My Green Cotton filter got nicked :(

Sankar · 20th June 2008, 11:00

Hi Guys,

My Green Cotton airfilter which was fitted on my Bullet got stolen last evening. It was nicked when the bike was parked below my office. May low life who nicked it suffer an engine seizure + a holed piston + a bent valve

The model number of my Green was K1.44EX/R, it's an oval tapered filter.

Now considering another one asap as i don't want to risk the engine life running it without an air filter. I'm thinking whether to go in for a K&N or back to Green.

Jeep · 20th June 2008, 11:09

This is sad. Even basement parking in office premises are not safe.
Don't worry, the one who stole the filter is going to suffer even more. Anyways, before you fit another one, find a safe parking space.

iraghava · 20th June 2008, 18:26

Did you check your twin's car??

srijit · 20th June 2008, 19:00

Sorry to hear that. Didnt your building have security?

Sankar · 20th June 2008, 19:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by iraghava

Did you check your twin's car??

Hmm.... what would he do with teeny weeny bike filter? I bet his crankcasefilter is bigger than my bike's intake filter

Quote:

Originally Posted by srijit

Sorry to hear that. Didnt your building have security?

Unfortunately no.

Btw i bought a K&N R1100 filter today from Amba. It cost me 2500 bucks. It costs more than the Green but it's slightly smaller than it.

R-1100 - K&N Universal Air Filters, Universal Rubber Filter

Sankar · 22nd June 2008, 20:50

After the Green filter incident i didn't want to give our thief an easy target with my new K&N R1100. So when i was installing the K&N filter i knew that i had to make it thief proof some way or the other.

The easiest was to make a cover for the filter out of aluminum and put it over the filter. But this had two problems: 1) The cover would ruin the lean mean look of the bike as it doesn't even have the side boxes. 2) I wanted the world to see my filter and it goes with the purposeful look of the bike.

This is how i did it:-

I drilled a hole on the filter top put a 13 size bolt through it, the hole is not 13 size but slightly smaller, washers are put on either side of the rubber top. This is to get a good area for the bolts to pinc on to the rubber top. While inserting the bolt remember to smear a bit of silicone sealant on to it and also on the washer surface as this would help make an airtight seal.

Now I made a clamp out of an old front mudguard stay. One end of the clamp is tightened on to the filter top and the other end of the clamp is tightened to the frame under the seat. The bolt on top of the rubber top is slightly exposed from under the seat. But to make it difficult for our thief to remove it i have Araldited the exposed nut and the thread. Araldite is pretty strong when it sets and i have my total belief in in. It has been holding an important bolt in my bike's cylinder head for more than a year

This is not a "totally determined thief" proof method to secure the filter but it is good enough protection against casual thieves and hyperactive hands.

The R1100 has a flange with angle.

My Green Cotton filter got nicked :(-1.jpg

Here you can see the other end bolted to the frame of the bike.

My Green Cotton filter got nicked :(-2.jpg

Traces of RTV silicone smeared on the bolt & washer.

My Green Cotton filter got nicked :(-3.jpg

I like the angle the filter sits at

But you think it will foul with my thighs. The seat will come down a bit more and will cover the nut partially. The seat wasn't tightened down when i took this photo.

My Green Cotton filter got nicked :(-4.jpg

See it does not.

My Green Cotton filter got nicked :(-5.jpg

Not even a little bit.

My Green Cotton filter got nicked :(-6.jpg

smokin · 22nd June 2008, 21:02

i am sorry to hear bout your green cotton ! , but congratulations on your K&N!

I just have a single doubt that you have put the silicon on the bolt ,so how you gonna do the cleaning (if needed)
I suppose you have to remove the bolt which is under your seat and have to clean it with the clamp in it.

Well ,i would say think on it that's it and try something else for the safety and all !

Happy BIKING

madbullram · 22nd June 2008, 21:11

nice idea bro....cant you get longer one so that filter stays horizontal to the ground instead of this position?

Sankar · 22nd June 2008, 21:22

Thanks Ram

The flange of the R1100 has an angle. There are three positions in which i could fit the filter 1) Up like you see inthe pic, 2) Horizontal but sticking out, 3) Down and drooping.

I opted for the UP position because it is the least obtrusive when i put my foot down. It might look as if the filter is being pulled up by the clamp but in reality the filter is just resting at it's natural angled position. Another plus point of this position is that the clamp is almost invisible.

black12rr · 22nd June 2008, 22:13

sankar, this theft happened in blore ? which place ?

nkapoor777 · 22nd June 2008, 22:18

Sorry to hear about the Green. Nice bit of DIY engineering on this one though.

Sankar · 22nd June 2008, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokin

I just have a single doubt that you have put the silicon on the bolt ,so how you gonna do the cleaning (if needed)
I suppose you have to remove the bolt which is under your seat and have to clean it with the clamp in it.

Well ,i would say think on it that's it and try something else for the safety and all !

Happy BIKING

Thanks mate. Yes the cleaning will have to be done as you had thought. The filter will have to be cleaned with the clamp on. It's a little bit in convenient to remove the seat then unbolt the clamp and take the filter off the carb. Cleaning which would've taken 15 minutes usually with no clamp would now take around 15 minutes just to get to the filter. But that's okay as i do the cleaning myself and do it on weekends with ample time to spare.

Quote:

Originally Posted by black12rr

sankar, this theft happened in blore ? which place ?

It happened here in Trivandrum. While i was in Bangalore i had an HP filter and nobody cared to nick it for the whole one year i had it

Quote:

Originally Posted by nkapoor777

Sorry to hear about the Green. Nice bit of DIY engineering on this one though.

Thanks mate! I'm glad that i could do it myself at home.

karthik247 · 22nd June 2008, 22:43

Boss, any change in the sound??

