I have ran them for years without a problem. I do make one slight modification though. Go buy the cheapest pair of nylons you can find and stretch them over the filter. Bigger particles don't get past and the filter does the rest. Also, for those that do have problems with them. CLEAN THEM!
One huge problem with K&N is the fact that it's an oiled filter. We found congealed gummy K&N oil all over the airbox, throttle bodies, intake boots... you name it, we found it there. Despite K&N's claims (which contradict each other) that oil cannot leave the filters or that overoiling will only make the filter flow less. This is part for the course when dealing with K&N - and it's even worse with vehicles that have MAF sensors. The oil from the filter
will damage the MAF when it comes in contact.
On top of that, the additional flow is absolutely at the expense of filtration. They are flat out lying when they say it filters out 99% as well as a paper filter. One of many objective tests here:
http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/kn-vs-oem-filter.html
A common sense individual test:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm and
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest3.htm
Used oil analysis before and after a K&N will often show that the engine is wearing out much faster. Higher silicon, higher wear metals.
The PowerStroke 7.3L guys strongly recommend against K&N filters because thousands of users have shown it cuts turbo life down to 100K or less and engine life down to 150K or so. Considering that if you leave the intake path stock, the turbo will easily go 250-300K without needing attention and the motor shouldn't have to have the heads off before 500K, that's pretty damning. K&Ns are great for a race motor that's rebuilt on a regular basis and is run in relatively clean air - not so great on a street machine that you need to get you to work.
Yes, it's that bad.
First ride impressions of the HD Livewire.
http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/06/19/harley-davidson-livewire-electric-motorcycle-first-ride-review-photos-video/
I must say this came out of nowhere. HD may have finally gotten the point that their traditional target demographic is getting too
old.dead.
FTFY.
Also, the "Home Equity Line Of Credit = ATM dispensing free money" insanity has ended and nobody wants to pay $40K for a terrible machine that a $1000 cruiser from 20 years ago off Craigslist is better than in all respects any more.
It kind of makes sense, though. I wasn't the only under-40 telling Harley "welcome to 1982" when they introduced their new watercooled bikes. They have just figured out that 'oooh, hey, watercooled now!' might wow the ancient unfrozen cavemen that used to buy their old dinosaur bikes (emphasis on 'used to' - now they are shopping for old people mobility scooters), but it's pass? to the tech generations. Even incorporating all the latest things they can buy in from suppliers will only be greeted with the derision that it deserves ("Hey, Harley, ya finally caught up to last decade!'). In order to make themselves relevant again, they have to do something different.
To be fair, if it's made and sold as a boutique cruiser, it should be fine. Harley people are apparently satisfied with short range ('peanut' tanks on choppers and stock on the Sportster), heavy weight (duh) and artificial sound/vibrations, so even this thing's shortcomings might not be so bad.
That said... while this looks credible enough for a design study and a reaction piece, the ergonomics and styling are really schitzophrenic - it's as if they crossed something like a CTX700 with some leftover Buell parts then threw in a Bikemaster shorty bar and some stuff they ordered off eBay from China.