My new baby - which gas? 87, or Is 91 octane better?

[microwavable]

Just got it this weekend and put my first petrol in it today. After I got home I read it was better to put 91 octane in it? is that right? I thought higher was better?

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[Mikey]

Open your owner's manual and go by that! I have put everything through my bike and don't see much difference at all for the most part. It does run some sweet in cold weather!!!

[troop]

Oh boy ... Using the search function will give you days of reading.

[Grandpot]

The owners manual has the correct information. More or bigger isn't always better.

[shardt]

Go by what your manual says. I tried running 87 in my 2021 and noticed detonation shortly after. When I went back to 92 it went away.

[ARtraveler]

I have owned seven Spyders and have almost 200,000 miles across the board.

They are absolutely right when they say "days of reading" on the subject of octane.

Up until 2014, I drank the owners manual "kool aid." Put in the best high test I could find. This was on four of my seven Spyders. 08/09/10/ and 11.

Tried 87 octane on my 14 and switched over on my 11. I personally have NOT noticed any difference in performance or in mpg. Have never went back to high test. My current 19 & 20 run on a diet of 87 with 10% ethanol blend. 20K on one and 7K on the other.

It is in your ballpark. There are some VERY different opinions from mine on this subject. I am doing what works for me. It's your wallet. It's your Spyder. Go for the higher test if you want to.

[rjinaz86323]

I run nothing but 87 in my 2018 F3L. Have done trips through desert, mountains, and flatlands. Can't tell any difference in performance or MPG

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Go by what your manual says. I tried running 87 in my 2021 and noticed detonation shortly after. When I went back to 92 it went away.

Interesting .... That's too bad .... I have always used 87 w / ethyl starting with the V-twin in 09, now my 14 RT and never had any detonation ..... I had my mechanic listen to the motor with a stethoscope and said it sounds fine ..... good luck .... Mike

[microwavable]

Oh boy ... Using the search function will give you days of reading.

you are right, of course. I guess I got a little over excited to jump in.

[microwavable]

thanks all, me being in new zealand I will look at the petrol and choices and see if I can see any difference, thanks everyone for your input. I am going on my first "long" ride today. its about 3.5 hours each way.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

thanks all, me being in new zealand I will look at the petrol and choices and see if I can see any difference, thanks everyone for your input. I am going on my first "long" ride today. its about 3.5 hours each way.

I'm surprised Peter Aawen who lives nearby in Australia hasn't chimed in ..... In Australia they don't have the same choices as those in the USA ..... AND the gas they do sell is rated differently ..... I would PM Him and seek advice ..... Mike

[FrogmanDave]

Go by what your manual says. I tried running 87 in my 2021 and noticed detonation shortly after. When I went back to 92 it went away.

I absolutely agree shardt.

For all of those saying there is no detonation with 87 octane gas I say this. Put on a Pedal Commander, put it in Sport+ mode, rack open the throttle, and you will hear buttloads of detonation. I could not believe how bad it was. I usually always buy 91 octane but decided to give 87 a try. Never again! And before you start the flaming, the PC does not change ECU control whatsoever as far as spark advance is concerned. It only changes throttle response. So the knock detectors cannot respond fast enough to keep up with the throttle response. Maybe under normal conditions the knock detector(s) do the job but the detonation is definitely there. What BRP recommends is what I will do. 91 octane in the future for me.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I absolutely agree shardt.

For all of those saying there is no detonation with 87 octane gas I say this. Put on a Pedal Commander, put it in Sport+ mode, rack open the throttle, and you will hear buttloads of detonation. I could not believe how bad it was. I usually always buy 91 octane but decided to give 87 a try. Never again! And before you start the flaming, the PC does not change ECU control whatsoever as far as spark advance is concerned. It only changes throttle response. So the knock detectors cannot respond fast enough to keep up with the throttle response. Maybe under normal conditions the knock detector(s) do the job but the detonation is definitely there. What BRP recommends is what I will do. 91 octane in the future for me.

