Thai Yang Kitpaisan - HiFloFiltro & K&N

[RevRider]

It seems that most folks think that HiFloFiltro builds K&N's oil filters, but I don't think that is the case. In my subject line I've listed Thai Yang Kitpaisan Company, LTD, I got this name off the HiFloFiltro website. It's this company, a manufacturing facility that builds both HiFloFiltro and the K&N motorcycle oil filters (at least some of them, if they are marked as a product of Thailand). Apparently in business since 1955, and well esteemed in the filter manufacturing business. Apparently does a lot of OEM business, building OEM's filters on their behalf. The HiFloFiltro brand is a product Bike Alert, Inc., with offices listed below: Worldwide Headquarters: Bike Alert 30 Optima Park Thames Road, Crayford Kent, DA1 4QX United Kingdom With offices in North America: North American Headquarters Bike Alert Inc 2230 Skyview Drive Lithia Springs GA 30122 USA Tel: +1 (770) 948 8880 Fax: +1 (770) 948 8893 My point is, if I am correct, Thai Yang Kitpaisan build for both of these independent businesses, Bike Alert (HiFloFiltro brand) and K&N, so you could have some variances in the specs, as each of these companies are different, and Thai Yang, no doubt, will build a product specific to that particular company or OEM's requirements. From what I learned about TUV Certification, apparently it is an independent firm that will validate, through their independent testing that a company's product will meet the specification of various OEM's, etc. I feel like Detective Columbo, us old-timer's remember that TV program. What does this all mean? Really nothing, except for clarification of the relationship between these companies. I am open for any correction on my thoughts. Trying to help. Frank

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: RevRider

It seems that most folks think that HiFloFiltro builds K&N's oil filters, but I don't think that is the case. In my subject line I've listed Thai Yang Kitpaisan Company, LTD, I got this name off the HiFloFiltro website. It's this company, a manufacturing facility that builds both HiFloFiltro and the K&N motorcycle oil filters (at least some of them, if they are marked as a product of Thailand). Apparently in business since 1955, and well esteemed in the filter manufacturing business. Apparently does a lot of OEM business, building OEM's filters on their behalf.

Sounds similar to Purolator or Champion Labs building filters to specifications given to them by the brand holder. If you or I had enough money and specs, we could go to a big company like these and have filters made under the brand name of "RevRider" and "ZeeOSix". Filter brand holders are constantly jumping around to suppliers to make their filters, and that's why the country of origin (COO), and sometimes the product quality, seems to change a lot. Thanks for sharing the info.

 

[ArcticDriver]

Thanks for sharing the info. There's just one more thing....

 

[rubberchicken]

I have cut open a K&N filter and a HiFloFiltro HF303 filter, both sized for common Yamaha street bike applications. The K&N looks like it is a Champion Labs product, like the Mobil 1 and Amsoil and RP filters, but I consider it a middle of the road filter, while the M1, Amsoil and RP are premium filters. The HiFloFiltro seemed to be a good product: metal end caps, good filter element, overall good construction. It has a nitrile ADBV. It seems much better than the low-end Fram MC filters.

 

[02SE]

Well, at one time, the K&N, HifloFiltro, and OEM Suzuki, were all the exact same filter internally. Could that have changed over the years? Absolutely. From the discussions here over the past few days, it sounds like it has.