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FEATURED IN THE APRIL 2019 ISSUE OF ROADRACING WORLD…
K&N Engineering is practically a household name
throughout the world of motorsports, and its origins trace back to motorcycles
and two men who loved them. Ken Johnson (K) and Norm McDonald (N) opened
K&N Motorcycles in 1957 in Loma Linda, California.
Originally, K&N Motorcycles sold and serviced used
motorcycles with Johnson working during the day, and McDonald taking over at
night. K&N Motorcycles eventually grew to become an Indian, Royal Enfield,
and Yamaha dealership, expanded to six dealership locations representing even
more brands, and sponsored aspiring racers along the way, including a young
Malcolm Smith.
In 1965, Johnson and McDonald launched K&N
Engineering in nearby Riverside, California, and started making aftermarket
parts for motorcycles. Tired of air filters that constantly clogged while riding
in dusty Southern California and had to be replaced regularly, Johnson and
McDonald developed an air filter made out of cotton fabric that could be washed
out and used again and again. Within just a few years, high flow air filters made
by K&N Engineering were being widely used in many different types of
motorsports.
And even though Johnson and McDonald are no longer with
the company, K&N Engineering continues to innovate and lead the aftermarket
air filtration market from the same place it started…
Shops: K&N Engineering, in the April 2019 issue of Roadracing World
K&N Engineering uses a custom rig to randomly test production oil filters. Here, a K&N filter is undergoing a 150,000-cycle, 0-100 psi pulse durability test. Photo by David Swarts.
Read about the history of the company whose name is synonymous with high-performance air filters for all forms of motorized vehicles. It’s all thanks to a pair of visionaries who, at heart, were motorcycle guys. All the details are in the April 2019 issue of Roadracing World!
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