And if u had put the filter in a box, won't the amount of air being sucked in reduce? I guess its best this way, nice idea

Sankar · 22nd June 2008, 22:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by karthik247

Boss, any change in the sound??

And if u had put the filter in a box, won't the amount of air being sucked in reduce? I guess its best this way, nice idea

Yeah lots of induction noise is there... Since i'm now running on stealth mode mufflers (trying to be a good chap here in our community..hehe) the intake sound is more pronounced.

Samurai · 22nd June 2008, 23:13

Hey, I opened the thread thinking your filter got nicked, now you are saying it was stolen. Which is right?

BTW, sorry to to hear it was stolen.

20th June 2008, 11:00	#1
Sankar Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Location Posts: 5,766 Thanked: 9,054 Times	My Green Cotton filter got nicked :( Hi Guys, My Green Cotton airfilter which was fitted on my Bullet got stolen last evening. It was nicked when the bike was parked below my office. May low life who nicked it suffer an engine seizure + a holed piston + a bent valve The model number of my Green was K1.44EX/R, it's an oval tapered filter. Now considering another one asap as i don't want to risk the engine life running it without an air filter. I'm thinking whether to go in for a K&N or back to Green.
	() Thanks

20th June 2008, 11:09	#2
Jeep BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 438 Thanked: 67 Times	This is sad. Even basement parking in office premises are not safe. Don't worry, the one who stole the filter is going to suffer even more. Anyways, before you fit another one, find a safe parking space.
	() Thanks

20th June 2008, 18:26	#3
iraghava Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bhaiyyaland Posts: 8,033 Thanked: 265 Times View My Garage	Did you check your twin's car??
	() Thanks

20th June 2008, 19:00	#4
srijit BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 598 Thanked: 8 Times	Sorry to hear that. Didnt your building have security?
	() Thanks

22nd June 2008, 20:50	#6
Sankar Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Location Posts: 5,766 Thanked: 9,054 Times	Thief Proofing my K&N R1100 After the Green filter incident i didn't want to give our thief an easy target with my new K&N R1100. So when i was installing the K&N filter i knew that i had to make it thief proof some way or the other. The easiest was to make a cover for the filter out of aluminum and put it over the filter. But this had two problems: 1) The cover would ruin the lean mean look of the bike as it doesn't even have the side boxes. 2) I wanted the world to see my filter and it goes with the purposeful look of the bike. This is how i did it:- I drilled a hole on the filter top put a 13 size bolt through it, the hole is not 13 size but slightly smaller, washers are put on either side of the rubber top. This is to get a good area for the bolts to pinc on to the rubber top. While inserting the bolt remember to smear a bit of silicone sealant on to it and also on the washer surface as this would help make an airtight seal. Now I made a clamp out of an old front mudguard stay. One end of the clamp is tightened on to the filter top and the other end of the clamp is tightened to the frame under the seat. The bolt on top of the rubber top is slightly exposed from under the seat. But to make it difficult for our thief to remove it i have Araldited the exposed nut and the thread. Araldite is pretty strong when it sets and i have my total belief in in. It has been holding an important bolt in my bike's cylinder head for more than a year This is not a "totally determined thief" proof method to secure the filter but it is good enough protection against casual thieves and hyperactive hands. The R1100 has a flange with angle. Here you can see the other end bolted to the frame of the bike. Traces of RTV silicone smeared on the bolt & washer. I like the angle the filter sits at But you think it will foul with my thighs. The seat will come down a bit more and will cover the nut partially. The seat wasn't tightened down when i took this photo. See it does not. Not even a little bit.
	() Thanks

22nd June 2008, 21:02	#7
smokin BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: delhi/gurgaon Posts: 281 Thanked: 15 Times View My Garage	i am sorry to hear bout your green cotton ! , but congratulations on your K&N! I just have a single doubt that you have put the silicon on the bolt ,so how you gonna do the cleaning (if needed) I suppose you have to remove the bolt which is under your seat and have to clean it with the clamp in it. Well ,i would say think on it that's it and try something else for the safety and all ! Happy BIKING
	() Thanks

22nd June 2008, 21:11	#8
madbullram BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chennai&Ashburn Posts: 551 Thanked: 231 Times View My Garage	nice idea bro....cant you get longer one so that filter stays horizontal to the ground instead of this position?
	() Thanks

22nd June 2008, 21:22	#9
Sankar Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Location Posts: 5,766 Thanked: 9,054 Times	Thanks Ram The flange of the R1100 has an angle. There are three positions in which i could fit the filter 1) Up like you see inthe pic, 2) Horizontal but sticking out, 3) Down and drooping. I opted for the UP position because it is the least obtrusive when i put my foot down. It might look as if the filter is being pulled up by the clamp but in reality the filter is just resting at it's natural angled position. Another plus point of this position is that the clamp is almost invisible.
	() Thanks

22nd June 2008, 22:13	#10
black12rr Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ridin earth now Posts: 1,278 Thanked: 339 Times	sankar, this theft happened in blore ? which place ?
	() Thanks

22nd June 2008, 22:18	#11
nkapoor777 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 608 Thanked: 143 Times	Sorry to hear about the Green. Nice bit of DIY engineering on this one though.
	() Thanks

22nd June 2008, 22:43	#13
karthik247 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: BLR, HYD Posts: 2,710 Thanked: 30 Times	Boss, any change in the sound?? And if u had put the filter in a box, won't the amount of air being sucked in reduce? I guess its best this way, nice idea
	() Thanks

22nd June 2008, 23:13	#15
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 25,830 Thanked: 45,558 Times View My Garage	Hey, I opened the thread thinking your filter got nicked, now you are saying it was stolen. Which is right? BTW, sorry to to hear it was stolen.
	() Thanks