What’s the most important part of your Harley Davidson bike? Obviously, it’s the Stage 1 air cleaner, that does most of the job of keeping the air that’s entering filtered and clean. And that’s why it’s crucial to use the best stage 1 air cleaner for Harley Davidson to get the most efficient use out of the interior components.
A level 1 air cleaner filters out the air from dirt and debris. That increases the efficiency of the motor, fuel, and all the other components.
There are so many different stage 1 air cleaners out in the market that you can get for your Harley Davidson. We’ll cover the top 5 ones that you can get along with an in-depth buying guide.
Another must-read: Best Air Ride For Harley Touring
Best Stage 1 Air Cleaner For Harley Davidson
Let’s review the top 5 best stage 1 air cleaners that you can get for your Harley Davidson down below.
1. Vance & Hines VO2 Naked Air Intake for 10-20 Harley XL1200X
The first product we are going to be looking at is an amazing air cleaner by Vance & Hines. It’s super easy to install and makes the engine of your Harley Davidson go super efficiently.
You are going to love how the design maintains a stock look but gives amazing performance. It’s made with durable materials that let it withstand excessive temperature. That way you can use this level 1 air cleaner for very long.
It also holds up against rain pretty well, which a lot of people want on the air cleaner for their bikes. However, the best part about this cleaner is its powerful wind production that helps to increase the efficiency of the fuel of your bike.
If you look at the market, you won’t find a better quality air cleaner for your Harley Davidson at this price range. So, if you are looking for a great stage 1 air cleaner for your bike, this one is going to be a perfect fit in the mid-price range. You are going to love the quality and the service it provides.
Pros
- Very powerful air cleaner for your bike
- Looks very sleek and gives an amazing performance
- Incredibly weatherproof for flexibility in use
- Best value of your money
Cons
- Doesn’t cover maximum distance
2. Arlen Ness 18-326 Stage 1 Air Filter
- Features a one-piece aluminum backing plate/carb support bracket with patented hidden Breather technology and radius air inlet
If you’ve been using a lower-quality air filter, then this one is going to be a great upgrade for your Harley Davidson.
It looks super sleek on your bike and helps to enhance the functionality of your bike a lot. The air cleaner is super powerful and it helps to get fresh air inside, which improves the efficiency of the engine.
An amazing thing about this air filter is that you can cover more distance using it without any issue. That is just perfect if you love to go on a long ride on your Harley Davidson.
Yet, the one drawback of this air cleaner is that it takes a bit longer to install it into place. But if you have the right tools for it, it’s not going to be an issue for you.
So, if you are looking for an amazing air cleaner for your Harley Davidson, this one is a solid option for you. You can’t find that many features in stage 1 cleaners in its price range. This one is truly a no-brainer option for you to get.
Pros
- Very powerful air cleaner for your bike
- Improves the efficiency of the engine by a lot
- Made with super durable materials to last you long
- Great upgrade option for your old air cleaner
Cons
- Hard to install
3. Arlen Ness 18-803 Stage 1 Air Filter
- Feature a one-piece aluminum backing plate/carb support bracket
If you are searching for a great air filter kit in the mid-price range, this one is going to be a perfect fit for you. It is a very durable stage 1 air filter that you can get for your Harley Davidson.
It comes with an aluminum backing plate, which is perfect for supporting bracelets for the filter. Also, it doesn’t need any hose, filter, or banjo fittings to operate, and that’s perfect for maintaining a minimum surface area.
The breather system is also very impressive as it rates a closed-loop and that helps to give you the maximum efficiency that you can ask for in an air cleaner. A high-flow filter that you can use also comes with it.
It’s quite surprising that you can get so much out of a stage 1 air cleaner for your Harley Davidson. You can’t find any better option in the market that gives that many different features at that affordable price. So, if you are looking for a great air cleaner for your bike, you can go for this one. The quality and service it provides will give you the 100 percent satisfaction that you crave.
Pros
- Great quality high flow filter
- Looks pretty sleek
- Gives you amazing longevity
- Best mid-range stage 1 air cleaner
Cons
- The screws make trouble sometimes with the fit
4. K&N Engine Air Filter
- ULTIMATE LONGEVITY: 10-Year/Million Mile Limited Warranty protects for the life of your vehicle..Material:Paper
This is undoubtedly the best stage 1 air cleaner that you can get for the gorgeous Harley Davidson in a very low price range. It provides you with high-quality services and features that increase the performance of your bike a lot.
It is a great option for velocity as it creates 50 percent more airflow than a stock air filter. That means more power and more acceleration in your bike that you crave.
Also, it doesn’t just improve the performance but it’s amazing for protecting the inner components of your bike as well. So, if you’d like your bike to last you a super long time, this air filter is going to help you do that.
The best thing about this air filter is that it’s very durable to use, and you can get more mileage out of it as well. So, if you like going out for long rides, this is a perfect air filter for your bike.’
You see, there are no better air filters that you can find on the market that offers you that low of a price. So, if you want a quality air cleaner for your Harley Davidson that’s not going to break the bank for you, you should go for this one.
