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[Foot Loose]

I notice my bike came with a air filter sock.  The manual discusses using the sock when parked in rain, or could cause engine damage.  It's not clear to me if the sock needs to on when running in a rain. 

[OBB]

I always put mine on when I get caught in the rain. Just my 2 cents.

[Foot Loose]

Ok I guess the sock doesn't restrict the air flow, or have you noticed any performance change with the sock on?   I wonder if there is a better option, a high flow filter not requiring a sock every time it rains. 

[grc]

Ok I guess the sock doesn't restrict the air flow, or have you noticed any performance change with the sock on?   I wonder if there is a better option, a high flow filter not requiring a sock every time it rains. 

Some people just install the sock under the cover and leave it on all the time.  Besides helping with any water issues, it acts a bit like a prefilter to catch the big stuff and keep the real filter clean longer.  Just take it off and clean it on a regular basis.

As for a better option, something with a real cover might be an idea.  Maybe something like the air cleaners most of us used before it became cool to run around with exposed elements for instance.   

Jerry

[FLHTCUSE7]

Sock must be on while riding in rain. The MC will boug down if sock is not on.

[skratch]

depends on the rain.  i got stuck in a downpour on my bike and because the rain was coming down at a 45* angle from the right, it was bogging down my bike big time.  but after we made a turn, the rain was at a different angle and no longer hitting the air filter.  ran fine at that point.

[dlaws01]

Sock must be on while riding in rain. The MC will boug down if sock is not on.

X2, This happened to me on my springer.  My air filter is a bit more exposed to the elements though.  Like Jerry said, now I just leave mine on most of the time. 

[dahsen]

X2, This happened to me on my springer.  My air filter is a bit more exposed to the elements though.  Like Jerry said, now I just leave mine on most of the time. 

X3...  Don't think that it makes a big difference in performance, air passes freely in that net.

[mark]

Yes, bike will start to suck in water if riding in rain w/o the sock (this is based on it happening to me).  Install it under the chrome cover...your filter will stay cleaner and you won't have to stop to put it on if caught in the rain.  No performance difference in running with or without it.

[Foot Loose]

if the sock is the answer to a serious problem, wouldn't you think the filter would just be equipped?  Seems silly to have to install a sock in rain events.  I continue to think there must be another reason, like air restriction. 

[grc]

if the sock is the answer to a serious problem, wouldn't you think the filter would just be equipped?  Seems silly to have to install a sock in rain events.  I continue to think there must be another reason, like air restriction. 

I assume that if you were to take the air cleaner to a lab with a flow bench and have the maximum airflow measured with and without the rain sock installed you would get a very small difference in flow.  Unless you plan to change the throttle body, the heads, and the exhaust to eliminate all the other flow constraints, I'm willing to bet you won't feel a difference on the road.

Jerry

[Foot Loose]

I wonder if anyone did a dyno test comparison, sock off, sock on.   How can the sock restrict the water and yet get more flow per square inch?  the surface area of the air filter must be ten times the usable surface area of the sock. 

[grc]

I wonder if anyone did a dyno test comparison, sock off, sock on.   How can the sock restrict the water and yet get more flow per square inch?  the surface area of the air filter must be ten times the usable surface area of the sock. 

K&N has sold what they call the DryCharger for many years, and it's basically the same thing as a rain sock in Harley terminology.  I assume the parts are similar if not identical, and the K&N part is a thin polyester material that's treated with a water repellent chemical.  They claim it adds "very little restriction", but I've never seen them actually quantify "little".

If you plan to have your bike on a dyno in the near future why not be the guinea pig and have back to back runs made, with and without.  Like I said before, I doubt you will see a truly significant difference.  And don't forget, even without the cover the air flow changes over time as the filter becomes dirty, so you don't get maximum airflow under all conditions anyway.

Jerry

[dahsen]

At a microscopic level it probably does something, but surely not as much as the stuff a get from the filter when I rinse it !!

I know people that use it all the time (personally I don't like the look of it) by preventing the bugs, and other big particles to get stuck in the filter, my guess is that I get more restriction than they do after a couple of weeks do riding...

[hrdtail78]

I wonder if anyone did a dyno test comparison, sock off, sock on.   How can the sock restrict the water and yet get more flow per square inch?  the surface area of the air filter must be ten times the usable surface area of the sock. 

