OEM -MT3- filters are here, I'll take the ST for another spin and check the plugs... then we'll know for sure...

(darn, I'd spent hours of adjusting the carbs, the bike ran perfect before, reading the plugs confirmed dead on settings... )

 

[GGely]

I’ve been using HiFlo on all the bikes, including the ST and so far no issues. Since they’re a UK company I would have thought there’d be a presence in Europe.

 

[ST1100Y]

Well, after I'd installed the pattern air-filter the idle suddenly screamed at ~2000rpm... should have given a clue though... corrected it, synced carbs... it ran like crap... hesitant, weak low rpm power...

Used the bike for a bit, read the plugs: white... bummer...

Today I installed an OEM air filter again; first thing: idle is way down, raised that to 1000rpm again once engine was fully warmed...
Performance?
Well, there it is again: the silky smooth punch right out of idle the SC26 plant is so famous for...


plug & old (dirty) OEM filter: obviously on the rich side...





plug & new pattern filter, obviously pretty lean...





pattern left, OEM right:




OEM bottom, pattern top:





Will run the ST a few days and read the plugs again...
But as said, it feels and performs very different now that an OEM filter is installed again...