Question about gas :scratchhead:

[AimlessMoto]

Shell has 93 octane fuel in Mass.

I normally run this... and about once a month I'll drizzle a little carb cleaner AND about 4 tbsp of 2 stroke oil into the gas and give it a shake.

Just to keep everything lubed and clean... 93 octane + ethanol = kinda harsh, but the bike runs SOOO good on it.

Most bikes actually say not to run anything less than 89 octane rating.... but I suggest running the highest you can.

As for the "gas in the hose"... if you want to get the most bang, pre-pay your fuel in the station... that way, THEY shut the pump off at a certain point, but you can keep the fuel valve open on the pump, so anything remaining after they shut the pump off (in the hose) will trickle down into your tank.

Not a huge deal on a car... and kinda a pain in the ass to guess what dollar amount you need to fill a tank... but it does work.

[RandyO]

Most bikes actually say not to run anything less than 89 octane rating.

maybe 25 years ago, most bikes today recommend 87 or 91

I've never seen a recomendation for 89

[Stromper]

I asked same question once of DOT inspector and oil company

They said 1/3 gallon or up to 1 gallon with filter etc.

Inspector pumps 1 gallon before taking sample for gas quality

[NobodySpecific]

maybe 25 years ago, most bikes today recommend 87 or 91

I've never seen a recomendation for 89

Triumph loves 89. My Sprint recommends it as does the Bonneville.

Most bikes actually say not to run anything less than 89 octane rating.... but I suggest running the highest you can.

Why? There is no benefit to running a higher octane than the octane that is required to prevent pinging. The engineers know what they are doing when they make an octane requirement.

[RandyO]

Triumph loves 89. My Sprint recommends it as does the Bonneville.

maybe, but not on the new Bonny

http://www.triumph.co.uk/media/en-US/900hbk_EN_US.pdf page 34

This Triumph motorcycle is designed to run
on unleaded gasoline with a CLC or AKI
octane rating (R+M)/2 of 87 or higher.
Federal regulations require that pumps
delivering unleaded gasoline are marked
'UNLEADED' and that the Cost of Living
Council (CLC) or Anti-Knock Index (AKI)
octane rating is also displayed. These ratings
are an average of the Research Octane
Number (RON) and the Motor Octane
Number (MON).

[obsolete]

I gotta do some reading on the topic. Doesn't the introduction of moisture reduce the efficiency of the burn thereby reducing the octane rating?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_i..._%28engines%29

My line of thinking is that moisture your gas would have a similar effect.

[KawiSmurf]

Triumph loves 89. My Sprint recommends it as does the Bonneville.

I believe the octane ratings used in England are the RON number, not the one we use (RON+MON/2)...I think their 89 is our 87, so if your British bikes are telling you 89, I'd check to make sure they're using the right octane method.

There is no benefit to running a higher octane than the octane that is required to prevent pinging. The engineers know what they are doing when they make an octane requirement.

QFT

[NobodySpecific]

I believe the octane ratings used in England are the RON number, not the one we use (RON+MON/2)...I think their 89 is our 87, so if your British bikes are telling you 89, I'd check to make sure they're using the right octane method.

I assure you my Sprint recommends 89 using the (R+M)/2 method that is used in the US.

Fuel Requirement/Refuelling
Fuel Grade
This Triumph motorcycle is designed to run
on unleaded gasoline with a CLC or AKI
octane rating (R+M)/2 of 89 or higher.
Federal regulations require that pumps
delivering unleaded gasoline are marked
`UNLEADED' and that the Cost of Living
Council (CLC) or Anti-Knock Index (AKI)
octane rating is also displayed. These ratings
are an average of the Research Octane
Number (RON) and the Motor Octane
Number (MON).

maybe, but not on the new Bonny

http://www.triumph.co.uk/media/en-US/900hbk_EN_US.pdf page 34

The 1050 motor still wants 89 though. I hadn't realized the Bonnies need only 87 now, that's pretty cool. There is no reason a bike like that should require anything except for regular.

