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Nick O’Kane’s Carbon Fiber Clad Honda CBX Custom is a Show Stopper

custom carbon fiber 1982 Honda CBX built by Nick O'Kane

This gorgeous custom carbon fiber 1982 Honda CBX was built by custom bike builder Nick O'Kane

When I talk to custom bike builders, my first question to them always revolves around the nature of their inspiration for a specific build. More often than not, builders will tell me of a special, even visceral connection they feel with the donor bike. Nick O’Kane’s fascination and connection with the iconic Honda CBX is understandable. The engine note emitted from the bike’s inline 6-cylinder power plant is like nothing else in motorcycling. Visceral indeed.

Nick O’Kane, who is a national account manager for K&N, studied the history of the CBX to find the heritage and legacy that would be his inspiration for his custom street burner. The bike, which was produced in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, holds an intrigue to motorcycle enthusiasts that only grows as the marquee ages. O’Kane decided that his mission would be to, “build a minimalistic CBX racer, (and to) keep a blend of the original CBX lines and add modern sport bike components.”

custom K&N filters on a 1982 Honda CBX built by Nick O'Kane

The custom carbon fiber topped K&N filters complement the build beautifully

The wisdom in Nick O’Kane’s vision is clear. Since the CBX’s engine is so over-the-top, the build would need to be carried out with a keen eye and a subtle hand. Subtle, yes; but the work was detailed and labor-intensive on the bike that O’Kane purchased, a 1982 Honda CBX, as a true basket case. To start the process, the engine was stripped down, the valve train was thoroughly refurbished, and the pistons were re-ringed. After it was reassembled, the engine was vapor blasted to provide a silver satin finish on the cases.

CBX custom front view built by Nick O'Kane

The iconic six cylinder engine of the CBX cuts a wide berth in O'Kane's custom

The CBX frame was modified and beefed up to handle the modern suspension components. Nick O’Kane paid special attention to frame geometry and ride height with the careful selection and integration of that suspension. He then decided on forged aluminum wheels sized at 17” front and rear for just the right look for the build. The CBX then needed rubber and Pirelli race slicks fit the bill.

Of course, that big six needs to breathe, so Nick O’Kane and K&N's R&D team built a pair of custom carbon fiber topped "clamp-on" K&N air filters. To complete the powertrain, a Roland Sands Design exhaust with a carbon fiber tip was welded to a set of DG headers and then ceramic coated in black. British born O’Kane describes the sound of his custom as only someone from the land of Shakespeare could. “A symphony of six cylinders comes to life as you open the throttle. It sounds like god gargling.”

Okay, okay! Let’s talk about the build’s most talked-about feature – the stunning carbon fiber bodywork. Nick O’Kane’s goal was to retain the original lines of the CBX wherever possible. To that end, using an original tail section from a 1979 and the side panels and tank design from the 1982, carbon fiber molds were made in K&N’s own carbon fiber shop. “The body panels and tank took four months to produce,” O’Kane said. “Then we added eight coats of clear to finish the panels and tank off nicely.” ‘Nicely’ is an understatement. The carbon fiber bodywork on the CBX is magnificent. To finish off the body, a custom seat was designed and produced by the seat masters at Saddlemen Seats

custom carbon fiber and seat on 1982 Honda CBX built by Nick O'Kane

The carbon fiber body work and custom Saddlemen seat really finish this build off nicely

Custom motorcycle fans agree that Nick O’Kane’s CBX is a stunner. The bike garnered a podium finish in the first stop of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show. “Taking runner up in the 2017 J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Show at the Long Beach IMS show was great. I would like to send out a big thank you to all my sponsors including K&N Filters,” O’Kane said. “The biggest thanks goes to my amazing wife Anja for her endless support of my bike building habits.”

So what will the next focus of Nick O’Kane’s ‘bike building habit’ be? “I am in the beginning stages of a Yamaha RD400 from 1974,” the builder revealed. Clearly, O’Kane is attracted to the coolest sounding engines produced in the golden years of motorcycling. We can’t wait to hear the 2-stroke scream and the artistic vision of his next creation!

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K&N Helps Make Aston Martin Racing GTE World Endurance Championship Possible

Several stock components must be utilized including the block, heads, and crankshaft

The Aston Martin V8 engine is limited to 480 horsepower by means of an intake restrictor

Though being formed in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford (the Aston name came from a hillclimb course). After WWII the company’s savior was tractor manufacturer David Brown, who's DB initials still grace models today.

