What's your Octane?

[Rincewind]

Some bikes require premium, some get by on regular or mid-grade.  What does your primary bike require?  If you have more than one primary bike, and it has different needs, you can vote up to 3x.

Mine takes regular, but I use higher grades now and then to clean things up in there.

[bomber]

My Triumph thrives on mid-grade (except when it gets 95 degrees +, ,when it'll ping occasionally)

But my Tuber Buell refuses to arise in the morning without Hi-Test (premium)

[KLRchickie]

KLR will run on practically anything with fuel value (it doesn't like a tank with water in it though imagine that, no fuel value in water!).  XT only needs regular but is a little more picky than the KLR.

Monster & WRX want premium - and not the ethanol blended crap (Mohawk gas makes them run like sh*t).

[coho]

The BMW likes super but the StFU will burn anything that will stay lit.

[stromgal]

One of the many things to like about the Strom is that it sips Reg-uu-lahr... to think of the $$ I've saved over 89k miles!

Torquemada (the Buell S1) has been getting by on mid-grade and hasn't imploded yet, but I may be playing with fire.  I put a bit of Sea Foam in every tankful.

[bomber]

One of the many things to like about the Strom is that it sips Reg-uu-lahr... to think of the $$ I've saved over 89k miles!

Torquemada (the Buell S1) has been getting by on mid-grade and hasn't imploded yet, but I may be playing with fire.  I put a bit of Sea Foam in every tankful.

Sea foam will certainly help, according to all reports -- youll know when your TUber isn't happy with the fuel you give it -- can you say dried peas in a coffee can?

[ST-DocLizard1]

87 on the 919's.

[WBill]

Some bikes require premium, some get by on regular or mid-grade.  What does your primary bike require?  If you have more than one primary bike, and it has different needs, you can vote up to 3x.

Mine takes regular, but I use higher grades now and then to clean things up in there.

Um, just fyi, octane is  neither a fuel system nor a combustion chamber cleaner.  

Octane is a catalyst that slows the fuel combustion rate for more complete combustion in high compression engines.  You need higher octane if whatever fuel you are using detonates ("pings") on ignition.  If you don't need it, using it is just a waste.  One might argue convincingly that higher octane fuels don't burn completely in low(er) compression engines, thus contributing to a little bit of fouling in the chamber.  

Even that won't hurt anything, though, and the big oil companies sure could use the extra money.  So we can use high octane fuel whenever it makes us feel better.  

It never makes me feel better with the equipment I am currently running.  I use 87 (ros x ron/2) in my FJR, but 85 will do, especially if there's some higher octane residual in the tank, and the ambient temperature isn't too high.  I've noticed reduced performance on hot days when the fuel is laced with that ethanol stuff, too.

If I want to clean things out a little, I use Chevron or something with a fuel system cleaner in it, still with 87 octane.

FWIW, WBill

[JReazor]

Some bikes require premium, some get by on regular or mid-grade.  What does your primary bike require?  If you have more than one primary bike, and it has different needs, you can vote up to 3x.

Mine takes regular, but I use higher grades now and then to clean things up in there.

The SV runs just fine on 87 so that's what it gets.

A higher octane fuel isn't going to clean anything out. You're more likely to end up with incomplete combustion in a low(er) compression engine due to the slower burn rate of higher octane gas. You may get some benefit if the premium grades carry detergents that the lower grades don't have but a little Sea Foam would probably be more effective.

Edit: Listen to WBill.

[Papa Lazarou]

Don't get those low grade fuels over here.  

[squeezer]

Regular is recommended for the FJR. Never had a ping.

[Rincewind]

Thanks for the clarification regarding cleaning detergents being dependent on gas brand instead of added per octane rating, WBill.  

[maddjack]

I have two machines, one is 87 , one is 89, I run what they call for

[rgbeard]

My "primary bike" I guess is my GL-1200, as I use it for work.

So I voted for 87 regular.

The Triumphs all get 91 or whatever is premium any more.

[chornbe]

I run basic low-octane in the cooler months. The Guzzi must have hot spots because once it gets above 85, it pings like a mo'fo' on the low-octane stuff, so I step up to 91 and it's fine.

[Papa Lazarou]

I run basic low-octane in the cooler months. The Guzzi must have hot spots because once it gets above 85, it pings like a mo'fo' on the low-octane stuff, so I step up to 91 and it's fine.

Would you like me to send you some decent BP petrol?

[chornbe]

Would you like me to send you some decent BP petrol?

Oh, my brother is going to New Orleans soon. I'll ask him to walk the beach and snag some for me. Thanks, though.  

[Papa Lazarou]

Oh, my brother is going to New Orleans soon. I'll ask him to walk the beach and snag some for me. Thanks, though.  

Ah, that would be the 40% of BP oil owned by the USA..

[chornbe]

Ah, that would be the 40% of BP oil owned by the USA..

Right. I mean, as long as we own some of it, we might as well use it, right?

[Papa Lazarou]

Right. I mean, as long as we own some of it, we might as well use it, right?

Good. You may. I allow you to. Scrape some pelicans for me.



