Will Using 87 Octane impact performance?

[EdMat]

Wow, at that speed if your 1330 did experience any detonation you would've never heard it. Just curious if you kept track, what was your MPG if I might ask?

I think he was referring to temperature.

[2dogs]

I think he was referring to temperature.

Oh thank GOD, I was hoping so. Thanks for the clue.

[troop]

This is NOT to spark a fuel debate. I've always felt that the use of 87 octane was a non issue. That said, I just started getting my BRP info after purchasing my new 2022 S2S a couple weeks ago. Here is their take on fuel, direct from BRP.

By Can-Am On-Road

It is always best to refer to the Operator's Guide for your Can-Am for fuel requirements for your specific model and engine. For Spyder models, your machine will perform to its highest potential and best performance on 91-octane fuel with no ethanol. That said, you will not damage anything if you use 87-octane fuel with no more than 10% ethanol, it just won’t perform top its full potential. Ryker models perform well on 87-octane fuels. Do NOT use E15 or any fuel with more that 10% ethanol in any recreational vehicle as this will damage the engine.


Using the E10 ethanol fuel isn’t all that bad, but letting it sit in the fuel tank and the fuel system can lead to long term problems. Typically, you do not want to leave ethanol fuel in your Can-Am Spyder or your Can-Am Ryker for more than 30 days. The reason for this is due to the water-absorbing nature of ethanol fuels and the corrosive nature of the ethanol. So, if you do choose to use fuel with ethanol, try to add a fuel stabilizer if you will be leaving the fuel in the vehicle for longer than 30 days. If the vehicle is going into storage for a longer period of time then it is pretty much mandatory to treat the fuel with the appropriate heavier dosage of stabilizer to prevent problems when you go to start and use the vehicle.

[AndysF3S]

I use 91 octane in my 2022 F3S which I purchased new several months ago. Up until last Spring I could purchase 91 without ethanol at Costco and other places locally, now it may contain ethanol according to the sticker on the pumps.
There are several reasons I try and stay away from ethanol in the gasoline; it has a lower caloric value and produces less energy per combustion cycle than gasoline. In other words you have to inject more ethanol to produce the same power but it does have a higher Octane number so you can get more power from ethanol than gas if you are programmed to run more ethanol or E85. The second reason that I try and flush 87 w ethanol out of the fuel tank for storage is because it is hygroscopic (tends to absorb moisture from the air) and the longer it sits the more moisture it absorbs; sometimes getting to the point of fuel separation which becomes corrosive and damages the fuel system. Lawn mowers, weed eater, garden tools that sit for the winter season can all wind up with the beautiful green sludge in the sediment bowl. I store all my small engines with fuel stabilizer and 91 if I can.
On the Spyder,Ryker, Seadoos and Skidoos that are fuel injected; the knock sensor is so sensitive that you will not hear ping or knock before the ECM pulls timing so the chance of preignition damage is slim unless the unit has sat for some period of time. Any gasoline that sits for longer periods of time will lose octane and after several months "may ping" if the ECM cannot adjust the timing enough to prevent it.
Running 91 in and 87 octane rated engine doesn't produce more power and may produce a bit less because the anti knock additive results in a slightly cooler burn.
Running 87 in a 91 rated engine should produce less power because the ECM will be pulling timing because the increase in compression ratio results in a tendency towards preignition.
Hotter intake air temperature contains less oxygen and therefore cannot make as much power because the ECM adjusts the fuel ratio to a leaner ratio. That is why turbo charged and supercharged engines usually run intercoolers to reduce intake air temp. Your ride may produce more power in the evening when the air temp. drops.

Bottom line is its your machine and you are free to run whatever Octane works for you. As the owners manual states 87 should not cause any damage to your engine. Enjoy your ride while you can before it is mandated to be battery powered. JMO

[troop]

When I use 87 octane, it is during the active riding season. Come near the end of the season (October in WI), I switch to 91/non ethanol. Spyder doesn't sit too long during the peak riding season.

[BajaRon]

I think he was referring to temperature.

Really! You mean that most don't ride at 95-100 mph on a regular basis! No wonder everyone seems to be going so slow in the Interstates these days!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

This is NOT to spark a fuel debate. I've always felt that the use of 87 octane was a non issue. That said, I just started getting my BRP info after purchasing my new 2022 S2S a couple weeks ago. Here is their take on fuel, direct from BRP.

By Can-Am On-Road

It is always best to refer to the Operator's Guide for your Can-Am for fuel requirements for your specific model and engine. For Spyder models, your machine will perform to its highest potential and best performance on 91-octane fuel with no ethanol. That said, you will not damage anything if you use 87-octane fuel with no more than 10% ethanol, it just won’t perform top its full potential. Ryker models perform well on 87-octane fuels. Do NOT use E15 or any fuel with more that 10% ethanol in any recreational vehicle as this will damage the engine.


