Motorcycle Oil Filter Comparison

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I recently bought a new Suzuki. Suzuki motorcycles come with a very non-standard 20mm x 1mm thread size, with the result that your choice for filters is quite limited, and there are no automotive filters that will fit. So, I decided to take some filters apart and see for myself what the available options are and how they compare.

The nominal specification for the Suzuki filter is 20 x 1mm threads, 11 psi by-pass valve, anti-drain back valve. The columns below are Media pleats * depth * height, media square inches, anti-drain back valve material, seal material, Mechanical grade, Media grade. In these days of rampant grade inflation, I feel compelled to point out that here "C" means average. I'm not interested in the filter's self-esteem.

I bought these filters with my own money, and as should be apparent, I got no use out of them in terms of filtering oil. I have a few more filters on order. If your favorite filter is not here, I will gladly accept donations. Just mail me a new filter, and I'll do the deed.

Type [2] filters for Suzukis

Filter	Price	Media p*d*h	Sq.In.	Drain	Seal	Mech.	Media	Comments
AMSOil SMF 109	$8.75	45*.37*1.1	37	Nitrile	Nitrile	C	B	Advanced media, but not much of it. A flawed superior filter.
Emgo 10-55660	$6	61*.48*1.3	76	Nitrile	Nitrile	C	C	Good alternative to OEM
Emgo 10-55662	$7.75	35*.3*1.24	26	Nitrile	Nitrile	C	B	Advanced media, but not much of it. A flawed superior filter.
Fram PH6018	$6	44*.49*1.77	76	Nitrile	Nitrile	F	C	Normal filter paper, and a decent amount of it. Cardboard end caps, Little prongy plastic bypass valve. Unconvincing anti-drainback valve. A study in how to make a filter on the cheap.
Hi-Flo HF138	$5.50	49*.51*1.6	80	Nitrile	Nitrile	C*	C	An average filter at a competitive price.
J.C.Whitney ZX063166P	$6							on order. . .
K&N 138	$12	62*.315*1.52	59	Nitrile	Nitrile	C+*	C	Made by Hi Flo. Average filter with a $6 nut welded onto the end cap.
NAPA 1359 WIX 51359	$9	49*.365*.97	34	Nitrile	Nitrile	C	C-	Bypass filter added on, not built in. Filter media in short supply.
Parts Unlimited	$9	50*.41*1.46	60	Nitrile	Nitrile	C	C	Average filter, high price.
Per-Form J-509								Not tested at this time.
Purolator ML16818								Not tested at this time.
STP SMO-18	$6	49*.38*1.3	48	Nitrile	Nitrile	C	C-	Filter media in short supply. Below average.
Suzuki 16510-03G00-X07	$12	59*.41*1.47	71	Silicon	Nitrile	B	C	A slightly better than average filter at a super-premium price.
VESRAH vsf-3009	$11							on order. . .

* - I received an email from Suzuki of Victoria, informing me that a Hayabusa they took in for service showed no oil pressure. They found the cause was an aged anti-drainback valve on a Hi-Flo filter that would not open, thus cutting off all oil pressure to the entire engine.

STP, Emgo 55662, Emgo 55660, Suzuki, Fram Oil Filters.

K&N, Hi-Flo, Parts Unlimited, Napa Gold, AMSOil Oil Filters.

Pure One, Bosch, SuperTech Oil Filters.

Type [5] Filters for Hondas, etc.

Filter	Price	Media p*d*h	Sq.In.	Drain	Seal	Mech.	Media	Comment
Bosch 3300	$6	49*.36*1	34	Nitrile	Nitrile	C	B	This is the smaller unit. Nice filter media, but not much of it.
Mobil-1 M1-108	$12	43*.39*.96	32	Silicon	Nitrile	B	B	This is the smaller unit. Nice filter media, but not much of it. This was a used filter, hence the color of the media.
Pure One PL14610	$6	50*.39*2.36	92	Silicon	Silicon	A	A	This is how an oil filter should be made. The anti-drainback valve is double the thickness of any other here, and obviously seals very well. The media is the best available, and there's a lot of it. The bypass valve is made from a laser-cut piece of stainless steel, and just can't bind or jam.
SuperTech ST7317	$2	33*.36*1.9	49	Nitrile	Nitrile	C	B	A better than average filter at a bargain price.

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