DT1 Filters Air Flow Kit w/ Filter

Vital Rating:
Related:
Air Flow = Power
Rating:
Vital Review

There is an inherent problem with motocross: the engines in a motorcycle require air for the whole “internal combustion” thing, but the air around those engines is almost always dirty…maybe that’s why they’re called dirt bikes. So, some heavy filtration is required to turn that tainted air into clean, tasty, and delicious (by engine standards, not humans) air for your machine to take in, chew up, and spit out its hindquarters.

We’re not just talking little gasps of air here either. At race pace in a four-stroke, we’re talking an average of about 3,000 to 5,000 450cc-sized gasps per minute. That’s a whole lot of air that needs cleaning and not much time to do it in. This is why there is so much attention placed on air filters; they are the essential barrier between the elements and your oh-so-delicate motor parts. While filtration itself is easy to accomplish, doing it with maximum performance in mind is not.

DT1 Air Filters have been in the game for a while now and they are becoming a standard in the world of pro motocross. When it came time to throw VitalMX into that world with our Project Privateer 2013 YZ450F for the Hangtown National, we didn’t take any chances. We swapped from the stock filter and cage over to the DT-1 Air Flow Kit with their replacement aluminum cage and Dual-Layer Foam Air Filter.

On the stock 2013 Yamaha YZ450F cage, as with most stock four-strokes, there is a metal mesh screen, that is intended to keep sparks or flames away from the plastic foam filter should the engine backfire. While we’re all for safety, the screen itself is quite thick and significantly affects airflow. Granted, the bikes are designed to be used with the screens, but there is always room for improvement. DT-1’s aluminum cage is not only lighter than stock, but eliminates the screen all together. DT-1 compensates for the missing screen by pre-oiling their filters with a flame resistant oil.

The outer seal on the DT-1 filter uses some of the best foam I have come across: a thick material, similar to memory foam, that creates a practically impenetrable layer when compressed. This is mated that to the outer, more porous layer, and the denser inner layer.

Through several uses, including the Hangtown National, the DT-1 filter performed well, and did seem to improve the bottom end hit on the 2013 YZ450F, a bike with power that is already impressive down low.

Getting rid of the backfire screen is a no brainer for anyone looking to get a little extra performance out of their machine. The DT1 aluminum cage not only eliminates the screen, but also minimizes cage flex and the material between the filter and the air boot, which means more air flow and more power.

So far we have only used the DT-1 Air Flow Kit on the 2013 YZ450F, which has a very flat filter and small air box which limits what aftermarket companies can do. The more space available, the more creative a company can be. We intend to use the kit on other machines to see other performance gains.

For more information, visit www.dt1filters.com.

-Bayo Olukotun

0 comments

Post a reply to: Air Flow = Power

Specifications

Product
DT1 Filters Air Flow Kit w/ Filter
Type
 
Features
 
Miscellaneous
 
Price
 
More Info
 
What do you think?
Air Filters & Intake Systems

The Latest