Did the DNA upgrade

jtalka

jtalka

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Did the upgrade of my air filter to DNA last week and finally got to take the bike out yesterday. For anyone on the fence about this upgrade, I would do it. There is a noticeable difference in the throttle responsiveness and the bike seems a bit stronger as well, pulled better. I did this on top of the Brentune upgrade...exhaust is still stock.

The replacement procedure is a bit more involved than I initially thought and the screw bases did come out as someone warned. Getting therm back in was "interesting" but doable.

Overall, worth the cost and effort IMHO.
 
Hey! I did the filter + frame install just last night and rode around a bit today. In roll mode (so far) there is a felt increase in power and smoothness, its faint so far but roll mode is a tame touring highway type mode anyway.
 
Yeah I think next time I ride I'll throw it into rock mode and go for city street runs around the airport. Does BMW recognize this product or should I remove it when I go in for the first service?
 
kate_brett said:
Recommend it; if you don’t put the DNA air filter on at least pull all the restrictive plastic off original filter.
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I wouldn't do that. The stock air filter was designed to work in accordance with the stock air box arrangement. The DNA filter is more restrictive, and designed to run without the snorkles.
 
Folo said:
Yeah I think next time I ride I'll throw it into rock mode and go for city street runs around the airport. Does BMW recognize this product or should I remove it when I go in for the first service?
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I'd just tell them that you just replaced the air filter so don't replace/serice it..... can't see a reason for them to access that area of the motor then.... so they would not know..... if it was easy to get at, I'd swap it out beforehand and still tell them it has just been changed..... I did this with a motor vehicle for a while when I did not want to risk my warranty.... that vehicle was known for dusted motors (Toyota deisel land cruser)

Fwiw.... cotton pleated oiled air filters are about the worst air filters as far as passing fine particles (ie dust).... what we reffer to in Australia as "dusted motors" are motors that dust has got past the filters and early life motor failure has occurred.... so quite a bit around on the internet about it.... mostly when "outback touring".... dirt roads, farmers etc..... fwiy I may put one on my R18 as it is a low yearly millage fine day ride.... but I would not run one on a high milage every day bike that I intend to own forever.... and I am a lover of induction noise.

I looked up the specs on the DNA and it is quite poor filtration wise.
 
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kate_brett said:
The DNA air filter is LESS restrictive 124.30 cfm as opposed to the more restrictive stock filter at 101.60 cfm. Pull the plastic shit off
Noelpolar said:
I'd just tell them that you just replaced the air filter so don't replace/serice it..... can't see a reason for them to access that area of the motor then.... so they would not know..... if it was easy to get at, I'd swap it out beforehand and still tell them it has just been changed..... I did this with a motor vehicle for a while when I did not want to risk my warranty.... that vehicle was known for dusted motors (Toyota deisel land cruser)

Fwiw.... cotton pleated oiled air filters are about the worst air filters as far as passing fine particles (ie dust).... what we reffer to in Australia as "dusted motors" are motors that dust has got past the filters and early life motor failure has occurred.... so quite a bit around on the internet about it.... mostly when "outback touring".... dirt roads, farmers etc..... fwiy I may put one on my R18 as it is a low yearly millage fine day ride.... but I would not run one on a high milage every day bike that I intend to own forever.... and I am a lover of induction noise.

I looked up the specs on the DNA and it is quite poor filtration wise.
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So then this is a lie?
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Noelpolar said:
I'd just tell them that you just replaced the air filter so don't replace/serice it..... can't see a reason for them to access that area of the motor then.... so they would not know..... if it was easy to get at, I'd swap it out beforehand and still tell them it has just been changed..... I did this with a motor vehicle for a while when I did not want to risk my warranty.... that vehicle was known for dusted motors (Toyota deisel land cruser)

Fwiw.... cotton pleated oiled air filters are about the worst air filters as far as passing fine particles (ie dust).... what we reffer to in Australia as "dusted motors" are motors that dust has got past the filters and early life motor failure has occurred.... so quite a bit around on the internet about it.... mostly when "outback touring".... dirt roads, farmers etc..... fwiy I may put one on my R18 as it is a low yearly millage fine day ride.... but I would not run one on a high milage every day bike that I intend to own forever.... and I am a lover of induction noise.

I looked up the specs on the DNA and it is quite poor filtration wise.
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It’s a road bike. I don’t ride on dirt roads In Australia. It won’t get dusted. My DNA filter will be just fine.
 
