What grade gasoline do you use
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Andy, after reading many posts on this forum, for premium and for the lower grade gasoline since signing on here in March, '01, I decided to go to the middle, 89 octane. The dealer said 93 but some of our members, Doug and Clayton, and others who work for dealerships, said 87 works fine. And I've had no problems with the middle grade. Tom
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Also keep in mind that most motorcycles make more horsepower on 87.
I've always used the higher grade gasolines in my boat and will in the bike. But I don't do it because of the octane as much as for the cleanliness of the gas itself.
I worked for one of the major oil companies for almost 10 years and saw enough about how the gas is handled to make me think about using the higher grades anywhere you don't have a great big filter to trap sediment. Basically, you can always downgrade gas, but you can't upgrade it. This means that you can take 92 octane and sell it as 89 or 87, but you can't go the other way with it. When the gas comes out of the pipelines, it is generally all pretty clean. But when the tank trucks or any storage tanks need to be emptied, the gas that comes out is downgraded to regular and put back into the regular supply along with any other goodies that might be in there. For the most part, anything in the gas is diluted to the point that it won't cause a problem. But in applications with minimal filtering, it gives me greater peace of mind to put the high octane gas in.
BTW....in my car and truck, I use 87 octane and change the fuel filters right on the service interval.
Craig
I worked for one of the major oil companies for almost 10 years and saw enough about how the gas is handled to make me think about using the higher grades anywhere you don't have a great big filter to trap sediment. Basically, you can always downgrade gas, but you can't upgrade it. This means that you can take 92 octane and sell it as 89 or 87, but you can't go the other way with it. When the gas comes out of the pipelines, it is generally all pretty clean. But when the tank trucks or any storage tanks need to be emptied, the gas that comes out is downgraded to regular and put back into the regular supply along with any other goodies that might be in there. For the most part, anything in the gas is diluted to the point that it won't cause a problem. But in applications with minimal filtering, it gives me greater peace of mind to put the high octane gas in.
BTW....in my car and truck, I use 87 octane and change the fuel filters right on the service interval.
Craig
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"Some Say Tomato.....". My dad taught me at a young age to run high octane. Maybe it's one of those things that a person has been doing for so long that it just becomes a habit, whether it's the best thing or not. I've never had an octane "knock" with premium, but I have with lower grades on my dirt machines, so I stick with it on all my motor cycles.
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Have to agree with you Martin on the dirt bike side of riding. Way back when I mixed 2 stroke Castrol in my Suzuki RM 125's tank it was always with the highest octane I could find. But as I remember I always had to keep that little MX'er at very high revs just to keep the spark plug alive and ready to race. No margin for error in that regard -- unless you wanted to enter the #1 turn in last place. BTW, ain't that Travis P. the greatest. Tom 
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Pastrana, what a guy. Fast, articulate, mature and no conceit. And all at 17 yrs. old. Last years #1 Supercross Plate, this year Gravity games and 2 years ago X-Games and #2 in Supercross. What a kid.
Oh, yeah, gasoline. Yeah, ya had to keep those old 2 strokes "on the pipe". Of course they were all top end, too. Maybe it had something to do with the old leaded gas and the valves (on the 4 strokes)?
Speaking of fast and conceited, R.C. went to a Honda this year.
Oh, yeah, gasoline. Yeah, ya had to keep those old 2 strokes "on the pipe". Of course they were all top end, too. Maybe it had something to do with the old leaded gas and the valves (on the 4 strokes)?
Speaking of fast and conceited, R.C. went to a Honda this year.
92 only
I just read a response to that question in Rider Magazine. The editors response was basically that tests have shown that highter octane burns cleaner and more efficiently leaveing fewer deposits and less over all build up in the engine.
Look at it this way:
You could survive on McDonalds burgers and fries, but I bet your body would be a lot happier with a nice grilled steak, a baked potato and some steamed veggies. (and your girlfriend won't be standing outside the bathroom door yelling "and lite a match this time for Gods sake")
I just read a response to that question in Rider Magazine. The editors response was basically that tests have shown that highter octane burns cleaner and more efficiently leaveing fewer deposits and less over all build up in the engine.
