Hi guys,

Do any of you know what sponge i can use to replace the existing sponge around my air filter's frame and how to wrap it?

Would love to buy a new K&N but a bit pricey for me in South Africa right now so I need a temporary work around.

Thanks.

You fail to mention some important information in your post such as the exact model and year of your bike (which I presume is a XT600)?

If it helps, I fitted these to both my late XT6E's -

Pipercross Product Finder

If you look hard you will find one for around the £30 mark which is pretty good value in my opinion.

They slip straight into the air filter housing on a late 1999-2003 XT600E.

My bikes seem to be less strangled and I suspect it gives a small power increase but without increasing the loudness of the engine/exhaust. I hate unsociable loud & illegal exhausts and have no wish to wake local children in bed like some odd riders do.

I suspect that it might be difficult finding a Pipercross/K&N retailer in South Africa. It might be possible to make your own foam air filter from a lump of foam? I have seen this done in West Africa (Nigeria) and the filters seem to work well enough. The tolerances can't be too demanding providing you fit it tight to the air intake.

I met a mechanic in The Gambia (Banjul) who made Honda CG125 air filters using seat foam and just a pair of scissors! They worked brilliantly. Even better try and mimic the more expensivepattern foam air filers using this method. That's what the Chinese do so often...

I have always found K&N filters to be a bit of a pain because they often require carb jets to be changed or adjusted. The Pipercross filter drops straight in without the need for this messing around.

Welcome to the Yamaha (XT) sub forum.

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Triumph Bonneville 800 (2004), Yamaha XT600E (1999), Honda XBR500 (1986).

Google around regarding pipercross in the newest xt600e's Me and at least another dude form inhere, got some that didnt fit the airbox perfectly.

How about getting a new stock filter, shouldnt be to hard/expensive to get?

Yeah, it was me, the Pipercross fit was terrible.

I did a couple of weeks in Morocco with a new, stock filter and when I came back the air box was as clean as a whistle.

Apologies for only replying now....it is for an '84 model XT600. It has a plastic casing with wire framing holding the sponge in place. Because the bike is so old, finding someone local that stocks the part is very near to impossible.

Quiken,

Hiya matey. Apologies if I sounded a bit harsh. I think that here in the first world (lol - soon to be third world the way wer'e going), some of us here often forget just how difficult it is for our biker brothers in other far off places to source parts etc... I should know better having spent much time in Africa (including South Africa). Sorry.

I'm not exactly mechanically minded myself, apart from doing a simple XT service I know next to **** ** when it comes to mechanics. I take my hat off to YOU because you are prepared to have a go despite the fact you know very little. I guess it's a good way to learn but I haven't the confidence to risk causing expensive damage. I'd rather leave the complicated mechanical stuff to the experts. Thing is it's damn expensive this way. Far better to learn to do it yourself. I guess I'm just plain bone idle!

There are others out there (such as Mezo) who are probably better qualified to advise you...

All the very best.

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Triumph Bonneville 800 (2004), Yamaha XT600E (1999), Honda XBR500 (1986).