A powerhouse in international sports car racing in the late 1950s, Aston Martin even won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959 with future Cobra builder Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori driving an Aston Martin DBR1.

Over forty years would pass before Aston Martin would mount a solid effort with its production sports cars in international racing, and it finally paid off this year. Aston Martin Racing drivers Nicki Thiim and Marco Sørensen, both from Denmark, have won the GT world championship after taking victory in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s season finale in Bahrain.

The GTE cars are built from a standard shell, as required by the rules, along with a number of standard specifications. Power of the V8 engine has been increased to 480 horsepower, and repositioned in the chassis for better weight distribution. The air inlet to the Aston Martin V8 is grabbed by scoops in the front bumper, squeeze down the required intake restrictors, then through custom pipes to a K&N air box.

Careful attention to aerodrnamics is no longer limited to open wheel race cars

This year's rules allowed for a larger rear diffuser, which helped Aston Martin greatly

Fitted internally is a roll cage to current FIA standards. Steering is hydraulically power assisted, while gear changes are made through semi-automatic paddle shifters to an Xtrac six speed sequential gearbox. Brakes consist of six pot Brembos on the front, four on the rear. Dampers are four-way adjustable products from Bilstein.

All up, the car weighs 2745 lbs or almost 1000 pounds more than Carroll Shelby’s DBR1’s 1765 lbs.

Coming into the last race of the season, the Danish driver team led the GT Drivers title battle by 12 points, with the team ahead of its nearest competitor in the GTE Pro championship with a two point advantage. While a third place finish would provide the points needed to take the GT Drivers title, the Danes claimed victory in style by taking their second win of the season, securing the GTE Pro championship for Aston Martin Racing in the process.

Qualifying went about as well as could be expected for Aston Martin, as the team took a 1-2 in GTE Pro and pole position in GTE AM for that weekend’s FIA World Endurance Championship’s 6 Hours of Bahrain. After the sun set and temperatures dropped in the Bahraini desert, the #97 V8 Vantage GTE of Darren Turner (GB) and Jonny Adam (GB) set identical lap times of 1:56.953 to clinch pole position for the next day’s race. The pair were followed by GTE Pro and GT Drivers championship leaders Nicki Thiim (DN) and Marco Sørensen (DN), who brought their #95 entry home with an average lap time of 1:57.081 to lock out the front row of the GTE Pro grid.

Fitting the race was run in dusty conditions as the box was first developed for sprint cars

Aston Martin utilizes a highly-modified K&N air box and filters

After battling hard in the race with the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 488GTE over the opening hours, the duo accrued a lead of over 20 seconds by the fifth hour. With their rivals pushing hard in the final stages to close the gap, Thiim worked hard to maintain the advantage to the checkered flag, finishing 12.695 seconds over second place.

Thiim’s teammate Sørensen added, “It’s absolutely amazing to win the championship and I’m going to say it’s even more incredible to win it with a Danish “brother” like Nicki. When we were 10 years old, we raced against each other in karting but to be here winning a championship with him and Aston Martin Racing is fantastic."

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Up The Power In Your Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango By Over 11 Horsepower

The conical filter is attached to an aluminum intake tube for maximum air flow

Air passes through an aerodynamically-verified aluminum intake tube into the engine’s throttle body

The Chrysler Pentastar series of aluminum dual overhead cam 24-valve V-6 engines was first introduced at the 2009 New York Auto Show for 2011 model year Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles, replacing a number of V-6 engines used in various models. The engine design also allows the use of E85 or 87 octane fuel, supports cylinder deactivation, and features dual variable valve timing.

For 2016, an updated version of the 3.6 liter engine was released for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango. The engine now featured two-stage variable valve lift (VVL), a revised intake manifold, new fuel injectors, and new coil packs. It also features upgrades to the variable valve timing (VVT) system, an increased compression ratio (11.3:1), lower internal friction, and lower weight. These improvements help to increase power as well as efficiency. The 3604 cc (219.9 CID) V-6 now produced 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. These are impressive numbers for a relatively low-displacement engine in an SUV.

On the other hand, the GMC Acadia features a 3.5L V6 that produces 310 horsepower, that’s a 15 horsepower increase over the latest Pentastar V-6

However, there’s good news for 2016 – 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango owners. The K&N 77-1572KS air intake system replaces the restrictive factory air filter and air intake housing on select 2016 – 2017 Grand Cherokee and Durango models. The cold air intake kits provide additional fresh intake air for the engine, so that it can produce more power. On K&N’s own chassis dynamometer a 2016 Grand Cherokee 3.6 liter V-6 demonstrated an estimated increase of 11.49 horsepower.