Noelpolar said:
I'd just tell them that you just replaced the air filter so don't replace/serice it..... can't see a reason for them to access that area of the motor then.... so they would not know..... if it was easy to get at, I'd swap it out beforehand and still tell them it has just been changed..... I did this with a motor vehicle for a while when I did not want to risk my warranty.... that vehicle was known for dusted motors (Toyota deisel land cruser)

Fwiw.... cotton pleated oiled air filters are about the worst air filters as far as passing fine particles (ie dust).... what we reffer to in Australia as "dusted motors" are motors that dust has got past the filters and early life motor failure has occurred.... so quite a bit around on the internet about it.... mostly when "outback touring".... dirt roads, farmers etc..... fwiy I may put one on my R18 as it is a low yearly millage fine day ride.... but I would not run one on a high milage every day bike that I intend to own forever.... and I am a lover of induction noise.

I looked up the specs on the DNA and it is quite poor filtration wise.
Click to expand...
So this is a lie?
 

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Folo said:
Yeah I think next time I ride I'll throw it into rock mode and go for city street runs around the airport. Does BMW recognize this product or should I remove it when I go in for the first service?
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My dealer will install them for you if you want as part of a routine service for little or no charge depending on what else you're having done.
 
Adrian R said:
So this is a lie?
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There are a lot of words there.... so hard to say..... I'll be nice and call it their version of their truth.... (if we were talking in person I probably say ... xxx)

Of course they sell their filters.... that normally is the place you go for marketing talk.... not well researched data driven fact base on a particular topic.

Engine filtration is a complex thing.... things like particle size getting by the filter, where the filter is in its service life etc.

Over the years I have read a far bit on this.... looking for facts..... and whilst I could spend some time finding something to link to here.... so can anybody. Anyway.... if someone asks me what would my hierarchy of filter law be.... it would go by this:

1. I know nothing and I don't want to put any effort in.... what is the best filter for me in 2023: Answer: OEM filter.

2. I want to play with my bike and do stuff..... don't care about the consequences (for what ever motivation).... I want to feel something different, or at least think I do...... Answer: any low resistance filter will do.... (ie lot's of holes).

3. as per 2.... but I want to feel some filtering is happening at least..... Answer: then don't run bell mouths... haha.

FWIW.... I have often played with 1 and 2.... I have no agenda.

a 3 second google found this:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7475895/

a quote "Traditional cellulose filter media used for air filtration in vehicle engines are characterized by 99.9% filtration efficiency and accuracy above 2–5 µm".... so did DNA lie when they said "97-99"?...I'm sure they will have some record of one that tested at 97.... maybe a bike some years ago from china... or india.... (maybe I'm being too cynical... )... truth in marketing is easily found/made..... (I was once a media spokesperson for a large national company... so I know how it goes).

If someone said to me an oiled cotton filter is about 98% effective.... and a OEM is, on average 99.5%.... that would sound ball park.... I run a Donaldson Powercore filter in a special airbox on my land cruiser that they claim is 99.99%.... it's based on the high end stuff used on earthworks machines..... and about the upper limit of filtering.... but need a new airbox as well.... and cost a lot.... for o.4% gain.... but a motor is $30k or so... and I have to drive at times in dust storms.... and I hope to get 20 years running out of it.

Anyway, I am not trying to win an argument here.... just putting a hand up to say.... make the "upgrade" mindfully. There is nothing new here... been argued to death for 40 years, (wire wool oil bath (old cars), oiled foam, oiled cotton, non oiled cotton/fibre, aftermarket pleated paper, OEM etc etc.... lots of information out there... mostly based on someones agenda... so be mindful again!))

I may try a DNA filter on my R18.... because it is a 4,000km a year, fine weather, sealed road toy.... but I would not do it if it is a 10,000 mile a year tourer that I want to do 150,000 miles on (if looked after I could see this motor doing that sort of milage easily enough). This is only my position based on my judgement.
 
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I'm not usually an old curmudgeon in situations like these (I'm not too old, BTW 😜), but air filters are a topic that I feel I need to add my useless 0.000002 cents to.

K&N, DNA, and any other "oiled" air filter companies are complete B.S. Period. Air filters, oil filters, transmission filters, ANYTHING that says "filter" is a CONSUMABLE product, and should be regarded as such. Anything else is disingenuous at best.

What happens is either: The owner fails to regularly CLEAN and oil their air filter, per the maintenance schedule laid out by the manufacturer. Mass-airflow sensor clogs and fails due to the atomized oil spray coming from the oil on the air filter pleats. Engine performance suffers due to loss of MAF, plus clogged air filter restricts airflow, further restricting airflow. ECU runs rich mixture setting, reducing MPGs, causing excessive carbon buildup on valves, O2 sensors eventually cause "check engine" light to turn on.