Look at it this way:
You could survive on McDonalds burgers and fries, but I bet your body would be a lot happier with a nice grilled steak, a baked potato and some steamed veggies. (and your girlfriend won't be standing outside the bathroom door yelling "and lite a match this time for Gods sake")
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i use 87 with an occasional tank of 92. being able to use regular gas is one of the reasons i picked teh zr-7 over suzuki's offerings. no problems pinging ever. i'm sure 92 runs cleaner but i ran several vw bug engines over 100,000 miles on regular so it can't be that bad. i figure a tank of 92 once in a while helps clean out some of the deposits.
scott
scott
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Compromise....
Scott, sounds like a good idea to me. I'm thinking of going back to 87 instead of a steady 89, and occasionally use the 92-93 octane as you have suggested--a good middle ground and about what I do for my cages. Tom
Scott, sounds like a good idea to me. I'm thinking of going back to 87 instead of a steady 89, and occasionally use the 92-93 octane as you have suggested--a good middle ground and about what I do for my cages. Tom
I'm probably just fooling myself but I figure for a $2 a tank premium over regular unleaded I use the good stuff, from a known fuel company. It costs me about $14 a week to do 240km
(quick calc us$7 for 150miles)
There was some big dramas here a little while ago with discount suppliers mixing toluene(?) with unleaded petrol to dilute it and scam motorists. I guess good fuel is like good oil...cheap insurance.
(quick calc us$7 for 150miles)
There was some big dramas here a little while ago with discount suppliers mixing toluene(?) with unleaded petrol to dilute it and scam motorists. I guess good fuel is like good oil...cheap insurance.
I've always used the 'good stuff'. 92-93 RON from Amoco, Mobil or Shell. When the mechanic looked at the bike, he was impressed by the plugs. They were clean (very little deposits).
I'll keep on using the good stuff. I love the bike and I think the higher grade of fuel will pay for itsself in the long run.
I'll keep on using the good stuff. I love the bike and I think the higher grade of fuel will pay for itsself in the long run.
95 octane
Octane levels are apparently not the same in all countries. The regular in Sweden is 95 octane unleaded, we can get 96 and 98 as premium. I always go for 95 octane.
BTW, gasoline cost more than 3 dollars per gallon in most European countries, including Sweden.:yell:
Octane levels are apparently not the same in all countries. The regular in Sweden is 95 octane unleaded, we can get 96 and 98 as premium. I always go for 95 octane.
BTW, gasoline cost more than 3 dollars per gallon in most European countries, including Sweden.:yell:
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Suzuki RM's...
I had A Suzuki RM125 too Tom, A new 1978 RM125C! (I also had a 1978 RM80C, but grew too tall that summer! LOL!) Both of them would flat fly!....oh yea, I use 93 octane in my ZR7
I had A Suzuki RM125 too Tom, A new 1978 RM125C! (I also had a 1978 RM80C, but grew too tall that summer! LOL!) Both of them would flat fly!....oh yea, I use 93 octane in my ZR7
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...
And I only use Amaco premium as well...I heard years ago it was the best, but it's likely the other brands are just as good?...habit you know!
And I only use Amaco premium as well...I heard years ago it was the best, but it's likely the other brands are just as good?...habit you know!
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256 Posts
Travis P...
Travis P IS an awesome rider!...My hero is another Suzuki icon...Roger DeCoster! 5 time world 500 champ, the man! Fellow countryman Joel Robert was a 6 time world champ, but he "only" rode a 250! LOL!:laugh:
Travis P IS an awesome rider!...My hero is another Suzuki icon...Roger DeCoster! 5 time world 500 champ, the man! Fellow countryman Joel Robert was a 6 time world champ, but he "only" rode a 250! LOL!:laugh:
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