The largest possible K&N air filter has been selected to maximize air flow

The K&N air filter is positioned where it will recieve maximum cold air flow under the hood

The air first enters a chrome topped K&N high-flow air filter located within a heat shield that installs into the original air box space. Much of the performance increase can be attributed to the oversized conical air filter manufactured from multiple layers of oiled cotton filter media, which offers less resistance than traditional filters but provides outstanding engine protection.

Engine protection is provided by a multi-layered cotton material which filters out microparticles that could damage your engine to ensure a long engine life. Each design is verified through K&N’s in-house filtration testing lab, which adheres to ISO 5011 standards, ensuring that K&N filters provide high airflow without putting engine protection at risk.

The intake tube of a K&N air intake significantly reduces restriction to incoming air flow as well as calms turbulence. Air passes through an aerodynamically-verified aluminum intake tube into the engine’s throttle body for a guaranteed power gain. The intake tube accommodates the factory mass air sensor and crank case vent hose while the heat shield adapts the secondary air hose (where equipped) to a secondary air filter as well.

Best of all, the K&N air intake system can be installed in 90 minutes or less with simple hand tools. All tools required are listed in the clear, step-by-step photo-illustrated instructions specific to your car that come included in the package.

Included in the shipping box are all parts including detailed instructions

Besides the air intake iteself, all parts needed for installation come in the box

And once you’ve installed your K&N filter you’ve eliminated the need to buy another air filter for the life of your covered Grand Cherokee or Durango. The only maintenance is a service you can do yourself in no time at all. At intervals of 100,000 miles (depending upon your driving conditions) use the K&N recharge kit 99-5000 to easily clean your K&N air filter, preparing it for another 100,000 miles of driving. The K&N air filter you purchase is designed to last for the lifetime of your vehicle, which K&N guarantees will perform with the K&N 10-Year/Million Mile warranty without requiring replacement.

The K&N 77-1572KS intake system fits the following vehicles:

2017 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 3.6L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models
2017 DODGE DURANGO 3.6L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models
2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 3.6L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models
2016 DODGE DURANGO 3.6L V6 Fuel Injection - All Models

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K&N Custom Air Cleaners & Assemblies Add Superior Airflow and Superior Performance

K&N air cleaner assemblies

K&N air cleaner assemblies are designed with the racer or classic car enthusiast in mind, and provide superior performance, excellent engine protection, as well as impressive styling

K&N and racing go way back, all the way to the company's inception in 1969. Ken Johnson and Norm McDonald, the founders of K&N, identified a need for better-performing air filters for their racing motorcycles and invented the high-flow cotton air filter. Their revolutionary air filter design was put to the test in off-road motorcycle racing and proved to be a durable performance product. Over the last 45+ years, K&N air filters have been utilized in a wide variety of racing applications from NASCAR and NHRA drag racing to the Lucas Oil Off-Road Series and the Baja 1000. K&N air filters have consistently been proven to deliver outstanding airflow, filtration efficiency, and performance.

Nearly everyone loves a classic car and with them comes the most classic air filter design housed in a round air cleaners & assemblies sitting atop a carburetor. Whether for a classic, or a race car, if it needs a round air filter and air cleaner, K&N has air cleaners that will look great under the hood and provide high airflow. Perhaps the most common are the 14" and 16" air cleaner assemblies. These assemblies come in a variety of heights and baseplate configurations to fit popular 4-barrel carburetors or similar throttle body setups. K&N 14" and 16" air cleaners are available with filter element heights ranging from 2 5/16" up to 6" to accommodate different hood clearance needs as well as airflow requirements. K&N 14" or 16" air cleaners are available in either 5-1/8" or 7-5/16" neck flange diameters to fit standard and Holly Dominator-sized carburetors.

K&N 14-inch round air cleaners

The 14-inch round, by 3-inch high air cleaner assembly was the go-to performance air cleaner choice for carbureted race car, hot rod, muscle car and pickup truck owners for years

Another feature of K&N's 14" air cleaner assemblies is that they're available with different drop or raised base plates to meet additional fitment and performance requirements. 14" assemblies with a 5-1/8" neck flange diameter can be ordered with a 1-1/4" or 7/8" drop base. A drop base K&N air cleaner effectively lowers the bottom edge of the filter element below the carburetor flange to alleviate hood clearance issues. 14" K&N air cleaners with the standard 5-1/8" neck are also available with a raised base plate.