[KawiSmurf]

I assure you my Sprint recommends 89 using the (R+M)/2 method that is used in the US.

Fair enough, just thought it would be worthwhile info for someone who wouldn't think to check otherwise.

[Kurlon]

The 1050 motor still wants 89 though. I hadn't realized the Bonnies need only 87 now, that's pretty cool. There is no reason a bike like that should require anything except for regular.

12:1 with as mild a state of tune as it has, I bet it purrs on 87. If it's not pinging, go down a grade. Still not pinging, go down a grade. When it starts to ping move back one step. If it's not pinging on lowtest you're not gaining anything by spending for higher octane fuel.

[NobodySpecific]

12:1 with as mild a state of tune as it has, I bet it purrs on 87. If it's not pinging, go down a grade. Still not pinging, go down a grade. When it starts to ping move back one step. If it's not pinging on lowtest you're not gaining anything by spending for higher octane fuel.

Yes, that is a valid method as well, I just worry that I won't recognize pinging when it happens. My car requires (it does say required, not recommended) 91, and while I could probably do the same trick there, it's just not worth the risk. Plus those motors might just retard the timing to prevent knock, and I'd rather pay a little extra for that little bit of extra performance.

[RandyO]

There is no reason a bike like that should require anything except for regular.

liquid cooling, good combustion chamber design eliminates hot spots and allows for compression ratios unheard of for regular fuel a few years ago

Harleys, even with lower compression but still air cooled, I believe still require premium

[Kurlon]

Your car motor has knock sensors and will retard the timing, unless something is radically new with bike ECUs I'm not aware of any that intelligent yet. With the huge variations in gas quality most things ship with VERY conservative ignition timing. They have to plan for the day that load of hightest has been sitting in the ground for 4 months after another price hike, and then you keep it in your tank another 3 months 'cause your other bike needed loving too. I'd be floored if it actually pinged on 87.

[Kurlon]

liquid cooling, good combustion chamber design eliminates hot spots and allows for compression ratios unheard of for regular fuel a few years ago

Harleys, even with lower compression but still air cooled, I believe still require premium

I was running 14.5:1 on my 70, 2v big dome combustion chamber, air cooled, over 300psi dynamic compression pressure. I could not make that bastard ping even with old low test. My mom's 883 hugger custom would sound like you were dragging a screwdriver along the cooling fins on hightest if you let it sit too long between fresh tanks.

[fjrrider RI]

uh, actually, no, ethanol has a higher "octane rating" than gasoline

unlike gasoline, ethanol is a single stable compount that ignites at a specific temp

yes, but it abosrbs water and evaporates much quicker than gasoline leaving you with much lower than quoted octane. Here in RI banna speed boats have been stalled in the water on hot days if they havent stabalized the methanol. I have to use the methanol stabalizer all winter when not using fuel fast enough. Enought said about menthanol problems right? My FJR eats 87 with no burps

SIC - EDIT METHANOL AND REPLACE WITH ETHANOL

[RandyO]

yes, but it abosrbs water and evaporates much quicker than gasoline leaving you with much lower than quoted octane. Here in RI banna speed boats have been stalled in the water on hot days if they havent stabalized the methanol. I have to use the methanol stabalizer all winter when not using fuel fast enough. Enought said about menthanol problems right? My FJR eats 87 with no burps

never seen gas with methanol, only ethanol everywhere I've been

methanol is even more destructive to seals than ethanol, iirc, limits on methanol in gas is only 5%

[wesvailco]

-Triumph recommends 89RON.

[NobodySpecific]

-Triumph recommends 89RON.

You realize that 89 RON is not even 87 AKI, right? Is it a bad thing to take regular?

[wesvailco]

-runs great on the cheap stuff, usually off-brand too.

-1098 will not run properly on anything less than 91, must be something map-wise?

[fjrrider RI]

never seen gas with methanol, only ethanol everywhere I've been

methanol is even more destructive to seals than ethanol, iirc, limits on methanol in gas is only 5%

You want a job editing my posts? Stupid me