What octane is everybody using

[MDM 53]

I've heard you must use 93 octane in the 1330?

[bodymanpainter]

I'm using 93 but did put 89 in once and the bike seemed to run ok but will
keep using the 93 as that's what is recommended.
Toby

[Chupaca]

The recomandation is just that. Outside the US gasolines are different. Our 87 works fine and will not damage anything. For sure the higher the better and as I have said for a buck difference per tank why not go with the best. I use all of them 87-100+ racing fuel..now that is fun...

[Silvervette05]

Hi test in mine

[Dragon Snake]

93 or better just like in my 11 RT-S

[boomerkc]

91 octane no ethanol. Here in Overland Park, KS, I get it at Hy-Vee. Use the station locator www.pure-gas.org when I'm other places.

[Knarfoh]

91 octane no ethanol. Here in Overland Park, KS, I get it at Hy-Vee. Use the station locator www.pure-gas.org when I'm other places.

Locally, the only place for no ethanol are 2 boat marinas each around 30 miles away (and the pumps are located on the docks).

After just a few fill-ups, went from 87 to 93. Some places I have ridden only go as high as 91.

Locally, 93 is 20¢ more then 87 so usually costs me around 80¢ to a dollar for the difference.

2012 RT-S SM5.

[jcthorne]

The 2013s require 91 or greater according to the emissions certification label. Not sure what that labels states on the 2014s. Its on the frame under the seat.

I did put 87 in mine once by accident and will endeavor to not do that again. The difference in performance was VERY noticeable as the ecm pulls a bunch of timing to eliminate preignition detected by the knock sensor.

[sassoman]

Tried 89 this weekend on trip and did not see any difference in mileage or performance. Some places the difference in price was 40 cents per gallon,so I thought I would try the 89 and it did not seem to hurt anything ,no spark knock,no loss off power.

[Bob Denman]

93...

[ARtraveler]

Our choices here are mostly 87, 88, and 90. I put 90 into my 's. No ethanol in our gas. When I have a choice of 87 only, the do not seem to be as "peppy."

[Bob Denman]

They're not...
they can handle the cheaper swill; but for about a dollar's saving on a fill-up, I'd rather feed it what the factory suggests!

[Illinois Boy]

With running the risk of ticking some people off...
You pay $20 to $30k for a vehicle and consider using something other than what the manufacturer (engineers) recommend?

There are reasons why fuel octane ranges are recommended -- however, having said that, I'll bet a case of beer there will be someone post on this thread with a long list of reasons why they know best and use whatever they want in their Spyder, and that it is better than the manufacturer recommends. Just another reason I do not buy used vehicles.

Most people do not even understand what octane ratings mean. Some believe the higher the octane the better the fuel; which cannot be any further from the truth.

Octane has nothing to do with the quality of the fuel; as so many uninformed seem to believe. If it did then everyone would use "rocket-fuel" in their vehicles.

In the most of layman's terms, octane relates to the "burn-rate" of the fuel; and various engines require specific burn-rates to work properly as designed to get the most from the engine and prevent damage over the long-term.

Use what the manual says to use... there is a reason they provide the suggestion.

Again... another reason I do not buy used vehicles.

Sorry if this ticks anyone off or offends them...

[ARtraveler]

With running the risk of ticking some people off...
You pay $20 to $30k for a vehicle and consider using something other than what the manufacturer (engineers) recommend?

There are reasons why fuel octane ranges are recommended -- however, having said that, I'll bet a case of beer there will be someone post on this thread with a long list of reasons why they know best and use whatever they want in their Spyder, and that it is better than the manufacturer recommends. Just another reason I do not buy used vehicles.

Most people do not even understand what octane ratings mean. Some believe the higher the octane the better the fuel; which cannot be any further from the truth.

Octane has nothing to do with the quality of the fuel; as so many uninformed seem to believe. If it did then everyone would use "rocket-fuel" in their vehicles.