Pros
- Improves engine efficiency by a lot
- Uses high-quality materials in construction
- Lasts you for more mileage
- Very affordable option
Cons
- Not as powerful as the bigger air cleaners
5. Arlen Ness 18-329 Stage 1 Air Cleaner
- Features a one-piece aluminum backing plate/carb support bracket with patented hidden Breather technology and radius air inlet
The final air cleaner that we are going to review is one of the best-selling air filters by Arlen Ness. You can’t find any better quality stage 1 air filter that’s super easy to install in that price range.
It uses a one-piece aluminum backing plate and a great breather technology. It gives maximum efficiency to your Harley Davidson that you’d fall in love with it.
It features a simple but clever design that doesn’t require any hose, filter, or banjo fittings as well. That allows you to get this compact air filter at a low surface area, which is amazing for you if you want more space.
And the kit includes everything that you’ll ever need to assemble the air cleaner in place. And again, it’s extremely easy to get it in place, and you’ll be able to do it super fast as well.
So, if you’d like to have a great stage one air cleaner for your Harley Davidson, you can go for this one by all means. It provides you with great service and quality that you are going to absolutely love.
Pros
- Great quality air cleaner
- Improves the efficiency and performance of your bike
- Very easy to install
Cons
- It’s a bit pricey than most other air filters in the market
Considerations For Harley Davidson Stage 1 Air Cleaners
Now you have a list of the top 5 best stage 1 air cleaners that you can get for your Harley Davidson. But having a list is not enough and it’s not going to guarantee that you are going to get the perfect fit for your bike. You need to consider a few things to get the best out of your money while you go to buy a stage 1 air clear for your Harley Davidson.
Let’s go over everything you need to know and consider before you choose to spend your money on a stage 1 air cleaner for your bike.
Type of Air Cleaner
The first thing you need to choose while you go to buy an air cleaner is the type of air filter that you are going to get for your Harley Davidson. There are 3 main types of air cleaner; paper, foam, and cotton.
People who don’t care that much about air purification, go for the paper air cleaners as they are pretty cheap and do the job. However, if you want to get a little better service, you should pick the paper foam air cleaner, as it gives pretty good service overall.
But if you are serious about the air cleaner that you are going to install in your Harley Davidson, you should pick the cotton one. It’s very high quality and it’s going to give you the best service compared to the other types. Also, it’s going to last you a very long time as well.
Temperature Resistance
Now that you have picked the type of air cleaner that you are going to get, it’s time to check the temperature resistance of the cleaner.
As you can probably tell, the air cleaner will have to have a good temperature resistance to withstand the heat of the engine. And that has to be incredibly well if your bike’s engine has good horsepower.
So, you should look for a stage 1 air cleaner that has great temperature resistance as it’s going to help it last a long time. It’s also going to be very effective for the engine without any interruption as well.
Surface Area
After checking the basic features, you must check the surface area of the air cleaner as well. It’s the most important thing that you need to check before you choose to pay for a stage 1 air cleaner.
You can go for either a bigger or smaller surface area when it comes to an air cleaner for your Harley Davidson. But you need to keep in mind the functionality that you are going to get out of the cleaner.
If you go for a too big model, it might look good and it might not be the best in terms of space as well. The smaller air cleaners are pretty good in that case as they take so less surface area and get the job done well.
Yet, it’s totally up to you how much surface area you want the air cleaner to have.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How frequently do I have to change my motorbike air filter for optimal results?
As you ride your bike for an extended period, the air filter is going to be very dirty and lose its effectiveness. You should change it after riding your bike from 10000 to 15000 miles, and that’s going to ensure you get the best results.
You see, if you don’t change the air filter of your bike for too long, it’s going to get super dirty inside. That’ll cause a clogged-up filter and thus, your engine and other components will not be able to work at maximum efficiency. That’s why after riding your bike for about 10 thousand miles to 15 thousand miles, you must change the air filter.
Is changing my air cleaner going to improve any performance of my Harley Davidson?
Changing an air cleaner that’s dirty will undoubtedly improve the performance of your Harley Davidson. It’s going to help to increase the effectiveness and the power of the engine and overall components.
However, you need to get a good stage 1 air cleaner to get a good performance from your bike. If you go for a lower-quality option, you are not going to see any improvement at all. That’s why you need to get a good quality air cleaner to get the best results for your Harley Davidson.
What’s so different in a stage 2 air cleaner from stage 1 ones?
Stage 1 air cleaner does most of the job before the air gets to stage 2 air cleaner. Stage 2 cleaner has a 20 percent bigger part to filter even smaller particles from the air and send the fresh air to the engine and all.
That’s going to make sure that you get the most out of your fuel and everything else in your bike functions at its maximum capacity.
Final Thoughts
Now, You have a list of the top 5 best stage 1 air cleaner for Harley Davidson. Now you can easily pick one from the market and buy one for your bike. Also, you have an in-depth buying guide to help you even further to pick the right one for your bike.
Try to spend a bit more money to get the best quality air cleaner for your Harley Davidson. That’s going to pay off big times in the future for you.
