LAB-428-Throwaway Oil Filters vs. Reusable Serviceable Oil Filters for Harley-Davidson-Oil Filtration & Micron Talk

An oil filter is like a screen for your engine oil. It catches dirt and debris so the oil can keep protecting the engine. This episode is comparing different kinds of oil filters and how they relate to warranty.

On Harley-Davidson, “CVO” usually means a more premium, custom version of a bike. The question here is whether using a specific aftermarket oil filter could affect warranty coverage on a 2025 CVO.

Warranty coverage means the company will pay for certain repairs if something goes wrong. If you use an aftermarket part, the question is whether the warranty will still cover problems.

Figurati is the name of the oil filter brand being discussed. The hosts are basically asking: if you use that brand’s filter, will your bike’s warranty still be valid?

Axle nut covers are add-on pieces that fit over the axle nut area. They can make the bike look nicer and help protect the hardware from dirt and moisture.

Magnetic oil filters use magnets to attract and hold ferrous metal particles from the oil, supplementing the filter’s normal filtration media. The idea is to reduce wear debris circulating in the engine, which is especially relevant for riders who want to manage oil cleanliness between service intervals.

Magnetic dipsticks use a magnet on the stick to attract ferrous wear particles from the oil, giving a visual indication of metal debris. Riders use them as an extra “data point” for monitoring engine wear trends alongside oil condition and service intervals.

Seat bolts are the screws/bolts that hold the motorcycle seat in place. Aftermarket versions are usually about making the bike look nicer or keeping the hardware in better shape.

They’re talking about a Harley-Davidson Street Glide from 2024. It’s a touring-style motorcycle, and the “axle nut covers” they mention are mainly for looks and finishing the bike’s hardware.

This is a specific motorcycle helmet model from HJC. The host says it’s a cheaper option compared to a more expensive Shoei helmet, and they think it’s still a great buy for the money.

This is a higher-end motorcycle helmet from Shoei. The host uses it as the “premium” reference point when talking about whether a cheaper helmet is still worth it.

Zero 3D is a company that makes aftermarket accessories for motorcycles. In this segment, they’re mainly talking about products like lighting and comfort upgrades that fit specific bike models.

They’re talking about a brand that makes LED lights for motorcycles. The point is that these lights are designed to be straightforward to install and compatible with certain setups.

“Plug and play” means you can install it by connecting it like a simple plug-in. It’s usually meant to avoid cutting or complicated wiring work.

They’re talking about Hog Works, a company that makes motorcycle parts. The hosts like it because the parts fit well and are finished nicely, and they say customer support is responsive.

They mean Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The hosts are saying they’ve installed these parts on their own Harleys and trust how they work.

Lubrication is how oil gets to the engine parts so they don’t grind against each other. Good lubrication also helps keep the engine cooler and cleaner.

They’re talking about oil filters for Harley-Davidson bikes. The right filter helps keep the engine oil cleaner, which helps protect the engine.

Microns are a way to measure how fine the filter is. The smaller the number, the better it usually is at catching tiny particles—though the filter still has to let oil flow properly.

Synthetic oil is a special type of engine oil that’s engineered to last longer and protect better. It usually works well in both hot and cold weather.

Used oil analysis is testing a sample of oil after it’s been in the engine to check wear and contamination. It can reveal issues like excessive metal particles, fuel dilution, or coolant leaks before they become failures.

Harley-Davidson Touring bikes are made for long rides and usually have room for luggage. Taking off the fuel tank is sometimes necessary to do certain repairs or upgrades.

A strapless transport system is a way to hold your motorcycle in place without using tie-down straps. It’s meant to make loading and securing the bike faster and more consistent.

RISK racing makes gear for transporting motorcycles. The key idea here is a system that helps you secure the bike without using straps.

Oil filtration is how your engine oil gets cleaned as it circulates. Cleaner oil helps protect the engine from wear caused by dirt and tiny metal particles.

OEM filters are the “factory” style filters made for your bike by the original manufacturer. The episode compares them to the reusable aftermarket option.

