Unless your motorcycle comes with a reusable filter, which most don't, you'll need to replace it at some point. Simota filters are washable and reusable, which means you won't have to keep buying replacement filters over and over again, saving you money in the long run.

They're also extremely easy to clean. Once visibly contaminated, it's a simple task of removing, cleaning, re-oiling and re-fitting. Full instructions are provided for this and Simota even has its own Servicing Kit you can use.

What's more, is that being a lesser-known brand for bikes, Simota is also considerably cheaper than some other reusable filters (model dependent). All good on the wallet front, but what about performance?

As we mentioned earlier, Simota is known for increasing the performance of cars, and they don't fall short when it comes to motorcycles either. When fitted with a Simota filter, bikes have shown power gains of between 2-7 horsepower over the original equipment. Simota does this by providing excellent airflow.

Here's how they compare to other air filters:

While paper air filters provide high filtration, they also throttle airflow. This is due to the small size of their holes - once they're blocked by dirt, airflow becomes limited. Simota filters, on the other hand, trap the dirt on sticky, oiled cloth rather than blocking them in the holes, allowing for better airflow to take place.  

Foam filters are more similar to Simota filters in that they also use oil to make the dirt stick rather than block. But the soft material of the foam can lead to it deforming, which can dislodge the trapped dirt and force it further into the engine. Simota's cloth is held in place by galvanised steel mesh, making is stronger and much less likely to deform.

Of course, there are other brands of cloth performance filters on the market, and they all claim to improve the performance of your machine. The market leader's replacement reusable air filters claim to offer a 1-4 horsepower increase over the original filter. The Honda CB400, when tested with a Simota, showed an increase of 7.2 horsepower over the original filter. And Simota takes its quality seriously, using a MAHA LPS3000 dynamometer to test each filter, making sure it is of optimum performance.

Some people shy away from non-stock air filters in the belief that increased performance can also have other side effects, namely increased engine damage. The worry here is that power is gained through increased airflow, but increased airflow often means less filtration. And a lack of filtration leads to a dirty engine.

Yes, paper filters are good at filtering the dirt out; as are foam. But the 'sticky fibres' approach to a Simota and the sheer quality of its design and build means that it filters extremely well. The pleats in the cloth allowing for an extra 20% surface area (over many OE filters) for collecting particles  - offering some of the best filtration in the industry.

And when the filter gets dirty, simply clean, re-fit and repeat. What's not to like?

Simota filters are made with EPDM - a strong yet lightweight rubber which can stand up to 140 degrees centigrade. When properly maintained, they are capable of lasting the life of the bike and have a manufacturer's warranty of 100,000km.

For those of you who are tempted, you can now find Simota air filters for popular sport and sport touring motorcycles at Wemoto. And because we want to give our customers the biggest choice possible, we stock a variety of other brands too. All listed to each bike at wemoto.com/filters.

Have you tried a Simota air filter before? Let us know what you thought at [email protected].