I have done back to back.  95% of the bikes out there are not going to see a difference from it install to it not being installed.  Now a sock and a fancy cover on the HD heavy breathers?  The % goes down.

[Sprintkid]

I race a sprint car that is fuel injected and has washable style air filters. We also have pre filters made of same material as the rain sock. They do an excellent job of keeping the very fine particles of dirt out of the filter without air volume restriction. As a rain sock it is just a barrier between the water and the gauze like material of the filter. I run mine under my chrome cover as a prefilter and it's ready In case of rain. It does way more good than bad .

[OBB]

I race a sprint car that is fuel injected and has washable style air filters. We also have pre filters made of same material as the rain sock. They do an excellent job of keeping the very fine particles of dirt out of the filter without air volume restriction. As a rain sock it is just a barrier between the water and the gauze like material of the filter. I run mine under my chrome cover as a prefilter and it's ready In case of rain. It does way more good than bad .

I keep meaning to go ahead and do this. Would also be nice when washing the bike. I have a tendency to forget to put it on before washing. 

[Sprintkid]

I bought a 3 pack of gramma's shower caps and just snap it over at the car wash. Works great

[Para Bellum]

I modified my rain sock by cutting a hole in it (where the mounting bolt goes through), then installed a grommet there to prevent a "blowout" of the sock.  Put the rain sock on under the cover and leave it; don't have to worry about sudden downpours or forgetting it at home.

[Foot Loose]

Thanks all.  I'll be installing the sock tomorrow, under the cover, before I head to Florida! 

[DCC]

This rain sock stuff makes me chuckle. I guess I'm old school.  My chrome air air cleaner works just fine and I don't need no stinkin sock : ). I can't imagine buying Harley's most expensive touring machine and having to pull over in a rain storm to put a sock on.  Just don' t cut it..

[Foot Loose]

One would think you shouldn't have to pull off the road when it rains to put on a sock.  However, looking at the devise, about 70 % of the filter element is exposed to the elements.  I can envision excessive rain soaking the filter and the 110 vacuum machine sucking that water into the system.  I just think it's a poor design.  Harley has a warning, requiring protection from rain, even when parked.   

[05Train]

Given enough rain the sock will soak through and the motor will bog.  The sock seems to help a bit, but in a really heavy rain you're still going to be fighting to keep the bike running.

[grc]

Harley is pretty famous for going with style over function, so borrowing a bad idea from the bike show circuit and the aftermarket doesn't surprise me at all.  I'm still waiting for someone to start a thread about hydraulic locking his engine and then having Harley refuse to repair the damage because he parked his Harley outside where it rained and eventually filled his cylinders with water.  Everyone knows Harley's are for show, you're not supposed to expose them to the nasty elements.

I wonder why the automakers haven't decided to sell cars with no hoods or air cleaner covers.    Maybe because they have a whole lot more brains than the Harley folks would be my guess.

Jerry

[hdaliaconis]

Have ridden in the rain no sock.  No issues.  Actually I forgot I have the thing or where it's stored!  WTF, do you really need it?

[Bike30]

I can understand covering the filter when washing or parked in the rain to reduce flow into the intake. If air filters needed covers when driving, then every small piston airplane would be grounded on rainy days. I've flown with foam, flocked, paper, and K&N filters and never had a stoppage or problem from the precip. Carburetor ice can be an issue to be monitored if the air temp is right.

[hdaliaconis]

I'll bet it's there so you look cool!

[mark]

As has been previously posted, I too have had my engine bog down in the rain even with the rain sock on. 

[hdaliaconis]

Been in some pretty heavy rains with no "bogging"

[Foot Loose]

Possibly the mixed comments are on account of different air intake set-ups, maybe some are better than others when it comes to dealing with rain/wash. 

[hdaliaconis]

 

[Robmay]

I have the stock air filter on my 2011 Fltrcuse. Several times in a pouring rain, no sock, when I throttled say to pass a vehicle the bike bogs until I let off the throttle some.

[Foot Loose]

maybe a little water will steam clean the carbon out of your bikes

[Tru-Blu]

AWESOME idea, FXD!  I plan on doing the same. Should help keep the filter cleaner, too!

 

[cambo]

AWESOME idea, FXD!  I plan on doing the same. Should help keep the filter cleaner, too!

 

Same here. Especially the heavy breather and the way it's positioned to be hit head on when it's raining. Great idea. Thanks!

Cam