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[RPR50]

While the snow flies, I'm doing the cam, pistons and heads on my 2010 SESG. My dealer wants to replace the stock breather. I know it's high flow, but he's telling me I'll get noticeable improvement if I swap it out. He's suggesting a Zippers unit or the HD Heavy Breather.

I like the look of the stock unit. At same time, if it'll make a difference, I'm open to it.

Opinions appreciated, including a recommended replacement. Aesthetics are important to me as well as performance. 

Thanks.

[PierceEye]

I Have the HD Heavy Breather and like it

[RPR50]

i've got the HD unit on my Springer. I like it but if I change the SG it'll likely be for a different look, oval or round.

[Supershooter]

There is probably way to find out how CFM's actually flow through each air cleaner, that may be a good place to start. After that then figure out if the differnce between the air cleaners is significant or not. Make your decision- Science? / Fashion? I put a Heavy Breather on mine because of fashion. In retrospect I should have put the Ventilator on. If anyone knows where to the air flow numbers for the various intakes can be found I'd be interested to see them.
Supershooter

[Rio]

Some people say that the Heavy Breather created turbulent air flow becasue of the bend?  I don't necessarily know if that's true, but the two people that told me 1 is a tech at my HD dealer, and the other owns a very respected performance shop?  I had a heavy breather and i respected their opinion enough to change it out....but I also didn't like my leg rubbing against it either.

[Doc 1]

For the best performance we want a straight shot from the beginning of the intake track to the intake valve, however other than the V-Rod Harley doesn't come close to a straight shot. Any time you make a bend in the intake track you slow down the inertia of the air rushing into the cylinder, so when racing we will not add any more distractions to the intake track. I said that to say this....street bikes are not going to suffer, seat of the pants, loss in power when you use the Heavy Breather....you might see a .5 or 1 hp loss on the dyno from the added 90 degree angle but if your not racing who cares about that 1 hp loss. I've seen a lot more power left on the table from exhaust choices rather than an air cleaner choice.
I did a study(dyno runs on a mule bike that was mildly modified, heads, cams, pipes, 98/108 95'') on the SE air filter kit, Zippers Filter, Dougherty Air Filter Kit, Big Sucker from Arlen, the Heavy Breather and they all performed within 0.50 hp of each other......the only filter that stood alone with a 2.5 torque increase and a 1.5 hp increase was a filter from a new company called ''Exotic''.
Bottom line and my point is this....for a street bike why not run the filter kit you want because the gain or loos from your choice is at the most very minimal.
Doc

[JCZ]

For the best performance we want a straight shot from the beginning of the intake track to the intake valve, however other than the V-Rod Harley doesn't come close to a straight shot. Any time you make a bend in the intake track you slow down the inertia of the air rushing into the cylinder, so when racing we will not add any more distractions to the intake track. I said that to say this....street bikes are not going to suffer, seat of the pants, loss in power when you use the Heavy Breather....you might see a .5 or 1 hp loss on the dyno from the added 90 degree angle but if your not racing who cares about that 1 hp loss. I've seen a lot more power left on the table from exhaust choices rather than an air cleaner choice.
I did a study(dyno runs on a mule bike that was mildly modified, heads, cams, pipes, 98/108 95'') on the SE air filter kit, Zippers Filter, Dougherty Air Filter Kit, Big Sucker from Arlen, the Heavy Breather and they all performed within 0.50 hp of each other......the only filter that stood alone with a 2.5 torque increase and a 1.5 hp increase was a filter from a new company called ''Exotic''.
Bottom line and my point is this....for a street bike why not run the filter kit you want because the gain or loos from your choice is at the most very minimal.Doc

That's why most of us on the SESG (and the 09 SERG) have stayed with the stock air cleaner.  It's already an open air cleaner and the cost of a different A/C vs. the gain.....it's insugnificant and just not enough to make it worth it.   Of course I could understand, from the perspective of a dealership or somebody that works at a dealership, to sell us something (even if we don't really "need" it) keeps them in business.

[LarryB]

doc, you got a link for exotic? cant seem to find it

[Doc 1]

Now thats the sad part of my post....a customer brought all those air filter kits in and had me tune his bike to the best one and the Exotic won however I haven't been able to find the Exotic Air Filter nor the customer who had it. If I run into him again I will get all the info and let you know. Hopefully he will read this post and and give us the info right here.
Doc

[Black Diamond]

Now thats the sad part of my post....a customer brought all those air filter kits in and had me tune his bike to the best one and the Exotic won however I haven't been able to find the Exotic Air Filter nor the customer who had it. If I run into him again I will get all the info and let you know. Hopefully he will read this post and and give us the info right here.
Doc

Is this the one you tested?

http://parts.exoticchoppers.com/

[efrbc1]

While on the subject, I have a Screamin Eagle A/C on my RK.  95", heads flowed, TW26 cams and SE Slip-ons.  Been looking at the Heavy Breather for nothing else but the look of it.  I had the bike dyno tuned and it runs great.  If I was to change from the SE to the Heavy Breather, would I have to re-tune?

Chris

[Doc 1]

While on the subject, I have a Screamin Eagle A/C on my RK.  95", heads flowed, TW26 cams and SE Slip-ons.  Been looking at the Heavy Breather for nothing else but the look of it.  I had the bike dyno tuned and it runs great.  If I was to change from the SE to the Heavy Breather, would I have to re-tune?

Chris

No Chris....like I said the air volume isn't any different than what you have now.
Doc

[Doc 1]

Is this the one you tested?

http://parts.exoticchoppers.com/

No Black Diamond.....the air filter looked like a SE or K&N......it actually mounted right to the SE backing plate.
Doc

[RPR50]

Don't think my dealer is selling me something I don't want or need.  He's not pushing a parts sale. It's a genuine belief the performance will improve significantly.  Thus my question for the group. Agree or disagree?  If so, other than the heavy breather, any recommendation? 

Thanks.

[gtnot]

Perhaps this is the one Doc mentioned...

http://www.exotx.com/filters.htm