K&N 14" air cleaners for the 7-5/16" Holly Dominator sized neck flange come with a 3/4" velocity stack built into the base plate to help streamline and smooth airflow into the carburetor to further increase performance. K&N 16" air cleaner assemblies come in a 7-5/16" neck flange diameter and are capable of flowing over 1000 CFM. If you have a Dominator-sized carburetor and serious performance is your number one priority, the K&N 16" air cleaner assembly is for you. Browse the list of K&N Fourteen & Sixteen Inch Custom Air Cleaner Assemblies to find the perfect air cleaner assembly.

K&N also offers round air cleaner assemblies in 11" diameters. 11" diameter K&N air cleaners are offered in 2 5/8" and 5 1/8" neck flange sizes for applications where space is at a premium, but performance cannot be sacrificed. Additionally, K&N 11" air cleaners are offered with 7-5/16" neck flange with filter element heights ranging from 3-1/2" to 6", making them ready to flow the air required by thirsty Holly Dominator carburetors. Browse K&N Eleven Inch Custom Air Cleaner Assemblies to view all the available K&N 11" air cleaners.

When space really is a problem, look no further than the K&N 9" air cleaner assemblies. Available in 5 different flange sizes and various heights, these 9" air cleaners are ideal for dual carb setups. They include stainless steel top and base plates as well as an optional tall velocity stack base plate. These tall velocity stack base plates position the air filter 5" above the carburetor to draw cooler air into the engine and increase air velocity. Engines equipped with these K&N Tall Velocity Stack Air Filter assemblies can produce more horsepower, with proper carburetor calibration, than those with no air cleaner assembly at all. Note, these assemblies are not U.S. Coast Guard approved as marine flame arrestors.

K&N X-Stream Airflow Tops

Because serious engines require serious airflow, K&N offers X-Stream Airflow Tops which replace the traditional air cleaner top plate with K&N high-flow filter media

And then we have the smallest of the grou - the K&N 7" air cleaner assemblies. These air cleaner assemblies are ideal for show car applications, but may not flow enough air for optimum performance. See K&N's air filter facts for information on proper air filter sizing. Because serious engines require serious airflow, K&N also offers X-Stream® Airflow Tops. The X-Stream airflow tops and X-Stream air cleaner assemblies replace the traditional top plate with K&N high-flow filter media. More filtration surface area will provide additional airflow, which can translate to more power. Complete air cleaner assemblies can be ordered in 9", 11", 14" and 16" sizes in various colors with the X-Stream top. Search through the K&N XStream Air Flow Assemblies, Filters, and Filter Tops to find the right X-Stream Airflow air cleaner.

K&N Flow Control air cleaner

The revolutionary K&N Flow Control air cleaner makes use of a custom lid and base plate to provide smooth, laminar airflow into standard 5-1/8" or 7-5/16" neck carburetors

Another option for maximum airflow requirements is the K&N Flow Control System. This revolutionary air cleaner assembly makes use of a custom lid and base plate to provide smooth, laminar airflow into the carburetor. Available for 2- and 4-barrel Holly carburetors, both standard and Dominator-sized as well as Rochester carburetors, this is the most advanced air filter assembly K&N offers for carbureted applications. The Flow Control System air cleaner assemblies have been dyno-proven to deliver impressive power gains and are capable of flowing up to 1,200 CFM.

While a 4-barrel carburetor is the performance standard, K&N hasn't forgotten about smaller one- or two-barrel carburetors. Whether an air cleaner is needed for Weber, SU, Solex, Mikuni, Holly, Stromberg, Dellorto or other carburetors, K&N most likely has an air cleaner that will get the job done. Take a look at K&N's extensive offering of Custom Air Filters for Single or Two Barrel Carburetors. These assemblies come with a K&N washable and reusable high-performance air filter, chrome top and bottom plates, as well as all the gaskets, nuts, and vent tubes necessary for installation.

K&N custom air cleaner assemblies for 4-barrel carburetors

While a 4-barrel carburetor is the performance standard, K&N hasn't forgotten about smaller one- or two-barrel carburetors

Looking for an air cleaner assembly with a bit more flair or period-correct aesthetic? Check K&N's Custom 66 Air Cleaner Assemblies and Nostalgia Air Filter Cleaners. These air cleaner offerings are available for dual-quad, Tri-Power setups and more. Like all of the above-mentioned K&N air cleaners, they come with a high-flow washable K&N air filter and are available with a variety of custom-designed top plates. Performance won't come second to style with one of these air cleaner assemblies from K&N.