Using the E10 ethanol fuel isn’t all that bad, but letting it sit in the fuel tank and the fuel system can lead to long term problems. Typically, you do not want to leave ethanol fuel in your Can-Am Spyder or your Can-Am Ryker for more than 30 days. The reason for this is due to the water-absorbing nature of ethanol fuels and the corrosive nature of the ethanol. So, if you do choose to use fuel with ethanol, try to add a fuel stabilizer if you will be leaving the fuel in the vehicle for longer than 30 days. If the vehicle is going into storage for a longer period of time then it is pretty much mandatory to treat the fuel with the appropriate heavier dosage of stabilizer to prevent problems when you go to start and use the vehicle.

" This not to start a fuel debate ".... ...... " highest potential and best performance " ...... welllllllllllllllllll no one , not even BRP has numbers to back this claim up - Period. it could be 5% or 1% or .001% . ..... I think the last one is closer to the truth ..... JMHO .... Mike

[CloverHillCrawler]

I don't mean to go too far off topic but holy crap , I was just reading earlier in this thread about more spirited riding and only getting 20-22 MPG with the 1330.

I just want to know how spirited you have to ride to drop into that range?

Before I got the hell off of 70 and started taking 40 instead due to the amount of accidents that are happening out on 70 near Myerstown, I had to do 85-90 MPH sometimes faster just to keep with with traffic on I-70 going to Hagerstown from Frederick going across two mountains that have 1800-2500 elevation on each with a bad alignment that was chewing up the tires and the worst I had was 30.2 MPG.

What the hell do you have to do to go into the 20-22 mpg range?

[troop]

I don't mean to go too far off topic but holy crap , I was just reading earlier in this thread about more spirited riding and only getting 20-22 MPG with the 1330.

I just want to know how spirited you have to ride to drop into that range?

Before I got the hell off of 70 and started taking 40 instead due to the amount of accidents that are happening out on 70 near Myerstown, I had to do 85-90 MPH sometimes faster just to keep with with traffic on I-70 going to Hagerstown from Frederick going across two mountains that have 1800-2500 elevation on each with a bad alignment that was chewing up the tires and the worst I had was 30.2 MPG.

What the hell do you have to do to go into the 20-22 mpg range?

Geeez .. I don't know?? Fully loaded with three cases across the South Dakota interstate at 80-83 mph, I drop to around 28 mpg. But not low 20's

[RayBJ]

I get mid-20s when I ride 8 hours with my spirited sport touring maniacs. Especially when we're in the mountains. Lots of pegging the throttle coming out of the curves and holding til you need to brake for the next rep. It's not easy keeping up with 1200cc Beemers. On the super slab I get near 40.

[CloverHillCrawler]

I get mid-20s when I ride 8 hours with my spirited sport touring maniacs. Especially when we're in the mountains. Lots of pegging the throttle coming out of the curves and holding til you need to brake for the next rep. It's not easy keeping up with 1200cc Beemers. On the super slab I get near 40.

Just did this on monday with a group of Adv's from Central Md. 6 hours of riding with 20,000 ft of elevation changes and I did about 32 mpg.

[troop]

Just did this on monday with a group of Adv's from Central Md. 6 hours of riding with 20,000 ft of elevation changes and I did about 32 mpg.

And your base F3 has the 79t rear pulley too. I could see low(er) mpg's on the 89t rear pulley but not the 79t. Hmmm

[2dogs]

Not to start up a fuel debate but just to broaden the perspective a bit. I always saw to it that I fed my animals and family with the best and most healthy food products available, and I do the same with my equipment. In short, the difference in my neck of the woods between a tank of 87 and 91 is about a buck and a quarter. That's in part because I tend to fuel up when I still have a gallon left in my tank; for obvious reasons. So, a hundred and twenty-five cents per fill up seems to me to bargain when I'm relying on a machine to give me the best performance and reliability possible. The truth be known, I probably treat my spyder better than myself given some of the crap food I indulge in. But that's a story for another day. Feed your beast the best and it will reward you for it.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Not to start up a fuel debate but just to broaden the perspective a bit. I always saw to it that I fed my animals and family with the best and most healthy food products available, and I do the same with my equipment. In short, the difference in my neck of the woods between a tank of 87 and 91 is about a buck and a quarter. That's in part because I tend to fuel up when I still have a gallon left in my tank; for obvious reasons. So, a hundred and twenty-five cents per fill up seems to me to bargain when I'm relying on a machine to give me the best performance and reliability possible. The truth be known, I probably treat my spyder better than myself given some of the crap food I indulge in. But that's a story for another day. Feed your beast the best and it will reward you for it.

( mostly ) however the Gas price difference " in my neck of the woods " is .70 ( 87 vs.91 ) .PER GALLON .... I have been here over a decade and never heard from anyone stating " their engine failed because they only used 87 " ....... JMHO .... Mike

[troop]

My point of the post was to show, directly from Can Am, that 87/10% ethanol will not harm the motor. Obviously, Can Am doesn't want to repair/warranty work motors damaged by 87 octane gas.

