which octane gas for 09 gs?

[KEBIE]

What octane is recommended to run in these bikes? Thanks

[wyliec]

What octane is recommended to run in these bikes? Thanks

I've used 87 (in my 2008 SM5) since jan 2009 (when I purchased new) and whenever I switch to 93 it operates the same. Some swear by 93; but, it's not necessary, unless you like spending the extra money. And, there are those that add additives and swear by them; once again, if it makes you feel better about adding the additives, go ahead.

[billybovine]

What octane is recommended to run in these bikes? Thanks

When I had my 09 GS I experimented with different octane fuels and found absolutely no difference in performance or fuel milage. So i would recommend using regular 87 octane fuel as recommended in your owners manual, unless you have extra money to get rid of. :joke:

Now a bunch of RT and ST guys will read this and before you start whining. You have a different engine with a higher compression ratio and the recommended fuel is premium. I have experimented with my ST and found a dramatic difference in performance and fuel milage. When i use premium fuel I get up to 10% higher fuel milage.

[MarkLawson]

The Owner's Manual for the '08 GS states '87 (R+M)/2 or higher' for inside the US & '92 RON or higher' for outside the US. As wyliec stated, using a higher octane than recommended on a properly running Spyder is wasted money.

[NancysToy]

There is a label under your seat with the manufacturer's recommended fuel octane.

[3Willie]

I have found a station that sells non ethanol gas with a 93 octane rating. The Spyder sure runs better on a tank of this stuff, but I am not sure if it is the non ethanol or the higher octane that makes the difference. The gas filter probably also needs changed, so that may be a factor also. Will post after changing filter and alternating a few tanks of ethanol/non ethanol gas. I did not notice any difference in mpg, but it definitively was more responsive when accelerating.

[Bob Denman]

Willie,
It's probably the lack of ethanol in it...
I noticed the same effect when I was in Missouri. :thumbup:

[MarkLawson]

I have found a station that sells non ethanol gas with a 93 octane rating. The Spyder sure runs better on a tank of this stuff, but I am not sure if it is the non ethanol or the higher octane that makes the difference. The gas filter probably also needs changed, so that may be a factor also. Will post after changing filter and alternating a few tanks of ethanol/non ethanol gas. I did not notice any difference in mpg, but it definitively was more responsive when accelerating.

By volume, ethanol has 20% less energy than gasoline. It's the ethanol, or lack of ethanol, you are noticing, not the octane. As I understand octane, the higher rating decreases the likelihood of unintentional detonation of the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. In other words, it reduces the volatility of the fuel so it won't burn as easily. Octane adds no 'power' to the fuel, but does make the fuel more stable when used in higher compression motors, like the RT uses.

Here is some interesting information on octane I found online:

The octane rating of gasoline tells you how much the fuel can be compressed before it spontaneously ignites. When gas ignites by compression rather than because of the spark from the spark plug, it causes knocking in the engine. Knocking can damage an engine, so it is not something you want to have happening. Lower-octane gas (like "regular" 87-octane gasoline) can handle the least amount of compression before igniting.
The compression ratio of your engine determines the octane rating of the gas you must use in the car. One way to increase the horsepower (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/horsepower.htm) of an engine of a given displacement is to increase its compression ratio. So a "high-performance engine" has a higher compression ratio and requires higher-octane fuel. The advantage of a high compression ratio is that it gives your engine a higher horsepower rating for a given engine weight -- that is what makes the engine "high performance." The disadvantage is that the gasoline for your engine costs more.

The name "octane" comes from the following fact: When you take crude oil and "crack" it in a refinery (http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/oil-refining.htm), you end up getting hydrocarbon chains of different lengths. These different chain lengths can then be separated from each other and blended to form different fuels. For example, you may have heard of methane (http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/chemweek/methane/methane.html), propane and butane. All three of them are hydrocarbons (http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/%09http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/organic/hydrocarbon.html). Methane has just a single carbon atom. Propane has three carbon atoms chained together. Butane has four carbon atoms chained together. Pentane has five, hexane has six, heptane has seven and octane has eight carbons chained together.
It turns out that heptane handles compression very poorly. Compress it just a little and it ignites spontaneously. Octane handles compression very well -- you can compress it a lot and nothing happens. Eighty-seven-octane gasoline is gasoline that contains 87-percent octane and 13-percent heptane (or some other combination of fuels that has the same performance of the 87/13 combination of octane/heptane). It spontaneously ignites at a given compression level, and can only be used in engines that do not exceed that compression ratio.