Wire mesh filters catch dirt using a metal screen. Because the screen can often be cleaned, they’re sometimes used as reusable filters.

They bring up Harley-Davidson because the conversation is about oil filters for Harley motorcycles. The main idea is whether you should use a disposable filter or a reusable one you service.

They’re talking about a reusable filter that uses magnets to help trap metal particles in the oil. That can help keep the oil cleaner and protect the engine components.

“White papers” are referenced as technical documents the hosts read to evaluate the filter technology. In this context, they’re used to support claims about performance and engineering credibility rather than relying only on marketing.

Nominal and absolute are two different ways to describe how good a filter is. Nominal usually means “pretty good at catching,” while absolute is more like a stricter guarantee about the biggest particles it will stop.

Synthetic media is the material inside the oil filter that actually traps dirt. Some synthetic materials can catch smaller particles more effectively than paper, but it depends on the filter design.

Paper media is the older, common material inside many oil filters. It’s popular because it’s inexpensive, but how well it filters depends on how the filter is built.

Magnets in a serviceable oil filter are used to attract and hold ferrous (iron-containing) particles from the oil. This can complement the filter media by reducing the amount of metal debris circulating, though it doesn’t replace full filtration of non-magnetic particles.

A throwaway oil filter is the kind you replace when it’s time for an oil change. You don’t clean it and reuse it—you just swap in a new one.

Instead of putting a magnet on the outside, some filters put the magnet where the oil actually flows through the filtering material. That way, the magnet has a better chance to catch metal debris.

They mention a Canadian company that puts magnets directly in the oil flow path. The idea is that the oil passes by the magnets more directly, so more metal debris gets pulled out.

“Amzol” is referenced as the speaker’s prior filter brand choice for their bike, and as a baseline for comparing filter costs versus the serviceable “Figurati” approach. The segment uses a rough cost equivalence (about ten Amzol filters equals one serviceable filter) to argue for long-term value.

Filters can be rated in different ways. “Absolute” usually means the filter is tested to catch particles very consistently at that size, while “nominal” is more of an estimate. That’s why two filters with the same micron number might not filter the same way.

Flow rate means how easily oil moves through the filter. If oil flows more easily, the engine can get lubrication faster. But the filter still has to catch dirt, so the design has to balance both.

Cooling fins are extra ridges on the outside of the filter that help it shed heat. If the oil stays cooler, it can work better and last longer. It’s like adding a radiator to the filter area.

Micron rating is a way to describe how fine a filter is—how small the dirt particles it can catch are. The episode’s big lesson is that the same micron number can mean different things depending on how it’s measured.

A stainless steel mesh filter screen is the reusable filter element described for the Figurati filter. The hosts rate the mesh by micron size and discuss how that rating (absolute vs nominal) affects real-world filtration expectations.

PC racing flow is mentioned as a source for a filter’s micron rating. The key point is that “nominal” and “absolute” ratings aren’t the same, so the numbers can be misleading if you don’t know which one they mean.

They’re talking about what the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) claims their filter can catch. The hosts suggest the OEM numbers aren’t always clear or consistent, which matters when you’re comparing filter performance.

“Throwaway” refers to conventional disposable oil filters that are replaced rather than cleaned and reused. The episode contrasts these with reusable/serviceable filters and argues that filtration performance can be better than people assume based on micron marketing alone.

Neodymium magnets are rare-earth magnets used to attract ferrous metal particles in the oil. The hosts say Figurati uses multiple magnets (five) and specify the magnet type as neodymium/rare earth, tying it to how the filter may reduce metal contamination.

The episode claims the Figurati reusable filter uses five magnets to help capture ferrous debris. This is presented as part of the overall filtration strategy alongside the mesh screen and micron rating discussion.

Silica/silicates are basically dirt particles that can end up in your oil. If your oil analysis shows high silica, it often points to dirt getting in through the air system (like an air leak or not-so-great filtration), not necessarily the engine wearing out.

Ferrous material is basically iron wear debris. If your oil test shows more iron than usual, it usually means the engine is wearing more internally, not just picking up dirt from outside.