What a disgraceful episode this has been.

[RRdvark]

There was a post a few months ago discussing fuel quality from different stations.  As an experiment I started using premium from the "better" stations (Shell, Exxon, BP, Texaco) instead of the regular 87 from wherever (mostly Speedway and Gas America) I used to fill up with.  While I don't notice the bike running any differently, my average mpg has gone up from a steady 40 to the 42-43 range.  I have also noticed that my backpack I wear to work doesn't stink like exhaust the same way it used to (CBR600RR with undertail exhaust - making passengers smelly since 2003).

Even with a 3 mpg increase, the extra $ for premium still makes it a couple pennies more per mile than regular 87.

Somehow it just feels better putting premium into a bike though.

[dm_gsxr]

The busa takes regular no matter the octane listed. 85 in Colorado, 87 in the low lands.

Check the fuelly link for trip stats.

Carl

[chornbe]

To clarify, it used to be true that the higher-octane fuels - read as: more expensive - were the only ones with 'deposit cleaners' and 'fuel system detergents'. However, all fuels contain the same basic formulas for that kind of stuff these days, so using the higher-octane stuff is only necessary if the engine requires it.

[denydog]

The BMW's owner's manual has dire warnings about using anything but the hightest octane I can get around here.  Something about the engine management system cutting the HP to about 50.

The Suzuki is supposed to take regular 87 octane, but if it's sitting in traffic for any length of time in warm weather, the air cooled motor starts to cook (over 320 degree oil temps seen), and it has a tendency to ping, so I always use mid-grade.   BTW- I have had the thought to throw some fish & chips in the crank case.


edit to add:  

Off topic, but I had a discussion with my wife when she was deciding on her last car purchase.  She was initially dead set against getting a Honda Civic Si due to the fact it required more expensive premium fuel.   I pointed out that driving 15,000 miles a year and spending $.20 more per gallon would add about $93 a year to her fuel cost.  Not enough to really determine her car choice in my opinion.  

[maddjack]

It isn't the costof premium for me, but availability, I am finding more and more rural stations have regular only. If there is no premium you have to run something to get to another station, so there are factors there too.And I am talking stations In Pa. , Ohio, Va. , and WVa.

[greywolf]

I can run 87, but I tend to run 89 /93  most of the time as it seems to run a bit better with both bikes

[HipGnosis]

BMW; mid-grade   at no-name places I mix my own w/ 60% premium.
650R; regular       at no-name places;  mid-grade


To further clarify,  Petrolium Co branded stations typically have better additive packages than Mom-n-Pop stations.

[Kneescrubber]

87 is what's recommended in the Viffer and I'm more than happy to oblige.  

[FiremanBob]

Don't get those low grade fuels over here.  

The American octane rating system is different from the UK's. Our 87 is comparable to your 91, if I recall my owner's manual correctly.

[Papa Lazarou]

The American octane rating system is different from the UK's. Our 87 is comparable to your 91, if I recall my owner's manual correctly.

Still a bit rubbish then. Our standard is 95...

[Mr. Whippy]

The Multistrada runs better on 89 than 87, especially when hot.  91/93 makes no difference.

The 996 runs fine on 91/93 and I haven't tried 89 yet.  Probably won't except if I have to.

[Global Rider]

Super Plus 98 or 100 in the Alps where my air/oil cooled engine runs hotter due to less airflow and higher loads. Certainly not for the added horsepower which is what many believe higher octane produces.

Whatever the manual recommends in my local motorcycles.

[Global Rider]

The 996 runs fine on 91/93.

My 993 needs super.

[STJoe]

Hot or cold, regular works just fine in the old V-four.   85 for most of its life in sunny, scenic Colorado.  87 down here on the glacial plains of northwest Missouri.  

No pinging, no problems.  

[APEowner]

My Seca turbo has a knock sensor and backs off the timing if it senses any ping so I run the highest octane I can find from the pump.  I don't bother with octane boost although my uncalibrated butt dyno thought it detected a performance boost the one time I added some.

[notarian]

I try to stay within the manufacturer recommendations, although in more remote places this isn't possible. KTM recommends a 95+, Ducati's an 89+.

However, for those tank fulls that are under the recommendation I have yet to notice a difference. Perhaps they just want a more consistent, cleaner burning petrol in the longer term for their engine designs?

Whatever. The extra pennies aren't going to break me and if it helps in the long term, its money well spent.

[Justin]

I run mid grade - 87 around these parts, and it runs fine, no pings etc

[scott19]

I always run the premium. The piece of mind, even if it's imaginary, is worth the extra $.60 or so at every fill up.

[Sparkey]

I  try to stay away from the corn-blend. My bike is a beast, but it's not an animal.

[OldCoot]

It isn't the cost of premium for me, but availability, I am finding more and more rural stations have regular only. If there is no premium you have to run something to get to another station, so there are factors there too.And I am talking stations In Pa. , Ohio, Va. , and WVa.

I run 87 like the manual says. Higher octane hasn't always been available on long trips, and the only time I filled up with high octane was the only time my bike ever back fired.