[Motorcycledave]

All
Doing a 600 mile, many overnights, trip with our new (to us) 2013 Spyder ST/S the first of April. Wondering if using 87 Octane gas vs. 91 will change the performance during this trip. I think it was recommended either in owner manual or I picked up on the web to use 91. It will help on the money side a bit. Also this bike’s fuel gauge is off some. When it shows a half tank I put more than 3 gallons in to top off. Has anyone run into this with their gauge?

Not enough for you to ever notice .... ride on

[Big F]

I am on my 5th Spyder and I have run a check on each one using 91 octane vs. 87 octane and found there is absolutely NO difference on the MPG using either gas.. and yes, I know there are some owners that swear they get better mileage using 91 octane but feel that is not a true statement..
wish you the best on being a Spyder owner and ride safe.
BIG F

[tibadoe]

I use 91 or above for both my bikes. If I had to use regular in a pinch I would until I could fill-up with premium. I do use 10% E which helps with cost. Never a fuel related issue when treated as necessary.

[2dogs]

( mostly ) however the Gas price difference " in my neck of the woods " is .70 ( 87 vs.91 ) .PER GALLON .... I have been here over a decade and never heard from anyone stating " their engine failed because they only used 87 " ....... JMHO .... Mike

.70 OOOH, dats a lot!

[CloverHillCrawler]

And your base F3 has the 79t rear pulley too. I could see low(er) mpg's on the 89t rear pulley but not the 79t. Hmmm

Funny thing to mention about the ride as well, even though we were moving at a good pace I put it in eco mode as I was running tail gunner.

It helped me having a less responsive throttle in order to keep up speed at an even pace behind the group without running up on top of them.

Oh and to get back on topic I try to run nothing but sunoco ultra 93 if possible. I tried 87 for a while and it seemed to lose a little oomph off the start.

I will deviate while with a group but otherwise it's that.

I really wish that they had the old ultra 95 around that I used to run in my old 71 Impala.

[ThreeWheels]

All
Doing a 600 mile, many overnights, trip with our new (to us) 2013 Spyder ST/S the first of April. Wondering if using 87 Octane gas vs. 91 will change the performance during this trip. I think it was recommended either in owner manual or I picked up on the web to use 91. It will help on the money side a bit. Also this bike’s fuel gauge is off some. When it shows a half tank I put more than 3 gallons in to top off. Has anyone run into this with their gauge?

This is an older thread and a very long one, so I'm sure someone must have posted these same comments.
My riding style leans more towards touring, less on performance.
I find very little difference between 87 and 91 octane, with the exception of cost. Running 87 octane gives me far more value than higher octane gas.

The single biggest factor in performance is if you can find ethanol free gasoline. Pure gas gives you a far better performance than an octane boost.

Just my opinion. I could be wrong, and if I am, I'm sure someone on this forum will be happy to tell me.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

This is an older thread and a very long one, so I'm sure someone must have posted these same comments.
My riding style leans more towards touring, less on performance.
I find very little difference between 87 and 91 octane, with the exception of cost. Running 87 octane gives me far more value than higher octane gas.

The single biggest factor in performance is if you can find ethanol free gasoline. Pure gas gives you a far better performance than an octane boost.

Just my opinion. I could be wrong, and if I am, I'm sure someone on this forum will be happy to tell me.

... It's not about the Octane ...... Non-Ethyl will make a larger difference ..... Mike

[OldAge]

Recently completed a 2500 mile trip with my 2015 RTS, about 90 percent of it pulling a Bunkhouse. Of that, probably 50 percent was hiway at 60-65 mph. All of it using 87 octane w/corn. Per my log book, mileage was about 36 mpg. I'll take it!!

As a side note, I am impressed how the Spyder pulls the camper versus my 1800 GW. Only thing I don't care for is the un-sprung hitch.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Only thing I don't care for is the un-sprung hitch.

You and just about everyone else on this forum!

[BajaRon]

"Will Using 87 Octane impact performance?"

It's always amused me a bit that this is a subject for debate. It's a matter of physics. Like whether the earth is round or flat. Though there are some who will debate this as well.

The universal answer, of course, is 'YES!" Using less than optimum fuel octane is going to give you less than optimal performance. Whether or not a person notices it does not alter the fact. Most people don't 'Notice' that the earth is round. But it still is.

I did extensive testing (about 5,000 miles) with my 998 GS and found that I consistently got 2~4 mpg better with premium fuel than with either regular or mid grade (I was not able to detect any appreciable difference between either of the lower grades of fuel).

A debate about when, under what circumstances, and how much of a difference less than optimal octane produces are reasonable. Because there are several variables which impact the end result. The lower the altitude, the hotter the day and the greater the load on the engine, the more octane value will make a difference.

And yes, your Spyder will run fine forever on 87 octane (and 86 octane in higher altitudes)

But just like with tires and oil. We will do this all again in days to come. It's just the nature of the beast. It gives me a smile every time.