Blackstone is a company that tests samples of your used oil. They can help you understand whether your engine is mostly getting dirt in from the outside or whether it’s wearing internally.

Oil analysis checks what’s in your oil after you’ve driven. Iron can point to wear, and silica can point to dirt/contamination—stable numbers usually mean things are staying under control.

“Absolute” is a stricter kind of filter rating. If a filter says “20 micron absolute,” it’s trying to tell you it can trap particles that are about 20 microns (or close to that) very reliably.

Amsoil is a company that sells motor oil and oil filters. Here they’re being used as an example because they claim a specific filter rating (like 20 microns).

MAHLE is a big company that makes oil filters for a lot of different brands. The point here is that many “different” filters may come from the same few manufacturers.

Bearings are parts inside the engine that need clean oil to stay smooth. If dirty particles get through, they can grind and wear the bearings faster.

“Scuffing” refers to damage on cylinder walls caused by abrasive contact or insufficient lubrication. The segment uses it as an example of why controlling particulate contamination in oil matters for engine longevity.

“Nominal” is basically a “we’re aiming to catch particles around this size” statement. It doesn’t promise exactly how often it will catch them, so real-world performance can be less certain.

This segment explains the difference between “efficiency” (how much contamination a filter removes, often expressed as a percentage) and a “capture guarantee” (a stricter claim that nearly all particles at a size are stopped). Understanding this distinction helps listeners interpret filter marketing and choose between disposable vs. reusable filtration strategies.

“Absolute” means the filter is tested to block almost all particles of a certain size and bigger. It’s usually a more strict, more trustworthy claim than just saying it filters well.

Filter efficiency is how well it actually stops dirt. If a filter is too restrictive, it can clog and then the system may route oil around it. So the best “efficiency” on paper might not be the best in real life.

Oil filters can get clogged. When that happens, some systems open a bypass so oil can still flow to the engine. The downside is that oil going through bypass isn’t being cleaned by the filter.

Wear metals are tiny bits of metal that show up in oil when engine parts rub together. If those numbers keep increasing, it can mean something is wearing out faster than it should.

They use their 2018 GMC Yukon as an example of oil test results. In this case, the oil’s protective ability started to drop around 9,500 miles, which can mean the oil is getting too acidic.

Oil can slowly turn more acidic as it ages. When that happens, it can stop protecting the engine as well and can lead to more wear over time.

Total Base Number (TBN) is an oil-analysis metric that estimates how much alkaline additive reserve the oil has to neutralize acids formed during combustion. A falling TBN suggests the oil’s protective capacity is being used up, often indicating the oil is aging faster than expected or the engine is producing more acids.

Microns are just a way to describe how small the dirt particles are. Oil filters are rated by how small of particles they can catch—smaller number usually means it catches finer junk, but it may clog sooner.

Big industrial machines sometimes need very specialized filtration because the environment is harsher. Regular vehicles don’t usually benefit from the same level of complexity because it can be overkill and harder to maintain.

Not all “micron ratings” are the same. Nominal is more of a “some of it” rating, while absolute is closer to “this size should be captured” under test rules.

The oil sump is the lowest part of the engine where oil collects before being pumped through the lubrication system. The speaker mentions non-ferrous particles being present in the oil sump and then being captured by the filter’s magnetic/particle-charging process. Knowing what the sump is helps listeners understand where contamination accumulates.

Microns are a way of saying “how small of dirt a filter can catch.” But the number alone doesn’t tell the whole story—different tests and rating styles can make the same number mean different things.

“Nominal” and “absolute” are two common ways filters are rated. Absolute ratings are typically stricter (intended to capture particles down to a stated size under defined conditions), while nominal ratings are more approximate and can vary with test setup and flow.

They’re talking about a stainless steel mesh filter that’s rated to capture particles around 25 microns, using an “absolute” style rating. The important part is that this rating is about the filter media, not any extra features like magnets.

Microns are tiny sizes—25 microns is the filter’s target for what it can catch. “Absolute” usually means it’s meant to reliably trap particles around that size, not just “maybe” catch them. The stainless mesh is the physical screen doing the filtering.