All of K&N's custom air cleaners are designed to increase horsepower and acceleration with proper carburetor calibration. K&N air cleaners come with a washable and reusable, high performance K&N air filter. Approximately every 50,000 miles, under normal highway driving conditions, remove the air filter and service it following K&N's step-by-step instructions. K&N backs its custom air cleaners with a One-Year/Unlimited Mileage Limited Warranty. These air cleaner assemblies are not intended for use on emission-controlled street or highway vehicles.

Whether your vehicle dominates the race track, owns the showroom floor, or is a smog-exempt classic used to cruise the boulevard, K&N has a custom air cleaner assembly that will help it breathe easy with plenty of clean air and style. K&N air cleaners have been refined over 45+ years of racing and will deliver superior airflow and superior performance both on the track and on the street. Find a K&N custom air cleaner assembly on KNFilters.com.

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2013 Kia and Sonata Air Intake Offers Estimated Boost of 4.82-Horsepower

The K&N 57-5300 Air Intake for the 2013 Optima and Sonata.

The K&N 57-5300 air intake system includes a K&N air filter and free-flowing polyethylene tube.

The Kia Optima is a midsized four-door sedan that has been available since 2000 and is marketed worldwide under various nameplates.

Related to the Hyundai Santa Fe, Sonata, Trajet, and Kia Sedona, the Optima rests on a Hyundai-Kia Y4 platform and features a front engine and front wheel-drive configuration.

Three engines were available to power the first generation model, which was available from 2000 through 2005. A 2.4-liter Sirius II I4 that produced 149-bhp at 6000 rpm and 159-lb-ft (212 N-m) of torque at 4500 rpm, a 2.5-liter Delta V6 that generated 170-bhp at 6000 rpm and 169-lb-ft (229 N-m) of torque at 4000 rpm, and a 2.7-liter Delta V6 that delivered 170-bhp at 6,000 rpm and 181-lb-ft (245 N-m) of torque at 4000 rpm.

The second-generation (2005-2010) Kia Optima was called the Kia Magentis in Europe, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Singapore; the Kia Lotze in South Korea. Seven engines were available to power the vehicle, ranging from a 2.0-liter gas to a 2.7-liter gas powered engine.

The third-generation (2010-2015) Kia Optima was also known as the Kia K5 in South Korea, China, and Indonesia and the Kia Optima K5 in Malaysia.

The first-generation Hyundai Sonata was introduced in 1985 and ran to 1987. It was also known as the Hyundai Stellar II in Canada.

K&N offers the 57-5300 air intake system to protect and boost the performance of the engine of the 2013 Kia Optima and the Hyundai Sonata.

The air intake system offers an estimated gain of 4.82-horsepower at 5588 rpm. Designed to replace the factory restrictive air filter and air intake tubing and retain the factory air box, the system includes a free-flowing high-density polyethylene tube, a K&N 33-2448 washable and reusable replacement air filter, six stainless steel clamps, and adaptors that connect the system to the engine.

The air intake replaces the air filter and entire air path to the engine, minimizing air path restriction. The polyethylene tube of the system is aerodynamically engineered to help the engine receive more air than the factory system. The tube is rotationally molded to its precise shape so that it can reduce turbulence and accelerate airflow into the engine.

The K&N 57-5300 Air Intake is designed to boost performance of the Optima and Sonata.

The K&N 57-5300 replaces the factory air filter and air intake to improve airflow to the engine.

The air filter is oversized to provide more airflow at lower restriction and captures and holds more dirt because of its multi-layered cotton gauze media that has been treated with a special grade of filter oil. The oil saturates the strands of the cotton causing them to become very sticky so that they can catch particles.

The air filter is recommended to be cleaned every 50,000 miles, depending on driving conditions. It can be washed and recharged using the 99-5000 K&N air filter cleaning kit so that it can be reused over and over again. In fact, this may be the last air filter you will ever buy for this vehicle.

K&N is so sure of the quality of its air filter it backs it with a 10-year/Million Mile Limited Warranty. The warranty promises that the filter will perform for up to 10 years or 1,000,000 million miles without requiring replacement.

The intake can be easily installed in about 90 minutes using factory holes and mounting points with common hand tools. It is compatible with original equipment manufacturer computer systems.

The K&N 57-5300 performance intake kit is designed and engineered for the following vehicle applications:

2013 KIA OPTIMA 2.4L L4 Fuel Injection - All Models
2013 HYUNDAI SONATA 2.4L L4 Fuel Injection - All Models

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