[Green650R]

Hi all,

I just got my 650 last Friday. The guy at te dealer advised me to use 91 octane fuel. But in the manual it states to use 87 octane.

What do u all use?

 

[Sputnikk23]

for as many times as this has been asked.. i think the general consensus is that '87 works best and thats what MOM calls for. MPG junkies have actually seen better mileage on '87 than higher octanes.

 

[Nicklovin]

Hi all,

I just got my 650 last Friday. The guy at te dealer advised me to use 91 octane fuel. But in the manual it states to use 87 octane.

What do u all use?

I use the highest grade all the time...I personally don't think its necessary at all nor does it make a difference, being that the 650's aren't high performance racing machines but I do it anyways.

 

[wild-bill]

I always use premium. I've had a couple of bikes in the past where fuel economy would drop about 10% using 87 octane. And my previous car-'93 Crown Victoria-wouldn't idle smooth with it. So I just use 93 octane in everything-car, bike, mower, weedeater......I may check gas mileage with 87 in the 650R one day .

 

[Hot.Damn.]

I didn't notice tell I starting using 87 that my bike ran worse on 91. I get better gas mileage and all around better running. I used to get more poping from the exhaust with 91 as well

 

[Jonst500r]

The 87.

 

[Green650R]

Good to know. Thanks for the input, everyone!

 

[twowheeladdict]

Run the lowest octane that your bike will run well with. It is designed for 87, so if it will not run well with 87 you might be due for some maintenance.

 

[LuMpY]

I've used 91 octane my last 20 fill ups.

 

[rubix777]

I've always filled up on 87 and would get 51 mpg if I do a lot of freeway.

 

[jbrandona119]

Higher octane doesn't have any more benefits for your engine then 87.

It just means the fuel burns at a higher temperature than the 87. Some engines (like performance/racing) get much hotter and need the gasoline to withstand it. hence the knocking and pinging you have when using 87, your pistons are misfiring.

Calling it "premium" is just like calling a cigarette "light". The same stuff, but tweaked differently with no benefits.

just a random fact haha.

 

[steveinsandiego]

87 in my 650. it delivers 45+ mpg always.

now for my vulcan 1600: i believe MOM sez use 87, but the 1600 pinged reg'larly. after switching to 91, no ping.

 

[twowheeladdict]

87 in my 650. it delivers 45+ mpg always.

now for my vulcan 1600: i believe MOM sez use 87, but the 1600 pinged reg'larly. after switching to 91, no ping.

you might want to check that. My Vulcans say minimum of 90. Once in a while I'll put in 89 if there is a big price jump for 93. I have found that some stations don't put ethanol in the 93 octane. That would be a plus.

 

[tagged99]

Being the creature of habit that I am...
My zx6 called for 91 or higher.
With the 10% ethanol added now days, and my butt dyno
saying I have more fun with higher octane :wink:, I run 91
or better most of the times I fill up.

Not jumping into a chemistry lesson here and this thread being
about octane...
Ethanol will enable water attraction, so hence the the adding
of the fuel treatment Sta-bil marine.
It has gone into everything Ive owned that requires gas that
sits for more then a month.
...just some food for thought and my :2cents:.

 

[ThrashAL]

I met an other rider once that told me that he would sometimes put racing fuel in his bike to get some real power! Didn't seem smart to me but I didn't feel like arguing with a guy that I bearly met.

I use 87... probably cause I'm cheap but more because I trust the dudes that made the bike and wrote to use 87 in the manual.

 

[Quentin]

I don't see the point of using higher octane if it's not called for. Always 87 for me.

 

[gearman]

Higher octane doesn't have any more benefits for your engine then 87.

It just means the fuel burns at a higher temperature than the 87. Some engines (like performance/racing) get much hotter and need the gasoline to withstand it. hence the knocking and pinging you have when using 87, your pistons are misfiring.

Calling it "premium" is just like calling a cigarette "light". The same stuff, but tweaked differently with no benefits.

just a random fact haha.

ditto


But if it make you feel better to spend more money per gallon, then by all means go for it. I run the cheap stuff in all my motors.

Another fact. not all brands at a certain octain rating are the same. So if you see poor performance with brand X 87 oct. before switching octain rating, switch brands of fuel.

 

[steveinsandiego]

you might want to check that. My Vulcans say minimum of 90. Once in a while I'll put in 89 if there is a big price jump for 93. I have found that some stations don't put ethanol in the 93 octane. That would be a plus.

I WAS WRONG! does that clear the air?? i just now pulled MOM outta the leatherlykes and found the info.

:doh, dunno why 87 was lodged in my noggin. i've probably been using 91 for all except the first few weeks of ownership. just because i read the entire manual doesn't ensure that i learned anything.....

thanx for the reminder.

 

[jbrandona119]

Another fact. not all brands at a certain octain rating are the same. So if you see poor performance with brand X 87 oct. before switching octain rating, switch brands of fuel.

for a while, BP had the cheapest gas around me, so I would go there because no one else would and I knew they were family owned...

but the gas seemed to make my car run a little funky and the fuel seemed to burn up quicker. Maybe I just felt bad for Florida though...

Either way, I second that notion.

 

[twowheeladdict]

I WAS WRONG! does that clear the air?? i just now pulled MOM outta the leatherlykes and found the info.

:doh, dunno why 87 was lodged in my noggin. i've probably been using 91 for all except the first few weeks of ownership. just because i read the entire manual doesn't ensure that i learned anything.....

thanx for the reminder.

Not trying to prove you wrong there Steve. :alcy: I just know how much you like to reference the MOM.