In the most of layman's terms, octane relates to the "burn-rate" of the fuel; and various engines require specific burn-rates to work properly as designed to get the most from the engine and prevent damage over the long-term.

Use what the manual says to use... there is a reason they provide the suggestion.

Again... another reason I do not buy used vehicles.

Sorry if this ticks anyone off or offends them...

Your opinion is good. No one should get ticked off. I like to play with numbers. It's the accountant/CPA in me. I like to hear about Octane--but with all the variables possible--I will bet someone could write a PHD thesis on the subject and still not completely nail it.

[Cruzr Joe]

Are you talking about when i am drinking or gassin up the ryde???

Cruzr Joe

[MidTNDawg]

I am using the same thing I put in my 2012. I run non-ethanol 87. Performance continues to be good and my mpg is in the high 30's. When I filled up yesterday, my mpg was 39.67.

[Marker]

I only use the octane recommended for the spyder . In my case it is min 91Octane in 990 motor

[Nils888]

I ran a tank of 87. Won't do that again!!! I could hear the engine pinging under load at low rpm. It dose not do this with premium.

[ulflyer]

87 in my '11 with 32K when traded; same in my '14. Absolutely no pinging.

[Bob Denman]

I tried a couple of tanks of 87 in my 2010, 998.
I had to experiment a bit!
It cost me about two MPG.

[gonker]

93+ always. Runs quiet, more snap on the throttle. On my third tankful now and I won't put lawnmower gas in it. Got forced into 87 once on my 2010 and paid for it in the end. Not thinking, started it up and pulled it outto the end of my drive to wash. Drove it back into the garage when I was finished. Hopped on the next day to go for some errands, started up on one cylinder. Fouled plug. Never had that problem with good gas.

[granpa in Cincy]

93+ always. Runs quiet, more snap on the throttle. On my third tankful now and I won't put lawnmower gas in it. Got forced into 87 once on my 2010 and paid for it in the end. Not thinking, started it up and pulled it outto the end of my drive to wash. Drove it back into the garage when I was finished. Hopped on the next day to go for some errands, started up on one cylinder. Fouled plug. Never had that problem with good gas.

You may have gotten some bad gas but that's not 87's fault. I ran 87 in my 2010 for 3 years and was getting 36-38 MPG with no ill effects.

[gonker]

Locally, the only place for no ethanol are 2 boat marinas each around 30 miles away (and the pumps are located on the docks).

After just a few fill-ups, went from 87 to 93. Some places I have ridden only go as high as 91.

Locally, 93 is 20¢ more then 87 so usually costs me around 80¢ to a dollar for the difference.

2012 RT-S SM5.

I usually go to Sunoco in Canal. I put 87 in my lawnmower, never in the Spyder. 93 or 94 if I can find it. Rode to Maine last summer and could not find any station with more than 91. And ended up with a fouled plug on my 2010. I think the second throttle body was crapping out too. Hope the 14 does better..

[1957cushman]

My owner's manual for 2012 RT says 91 for "optimum performance" and 87 "minimum". As others have stated higher octane means less explosive under compression not higher quality. The air fuel mixture needs to burn rapidly but not explode and possibly blow the top of piston out. Modern engines have "knock detection" that delays timing if knock is detected. In the old days if you heard knock in auto engines on acceleration, you knew it was time to retard the timing a little.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The recomandation is just that. Outside the US gasolines are different. Our 87 works fine and will not damage anything. For sure the higher the better and as I have said for a buck difference per tank why not go with the best. I use all of them 87-100+ racing fuel..now that is fun...

...I'm sorry but....If your ENGINE is not designed to use 89 + OCTANE fuel it is not benefiting from using any higher octane than what it is designed for, and your Spyder is not going FASTER OR SMOOTHER ETC ......................And anyone out there who feels this is false PLEASE provide ACTUAL proof....Non of this seat of the pants nonsense ..............................Because someone who just spent $ 2000 for a 25 HP increase on a 300 HP engine and tells you HE / SHE / IT can feel it is just plain full of ( BLEEP )........JMHO.....Mike