DNA vs K&N vs OEM Kawasaki Z 1000 2010-12, Versys 1000 2011-12 air filter test @ DNA Filters

OEM & Performance air filters Air Flow Test at DNA's R&D department.

Following the request of many users of DNA High Performance Filters for the popular Kawasaki Z1000 2010-12, Versys 1000 2011-12,
we have conducted a "back to back" air flow test of the following air filters:

Kawasaki Z 1000 2010-12 vs K&N KA-1010 vs DNA P-K10S10-0R.

The test took place at the R&D department of DNA Filters Greece.

• Flow Bench used "Rotronics Flow Scan" fully computerized variable rpm flow bench.
• Ambient temperature 25.6 degrees Celsius
• Humidity 30%
• Set pressure 1.5 inches of water or 3.74 mbar
• Air flow measured in CFM cubic feet per minute
• Air flow corrected @ 25 degrees Celsius
• Date 30-3-2012

Clamed air flow by the air filter manufacturers:

• Kawasaki OEM none
• K&N Filters 212.7 cfm @ 1.5 inH2O
• DNA Filters 181.4 cfm @ 1.5 inH2O

Test results 30-3-2012 (same day, same conditions, same flow bench, and same operator, back to back):

• Kawasaki OEM 152 cfm @ 1.5 inH2O
• K&N Filters 161.6 cfm @ 1.5 inH2O
• DNA Filters 184.6 cfm @ 1.5 inH20

Technical analysis of the filters tested:

• Kawasaki OEM
Frame: Polypropylene TD 30 Thermoplastic injection molded frame
Filtering material: Paper impregnated in oil
Filtering material geometry: 38 pleats-28mm pleat height-4.5mm pleat pitch
Filtering material orientation: pleats extend on the Y axis
Effective filtering area -Designed: 234.170 mm2
Effective filtering area -Actual: 220.380 mm2 (tooling sealing footprint and frame material leaks subtracted)
Design: typical OEM trapezoid design
Wire mesh on the clean side keeps paper media if damaged from entering the engine, but reduces the air flow..

• K&N KA-1010
Frame: Rigid PU resin RIM (Reaction injection molding) Hardness 90 shore D (hard and brittle)
Filtering material: multilayer cotton oil impregnated, 4 layers supported by 2 wire mesh
Filtering material geometry: 25 pleats-20mm pleat height-6.35mm pleat pitch
Filtering material orientation: pleats extend on the Y axis
Effective filtering area -Designed: 109.886 mm2
Effective filtering area -Actual: 86.175 mm2 (tooling sealing footprint and frame material leaks subtracted)
Design: typical OEM style trapezoid design


• DNA P-K10S10-0R
Frame: Elastomer PU resin RIM (Reaction injection molding) Hardness 70 shore A (flexible)
Filtering material: multilayer cotton oil impregnated, 4 layers, supported by 2 wire mesh
Filtering material geometry: 14 pleats-21mm pleat height-10.2mm pleat pitch
Filtering material orientation: pleats extend on the X axis
Effective filtering area -Designed: 96.970 mm2
Effective filtering area -Actual: 87.263 mm2 (tooling sealing footprint and frame material leaks subtracted)
Design: DNA'S innovative FCD full contour design

Work Flow of the test:
A special adapter is CNC machined to accept the filters tested. This adapter simulates the air box sealing surface and seals against the filter via an EVA foam o-ring. The adapter is installed /sealed via EVA foam on a plenum and the plenum installed on the flow bench.
The flow bench software is set to 1.5 inH2O (3.74mbar) set pressure in the plenum. This is the 'target set pressure' that we ask the flow bench to stabilize at, and record the air flow.
The air flow and all data are recorded in 'machine language' and displayed in any kind of units we wish (cfm, lit per min, etc.)
Additionally the following parameters are saved for each test:
Mass of the air, temperature, humidity, speed (pitot tubes).
For each filter we conduct 20 air flow tests in sets of 5 or 10. The required stabilization time for each test is minimum 3 sec.

Last but not least we conduct a back to back test of all the filters "without switching of the flow bench" (this video) or altering the set pressure for all of you to see.
The flow bench is computer/inverter controlled and it stabilizes automatically at the set target after the new test filter is installed.

We hope the above tests will be enlightening for all the motorsport enthusiasts and prove that innovative design when designing filters, is the way to go.

When DNA first announced the Z 1000 2010 air filter November 2010, we announced 181.4 cfm, a figure 1.8% less than our current test...the conclusions are yours.

OEM 152 CFM
K&N 161.6 CFM +6.3% compared to stock
DNA 184.6 CFM +21.4% compared to stock

For us respect to our customers comes first.

Sincerely the DNA R&D team