Pod filters are cool.
They are all shiny and metal and sci-fi and they look a heck of a lot better than the stock plastic air filter, but….
They don’t fit my bike model.
Of course, the box says they do, and in their defense they actually do fit my carbs. 39mm, in fact, is a perfect fit, but what they fail to understand is that even though the filters may fit the carburetors they won’t fit inside the CB550 frame. Well, sort of…
The inside carbs offer easy installation of the pod filters.
But the outside carbs run into two problems.
1. The frame is in the way.
2. On the left side of the bike the choke lever is in the way. It would have to be bent in order to compensate for the filter, but even after that, the frame is still in the way.
What is curious is that I have seen images of CB550s with pod filters installed. I’m stumped again.
Maybe its the brand I bought. I elected to buy the cheapest filters I could find. Emgo.
This can only mean three things:
1. My frame or engine or carbs are from another year.
2. Emgo brand isn’t worth a damm.
3. I’m not trying hard enough.
UPDATE:
Evidently, K&N makes a set of filters that are supposed fit the CB550.
They are shorter than traditional pod filters, more cylindrical than conical. But even these require that some modification to the choke lever be made.
Here is a link to the PDF I grabbed from K&N’s Website.
I wonder if anyone else has run into this problem.
Aha! I think I had bought the same pieces of crap! The box said they would fit, but the frame was in the way. I then opted for the K&N cylinder type filter which I never installed because I shortly came across a used set of aluminum velocity stacks that look extremely bad ass on my bike. If you go with the K&N filters (high flow) you may want to think about rejetting the carburators especially if you run a four to one exhaust.
The guy who tried to mod the bike I’m rebuilding got frustrated and just squashed those pods down until they fit in there. I laughed my ass off. Luckily he saved the stock setup so I used that. You were not alone.
I eventually went with Uni filters. They were significantly less expensive that the K&Ns.
hi
i bought a set of pods off ebay from a guy in taiwan for 24 english pounds and they just about fit, no drama with the choke lever but i had to fit the 2 on the outside without the hose clamps, then attach the clamps once the filters were in situ. a lot of pushing and pulling but theyre on! dunno how good they are cos i aint started her up yet, issues with the exhausts and front brakes :( 3bbbmotors was the guy i got the filters from.
Hello,
I just took out the stock air filter system and have it down to just the carbs, waiting for my pods to arive. My 550f was running like a champ prior to doing so but now she wont fire up. I have the 4-1 exhaust, do you think I need to re-jet?
absolutley