What grade gas?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 123
From: Mississippi
What grade gas?
Here in San Diego I'm seeing Super for $3.05 a gallon.
I've always run mid grade and will continue.....price on base a bit cheaper than out on the town.
Will the inflated prices cause you to go to a lesser grade of fuel?
Mike
I've always run mid grade and will continue.....price on base a bit cheaper than out on the town.
Will the inflated prices cause you to go to a lesser grade of fuel?
Mike
Senior Member
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 146
From: Utah
Ummm...I'm pretty sure that the SH wants 91 octane min. Currently as of this morning...91 is 2.60 per/gal. here in UT. If it goes up to $3.05 like it is there in CA....I will only be driving the SH...that includes this winter...haha! Damn gas prices!
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,844
From: Gainesville FLA.
Re: What grade gas?
It already has, 
I switched a few months back, I used only 91 or above before but I read on the forum the bike actually runs better on regular. I tried it because I live in Palm Beach County where we pay the second highest tax in the country on gas and the third highest price! 
I noticed no real difference in performance and no ping, so until I do I will keep using it.
I switched a few months back, I used only 91 or above before but I read on the forum the bike actually runs better on regular. I tried it because I live in Palm Beach County where we pay the second highest tax in the country on gas and the third highest price! I noticed no real difference in performance and no ping, so until I do I will keep using it.
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Superstock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 295
From: Seattle
Re: What grade gas?
The SH does not need the higher grade gases since it's not a high compression motor. I think it's only 9 or 9.5 to 1. Bikes like the RC51 need the higher octane due to a 11 to 1 comp. ratio.
I have been runing the cheap stuff in my bike since it was new and I have never had any isssues.
Over 45k on her and no blown head gaskets or detonation yet
I have been runing the cheap stuff in my bike since it was new and I have never had any isssues.
Over 45k on her and no blown head gaskets or detonation yet
Thread Starter
Senior Member
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 123
From: Mississippi
Re: What grade gas?
I have used low grade a couple times........found miles per tank a bit better with the mid.
Also found that BP, when I was in the UK, got me a bit more also. It may be just me....but I think the SH likes the cooler dampish weather. Total down pours with pair system......now that's a different story
Mike
Also found that BP, when I was in the UK, got me a bit more also. It may be just me....but I think the SH likes the cooler dampish weather. Total down pours with pair system......now that's a different story
Mike
Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 146
From: Utah
Re: What grade gas?
The SH does not need the higher grade gases since it's not a high compression motor. I think it's only 9 or 9.5 to 1. Bikes like the RC51 need the higher octane due to a 11 to 1 comp. ratio.
I have been runing the cheap stuff in my bike since it was new and I have never had any isssues.
Over 45k on her and no blown head gaskets or detonation yet
I have been runing the cheap stuff in my bike since it was new and I have never had any isssues.
Over 45k on her and no blown head gaskets or detonation yet
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 764
From: Nananimo, B.C.
Re: What grade gas?
I used to put the top stuff in it as well until I read here that I was lighting fire to my money so I tried regular. To this day regular it is and regular it will be. No difference in performance that I can tell.
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Superstock
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 406
From: Trussville, Alabama
Re: What grade gas?
My guess is some folks (including the dealer) might read an owner's manual and see:
"Use gas with Research Octane number of 91 or higher." or something along those lines.
The number we see on the pump is R+M/2 which is the average of Research Octane rating and Motor Octane rating. (Two different methods for rating a fuel's Ocatne, that is - its resistance to detonation/preignition)
87 octane R+M/2 is about equal to a Research Octane of 92. So, pump gas of 87 is fine.
If you live/ride in higher elevations, octane requirements decrease.
I run 87 in all 3 of my bikes and they all 3 run great.
Brian
"Use gas with Research Octane number of 91 or higher." or something along those lines.
The number we see on the pump is R+M/2 which is the average of Research Octane rating and Motor Octane rating. (Two different methods for rating a fuel's Ocatne, that is - its resistance to detonation/preignition)
87 octane R+M/2 is about equal to a Research Octane of 92. So, pump gas of 87 is fine.
If you live/ride in higher elevations, octane requirements decrease.
I run 87 in all 3 of my bikes and they all 3 run great.
Brian
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Squid
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 42
From: Albuquerque, NM
are you sure other countries have lower octane, back marker? i talk to the OZ stunters (in AU) and they have 98 octane i think, as super....
if you really wanna still run expensive... try some octane boost.. a lot cheaper option than running super all the time... although, just a word of advice, and i can actually see a difference: about once a month (i ride about 2k a month) ill run super, with octane boost, putting the octane to about 105 or more. run two tanks of that, then run two tanks of super with chevron fuel system cleaner... but that is just me.
if you really wanna still run expensive... try some octane boost.. a lot cheaper option than running super all the time... although, just a word of advice, and i can actually see a difference: about once a month (i ride about 2k a month) ill run super, with octane boost, putting the octane to about 105 or more. run two tanks of that, then run two tanks of super with chevron fuel system cleaner... but that is just me.
Member
Squid
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 88
From: San Diego, CA
Higher octane does nothing to clean anything. Run carb cleaner if you want to clean the carbs. Running higher octane just makes some sheik rich so he can buy a superhwak of his own. :-)
Now, get yourself an adjustable timing wheel, and add ten degrees of spark, and you'll find that 105 stuff pretty handy. Myself, I'd rather run boost. :-)
-Abe.
P.S. Glad to hear 87 is a-ok. Thinking of running some advance if I hear good things about it, then 89 or even 91 may be a necseisty.
________
WEED VAPORIZER
Now, get yourself an adjustable timing wheel, and add ten degrees of spark, and you'll find that 105 stuff pretty handy. Myself, I'd rather run boost. :-)
-Abe.
P.S. Glad to hear 87 is a-ok. Thinking of running some advance if I hear good things about it, then 89 or even 91 may be a necseisty.
________
WEED VAPORIZER
Last edited by AbeFM; Mar 17, 2011 at 11:43 AM.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 406
From: Trussville, Alabama
Re: What grade gas?
Regarding Octane Boost products, from reading closely (when looking at them for my truck or car) I see that they raise Octane ratings much less than first glance might have you believe.
For example, if a product says "Raises Octane 3 points!" you might think it raises 87 Octane to 90 Octane.
Wrong.
It would raise 87 Octane to 87.3 Octane.
Octane boost products are a waste of money in my opinion. If I need higher octane gas, I buy higher octane gas.
If I feel I need a good "cleaning" I buy a good quality fuel system cleaner additive for the gas.
regarding 98 octane in Australia, and other places, I believe most, if not all of those places post RESEARCH OCTANE numbers and that is what they go by.
In the US we use R+M/2 Octane rating as our standard.
Thanks,
Brian
For example, if a product says "Raises Octane 3 points!" you might think it raises 87 Octane to 90 Octane.
Wrong.
It would raise 87 Octane to 87.3 Octane.
Octane boost products are a waste of money in my opinion. If I need higher octane gas, I buy higher octane gas.
If I feel I need a good "cleaning" I buy a good quality fuel system cleaner additive for the gas.
regarding 98 octane in Australia, and other places, I believe most, if not all of those places post RESEARCH OCTANE numbers and that is what they go by.
In the US we use R+M/2 Octane rating as our standard.
Thanks,
Brian
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