[ARtraveler]

If 87 works for you--I would also see no need in using a higher octane.

[Chupaca]

They all state minimum 87 octane. Now if that is good enough then use that. Now if the difference between minimum and premium is only a buck per tank, I prefer to use premium which has additives to help things other than mileage. If I spend this kind of money on a machine I will also spend the extra to better maintain it. Farkels come second to safety and maintenance...jmho..!!

[KEBIE]

I really appreciate all the info and please keep me updated add to what any of you find in changing filters or Octanes and ethanol/non ethanol. .I might try the non ethanol next to see if I notice a response difference. I'm new to the spyder and am trying to pick up on all tips and tricks for it. Thanks again guys. .

[KEBIE]

I have found a station that sells non ethanol gas with a 93 octane rating. The Spyder sure runs better on a tank of this stuff, but I am not sure if it is the non ethanol or the higher octane that makes the difference. The gas filter probably also needs changed, so that may be a factor also. Will post after changing filter and alternating a few tanks of ethanol/non ethanol gas. I did not notice any difference in mpg, but it definitively was more responsive when accelerating.

Looking forward to the update

[3Willie]

Good explanations and reminders of how fuel actually ignites and at what points. I also agree that for about a dollar or less per fill up, you can use non ethanol, it is a better fuel. I wonder if there is an app for the Iphone that shows where non ethanol is sold. Pretty hard to find it in my area.

[boborgera]

Some people are ''a''scared [brooklyn'ess] to find out that 93 is better ,Least they have to spend an extra buck.;), And then they can't afford to put gas in a 30k Machine...:rolleyes::roflblack:

[JJW SpyderRider]

When I first got mine out on the road I experimented with all the different grades and she ran just fine on good ole regular. :thumbup: Actually my millage was a little worse with premium. Don't know why but it was and with the crappy mileage that these things get :mad: I'm glad that the "cheap" stuff worked just fine. You figure premium can run as much as fifty cents more than regular and for me that meant $5 more per fill up. At the end of a long day that adds up quickly.

Especially when you ride those 1000 mile days :firstplace:

[Highwayman2013]

The app is called Pure Gas.

[NancysToy]

When I first got mine out on the road I experimented with all the different grades and she ran just fine on good ole regular. :thumbup: Actually my millage was a little worse with premium. Don't know why but it was and with the crappy mileage that these things get :mad: I'm glad that the "cheap" stuff worked just fine. You figure premium can run as much as fifty cents more than regular and for me that meant $5 more per fill up. At the end of a long day that adds up quickly.

Premium gas actually has less heat capacity (energy) than regular per unit volume. It therefore takes more of it to achieve the same power...reducing the fuel mileage. Same principle applies to ethanol or methanol. An engine that is optimized to run on regular will get better mileage with regular. An engine where premium is recommended will likely do better on premium, since the ECM will detune it when running on regular, reducing the power output.

[billrob71]

I read in my owners manual 91 mine is a newer bike, but with all my dealings with the automobile world theses days its more the quality of fuel. The fuel coming from wawa, royal farms and valaro which are the cheapy gas stations around my location don't have the cleaning agents in them that say a shell or sunoco have.

I am currently using 93 octane and will keep using it, if the tank is completely empty and filling it up with the cheap gas 87 octane at $3.60 a gallon is $23.76, and 93 octane at $4.10 a gallon comes out to $27.19. Less then $3.50 for a tank full not much difference in cost.

just my 72999

[boborgera]

I am currently using 93 octane and will keep using it, if the tank is completely empty and filling it up with the cheap gas 87 octane at $3.60 a gallon is $23.76.

just my 72999

6 gals @ $3.60= $21.60, Just saved you $2.16...:thumbup::roflblack:

[wyliec]

6 gals @ $3.60= $21.60, Just saved you $2.16...:thumbup::roflblack:

Would you please send me $2.16 every time you fill up? I'll PM you my address.

Thanks in advance.

[3Willie]

The app is called Pure Gas.Thanks for the app. I have already passed it along to a friend who rides a Road King.

[3 wheeler]

It says 91 minimum octane required right under my seat. I put 93 in mine.

[boborgera]

Would you please send me $2.16 every time you fill up? I'll PM you my address.

Thanks in advance.


The reason for my post is the OP Is figuring [doing the math with] a 6.6 gas tank, And if he keeps thinking that at about 6 gal, He'll be walking to the next gas station...