Well what did you expect - Your Spyder is NO longer ...OEM .... you put on a Power Adder..... this changes what the settings BRP programed into the computer for " ANTI-DETONATION " .... Did the Pedal Commander seller advise you could use 87 octane ????? .... JMHO .... Mike

[FrogmanDave]

Well what did you expect - Your Spyder is NO longer ...OEM .... you put on a Power Adder..... this changes what the settings BRP programed into the computer for " ANTI-DETONATION " .... Did the Pedal Commander seller advise you could use 87 octane ????? .... JMHO .... Mike

Absolutely incorrect Mike. The PC does not add any power whatsoever. It does improve throttle response and gives the perceived addition of power but it adds nothing to actual engine power. The seller of the device did not advise me to run anything. I tried it because many on here say it has no affect on performance or detonation. My point was to simply point out that the PC greatly amplifies detonation because it does exist when running lower octane fuel. That's all. Each owner can choose to run whatever octane they wish. I simply choose to run 91 octane in the future. And of course BRP recommends 91 octane for this high compression engine.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Absolutely incorrect Mike. The PC does not add any power whatsoever. It does improve throttle response and gives the perceived addition of power but it adds nothing to actual engine power. The seller of the device did not advise me to run anything. I tried it because many on here say it has no affect on performance or detonation. My point was to simply point out that the PC greatly amplifies detonation because it does exist when running lower octane fuel. That's all. Each owner can choose to run whatever octane they wish. I simply choose to run 91 octane in the future. And of course BRP recommends 91 octane for this high compression engine.

I apologize and stand corrected ..... I have said in the past that the Pedal Commander doesn't ADD power .... it only makes your throttle have a hair trigger on it ..... I do find it odd that yours is the only Spyder that seems to have this reaction regarding Detonation .... I think that PC is trying to override the OEM settings in the computer and the computer doesn't like it .... so Good Luck ..... Mike

[2dogs]

Correct me if I'm wrong. I've heard here on this site and from two dealerships that the OEM ECU has a learning curve. That is the ECU learns to adjust to the riding style of whoever sits behind the throttle. I believe the 1330 compression ratio is 12 to 1 or thereabouts and that's high and why BRP recommends 91 proof (octane). High compression engines tend to ignite low octane fuel before the cylinder is ready to properly digest the explosion. Hence the knock. Not a good thing. It's called pre detonation. I don't exactly know the inner workings of the ECU to explain just how it controls knock by adjusting spark timing. I know how we used to control it on our V8 street rods. However, no matter what octane you are using in your 1330, if the engine is HOT and you stab the throttle from a dead stop you are likely to get a knock even if you don't hear it. If you do hear it, it's very unnerving.

[Peter Aawen]

....... However, no matter what octane you are using in your 1330, if the engine is HOT and you stab the throttle from a dead stop you are likely to get a knock even if you don't hear it. If you do hear it, it's very unnerving.

. Not only is it unnerving, but even if you DON'T hear it, 'knocking' can be very damaging to your engine!

That said, if you're not pushing your Spyder's engine to it's limits all the time, or better yet, all that often, then the Anti Knock Index (AKI) 87 octane gas that you commonly get over there might be able to be used quite successfully... . But MY V-Twin Spyder (that has had an ECU Upgrade) REALLY doesn't like our equivalent RON 91 gas, and I don't use that stuff at all except in an emergency (in which case I strenuously AVOID using WOT iaw the tuners directions & due to the horrendous knocking that occurs if I do!! ) Most of the time I use our RON 95, which is a little more expensive per litre but more than pays for itself in improved fuel economy & much better performance (courtesy of the ECU Upgrade ) while our RON 98 is even more expensive but provides very little gain over that achieved with 95.

Just Sayin' - and since it's MY Spyder that I'm putting that 95 RON gas in.....

[Tonylmiller]

I just filled up with 93 octane with no ethanol!!! Woohoo!!!

[2dogs]

I just filled up with 93 octane with no ethanol!!! Woohoo!!!

Good choice Tony. For the extra pennies it costs to get the good stuff, it's overwhelming worth it, or BRP wouldn't recommend it. Repairing a hole in your piston is WAY more expensive than the pennies you'd save over the life of your spyder by feeding it the lower octane fuel. JMHO of course, but others will still disagree. Not to mention the downtime while waiting for back ordered parts to arrive and the risk of your dealership dropping the spyder line.