Owner regularly cleans and oils their air filter religiously. MAF clogs ANYWAYS, because there's oil spray where there shouldn't be oil in the air intake (the MAF has a hot string of metal just hanging out in the airstream, waiting for oil to drop by and burn itself onto it). Engine performance suffers due to loss of MAF, but airflow isn't clogged, so at least the engine has that going for it, but the engine computer doesn't know that, because the MAF is the airflow sensor...and now it's burned out.

And, the engine suffers the same fate as scenario one.

The bottom line is that almost NO ONE maintains their oiled air filters, and that, even with the best maintained filters...modern-day engines with electronic sensors are simply not compatible with them.

Mike
 
Keehn said:
I'm not usually an old curmudgeon in situations like these (I'm not too old, BTW 😜), but air filters are a topic that I feel I need to add my useless 0.000002 cents to.

K&N, DNA, and any other "oiled" air filter companies are complete B.S. Period. Air filters, oil filters, transmission filters, ANYTHING that says "filter" is a CONSUMABLE product, and should be regarded as such. Anything else is disingenuous at best.

What happens is either: The owner fails to regularly CLEAN and oil their air filter, per the maintenance schedule laid out by the manufacturer. Mass-airflow sensor clogs and fails due to the atomized oil spray coming from the oil on the air filter pleats. Engine performance suffers due to loss of MAF, plus clogged air filter restricts airflow, further restricting airflow. ECU runs rich mixture setting, reducing MPGs, causing excessive carbon buildup on valves, O2 sensors eventually cause "check engine" light to turn on.

Owner regularly cleans and oils their air filter religiously. MAF clogs ANYWAYS, because there's oil spray where there shouldn't be oil in the air intake (the MAF has a hot string of metal just hanging out in the airstream, waiting for oil to drop by and burn itself onto it). Engine performance suffers due to loss of MAF, but airflow isn't clogged, so at least the engine has that going for it, but the engine computer doesn't know that, because the MAF is the airflow sensor...and now it's burned out.

And, the engine suffers the same fate as scenario one.

The bottom line is that almost NO ONE maintains their oiled air filters, and that, even with the best maintained filters...modern-day engines with electronic sensors are simply not compatible with them.

Mike
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I agree 100%. Oiled filter have absolutely no business being on modern engines with maf sensors or turboed engines. The evidence is overwhelming of maf sensor failures and turbo damage. What happens in a turbos is they spray oil on the compressor wheel and then dirt starts collecting on the oil which in turn causes damage to the surface of the wheel and bearings as it's no longer balanced with added weight of oil and dirt. Anyways that's besides the point since we don't have turbos, the point is is that they cause damage period. I do not understand why manufacturers keep making oil filters for new engines. Their are plenty of other filter media choices out there that flow well and filter as well as oem without damaging components.
I would love to do the dna intake because the oem filter setup is very restrictve and added power and noise sounds great, but that crappy oil filter hold me back and unfortunately with the godawful aftermarket support for our bikes they are the only name in the game so no intake mods for me. This motor has a ton of potential but with the lack of aftermarket support and how bad the sales are I doubt their will ever be serious development to this power plant.
 
if you want a bike to just ride and not tinker with especially with power mods the r18 is a great bike. If you want to add power and and have tons of options to do so and for relatively cheap buy a harley. The m8 engine harly has right now has proven to be very reliable and an absolute beast with the staged kits for it. Power, weight, displacement, mods, power potential have the r18 soundly out classed all whole proving to be just as reliable. I got the r18 based on style and price point and how unique it is, but the lack of even a simple cam upgrade is driving me nuts not to mention the ludicrous prices for parts on this bike.
 
seattleswimboy said:
if you want a bike to just ride and not tinker with especially with power mods the r18 is a great bike. If you want to add power and and have tons of options to do so and for relatively cheap buy a harley. The m8 engine harly has right now has proven to be very reliable and an absolute beast with the staged kits for it. Power, weight, displacement, mods, power potential have the r18 soundly out classed all whole proving to be just as reliable. I got the r18 based on style and price point and how unique it is, but the lack of even a simple cam upgrade is driving me nuts not to mention the ludicrous prices for parts on this bike.
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Buy a Harley? NFW...never. Over priced, archaic, far, far too common, attitude...dealer attitude, boring...etc. I have a second gen Honda Valkyrie 1800 that hauls ass, and blows away most cruisers, including even the newest, stock CVOs... The R18 is unique, and with the upgrades as mentioned, makes good power ..not to mention wonderful gearing and torque curve. I will be sure to maintain the oiled filter. Cantankerous replies are informative indeed, but I'll take my chances with the knowledge and skills I've acquired..and regard the negativity with a degree of perspective. Everything that is disagreed upon today is dealt the common blow 'fake news'..It's as common as the sheep herding mentality of yet another fkin' Harley....boring..
 
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