Because if a company makes crap in one area it certainly wont be afraid to make crap in another.Besides, Ialways use the OEM filters. They have different springs fordifferent designs.

IHIGHLY doubt Fram makes filters for any Japanese company, they are all probably made by Toyo Roki who makes great filters.

 

What are you basing this on? One cut away showing a cardboard backing in an enclosed filter? Have you read filtration tests, flow tests, bypass valve tests, how many reports of damaged engines are directly related to that design? And, that design is FAR different than the desgin of our bikes filter. As far as I can see, this filter is exactly the same. Fram is owned by Honeywell, a rather large and well thought of company, generally speaking of course.

Hey, you can use any filter you want, but unless you have scientific proof that Fram makes crap filters, you cannot generalize.

I would think, if Fram filters were of such poor quality as to cause severe engine damage that could be directly linked to the filter design, in a sue happy society such as ours, more than one class action lawsuit would have been made.

As for Fram making filters for a Japanese company, hmmm, well the entire bike is built in Thailand, and, as I am the director of supply chain opps for 10 plus billion USD Japanese import/export company, you would be surprised what is made and exported to Japan from the USA. In a world of global economics, outsourcing and global supply chains, one can never assume the origin of any goods or services.

Just because someone says it on the internet doesn't mean its true.

 

ROFLMAO.......so true, I've been using the Napa gold filters for over 2k miles....look just like the kawi filters except they come with the o-ring, anyone need one I think I got four of them now.

 

Honeywell merged with AlliedSignal in 99. Fram is produced by Honeywell through the merger. My own personal experience is that I stopped using Fram filters when on two occasions I found the wrong filter in the box. The box said one thing and the filter said another. In the end the filter in the wrong box was fine, but it still didn't fit the car in front of me with no oil in it.

I will say that there seems to be an overwhelming amount of negative information online about Fram filters. Some of the info is presented by people that took alot of time and effort to compile the info. This is different than a few forum trolls that spread doom and gloom with no data.

I have provided a link to an oil filter test, pictures of a cut apart Fram filter, and data about a Fram filter recall. Some of this data is specific to motorcycle filters. Enjoy.

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilter-fram1.txt
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcdaily/day0003.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlliedSignal
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html
http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/~rblander/FRAM_recall.html
http://www.tobycreek.org/oil_filters/fram.shtml
http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/FilterStudy.html

 

I did a little research and found a site with tests that seem to be using a good scientific method. They show many filters cut open and also show the now famous cardboard end caps. Some claim the stuff is some sort of resin impregnated material, but it looks bad after dissassembly.

For the "I've never seen a study ..." types this looks like a good link. And before you say it, yes the Fram did filter oil. You can conclude on your own.

http://www.oilfilterstudy.com/

 

Anyone have any experience with Tusk First Line filters or know who makes them? I am sure they are just a rebranded version of one of the mainstream filter manufacturers. In fact, based on the numbering system of the filter (TK112) I would peg it as a rebranded HiFlo filter (HF112). It looks like the K&N definitely falls into this family since it uses red filter paper (like the HiFlo) and has the part number KN112. I am not sure about the Tusk filter, though, because even though it follows the numbering scheme, the filter paper is yellow.

Anyway, rockymountainatv.com has the Tusk filter for 2.99. Tusk products are generally well made, so I doubt that they would saddle up with some hack filter manufacturer. I am hesitant to order 4 or 5 of them, though, until I have a warm fuzzy that they are a good filter.

I may just buy them and then cut on open to check it out. If it looks like a substandard product, then I would just send the others back to rmatv.com. I would feel better, though, if someone had some info on the product now.

Thanks,
Chris