They mention Audi as a reference point for what micron filtration might mean in practice. The point is to estimate how fine the filtration could be if the system is built to target around 10 microns.

10 microns is smaller than 25 microns, so it’s for catching finer junk in the oil. If that finer filter gets clogged, the system may route oil around it so the engine still gets lubrication.

The segment contrasts a “serviceable bypass” design with a PC Flow filter that has a bypass system but is not designed to be taken apart for service. This matters because serviceability affects how thoroughly owners can clean or maintain internal filter components over time.

They’re saying the bypass is set to open around a certain oil pressure. If the filter is restricted and pressure rises, the filter will start letting oil bypass so the engine still gets lubrication.

An OEM paper filter is the factory oil filter that’s usually meant to be replaced. It’s not normally designed to be taken apart and inspected.

The point is that metal and debris in the oil can hint at problems early. If you notice it sooner, you can investigate before the engine damage becomes serious.

Small bits of metal can sometimes show up in oil, especially early. But if you see big chunks or shards, that’s a warning sign that something inside the engine may be failing or wearing abnormally.

Some drain plugs have a magnet on them. When you drain the oil, the magnet grabs metal particles so you can tell if the engine is wearing more than it should.

This sounds like a special oil filter design that uses mesh to trap debris. They’re saying it’s better at catching contaminants and easier to check and maintain than the factory filter.

“OEM” refers to the original equipment manufacturer’s parts—here, the stock oil filter. The hosts claim the aftermarket filtration package adds features like magnetic capture and inspectability that the OEM stock filter doesn’t provide.

A billet housing is a metal part made by cutting it from a solid chunk of metal. It’s often used when people want a strong part that also looks high-end.

The hosts are talking about a specific oil-filter brand (“Figure outie”). They like it because it’s designed to be cleaned and serviced, not just thrown away after an oil change, and it also looks good on the bike.

“10 micron nominal” is basically how fine the filter is. It means it’s meant to catch particles around 10 microns, but “nominal” usually means it’s an estimate of performance rather than an absolute promise.

“35 absolute” is a stronger, more certain filtration claim than “nominal.” It suggests the filter is designed to reliably trap particles around that size, not just “about” that size.

Using a microfiber cloth during filter cleaning helps avoid scratching or leaving lint that could contaminate the oil system. It’s part of the recommended process for cleaning reusable filter elements.

An Allen head key (hex key) is the tool used to unscrew the filter’s bypass system for disassembly. This is relevant because it indicates the design is intended for quick service without special tools.

An oil change is when you drain old engine oil and put in fresh oil. The hosts are saying you can also service or swap the filter element when you do that.

The “internal filter” is the replaceable filtration element housed inside the outer filter housing. This design supports a reusable housing approach—clean the housing/bypass, then swap the internal element as needed.

That stainless mesh screen is the part that actually traps dirt in the oil. Because it’s mesh, you can clean it and put it back instead of throwing it away.

Parts cleaner is a solvent used to remove oil and grime from components before reassembly. The key point here is drying time—residual solvent or water can contaminate the engine or cause corrosion.

O-rings are the rubber seals that stop oil from leaking around the filter housing. If they get worn or damaged, oil can leak out.

“Oil flow” refers to how quickly and easily oil moves through the engine and filtration system. In performance and racing contexts, higher flow can help maintain oil pressure and reduce starvation during hard use. However, flow and filtration have to be balanced so the engine still gets clean oil.

Ferrous metal debris means iron-containing particles, which are attracted to magnets. In engines, these particles can come from normal wear (like clutch or gear wear) or from component damage. Capturing them helps reduce abrasive wear as oil circulates.

Some filters use magnets to grab metal bits from the oil. It works alongside the filter screen, which traps other kinds of dirt.

Inspectability is how easy it is to visually check a filter’s condition (or the contaminants it captures) without specialized tools. Better inspectability can help riders understand whether their filtration is doing its job.

Oil analysis means sending a small amount of oil to a lab. They check for metal wear and contamination so you can see what’s really happening inside your engine.