87 Octane fuel

[SPYD3R]

UTAH

my ryde from SoCar to UTAH, 4804 miles total, proved to me that 87 octane is all you'll ever need.... out west, the lowest octane is 88... i didn't see any improvements in power or MPG.... on two occasions, the only gas i could find was 93 octane... and no improvements were noticed... save your $$$, us 87...

 

[Doc45]

Michigan

Wish I could run 87 octane. Tried it and the :ani29: started getting some knocking. Just fueled up tonight, $4.39 a gal. :gaah:. Gotta love Michigan tax.

 

[Flash Gordon]

I was wondering if I'm the only RT rider using the 87 octane fuel? I've tried 93,91,89 & 87 octane fuels. To me the Spyder RT runs best on 87 octane and gets a more complete fuel burn. Its very flat here and no mountains and at sea level mostly. I've never noticed any engine ping or knock using the 87 octane.
Anyone have input or thoughts on this?

I bought my 2013 RTL in Feb. All I have ever used is 87 octane. The owners manual says min. of 87 octane so I tried it and like you, I live here in central Fl. where it is flat. I might go to mid grade when I go up to the mountains this summer. I have never heard a ping or anything, and it seems to run just fine on 87.

 

[Ronbo]

octane

I was wondering if I'm the only RT rider using the 87 octane fuel? I've tried 93,91,89 & 87 octane fuels. To me the Spyder RT runs best on 87 octane and gets a more complete fuel burn. Its very flat here and no mountains and at sea level mostly. I've never noticed any engine ping or knock using the 87 octane.
Anyone have input or thoughts on this?

I'd run 98 if they made it
Ronbo

 

[spydercowboy]

I think finding real gas is more important than running pig food.

 

[WolfeeK9]

I use 87. The state of Florida says it is minimum requirement to have the number 87 or what ever the octane is at the pump. So you can get a mid grade in the reg pump and high in the mid grade pump.becauce it has to be at least min octane or better. I know this because wife used to work for the department that regulated it.

 

[flybuddy]

25K machine that most of us spend thousands on in mods yet we
can opine over saving 60 cents in fuel. Mr. Spock would never be able
to figure us out.

 

[shelbydave]

This is something that can be all over the board. Since the computer controls the ignition, most can run 87 with little to no problems. People may see a gas mileage increase running premium.. that would be the result in the computer needing to run a richer mixture of 87 to keep the detonation down. Different elevations will result in different needs as well.

A good rule of thumb would be to run with the lowest possible octane you can get away with. If you see no ill effects from 87, then run it. If you notice pinging, or a lack of power, bump it up to 89, and try that for a while. Always remember that it takes some time for the computer to realize what's going on, and to make the proper adjustments, so don't run a tank of premium, then go back to regular because you didn't see any change. You have to run a few tanks through to get the right adjustments.

I would be hesitant to really abuse the throttle with 87 octane though... I thought I read that the compression ratio was around 10:1.

 

[wis2013rtltd]

An excellent

25K machine that most of us spend thousands on in mods yet we
can opine over saving 60 cents in fuel. Mr. Spock would never be able
to figure us out.

observation..... or sometimes 30K. Well said.

 

[KeithInAurora]

Wish I could run 87 octane. Tried it and the :ani29: started getting some knocking. Just fueled up tonight, $4.39 a gal. :gaah:. Gotta love Michigan tax.

Trade ya ... I just paid $4.79 for 93 Octane last night ... Gotta love Illinois tax!

 

[DLewis]

Trade ya ... I just paid $4.79 for 93 Octane last night ... Gotta love Illinois tax!

Got you both beat........ $3.58 gal here in SC ... Oh, you were talking HIGHER pricing!!:roflblack::roflblack: I still only use 93 (no ethanol), one less thing to worry about

 

[Bob Ledford]

One of my favorite subjects

Reading everyone's thoughts, comments and theories was quite interesting.

Personnally I find my RTL 2011 SE-5 runs so smooth on 93 octane fuel (Hess is my major brand) that I won't run anything less. When I first got the RTL I ran Hess 87 octane for several tank fills. Then I read the manual for the third time and switched the next fill to 93 octane for six fills keeping track of the then terrible MPG AVG 26+\-. Then I swapped over to 89 octane for a half dozen fill ups. Getting a slight increase in MPG AVG of 1 MPG. Whoppe!

I went back on 93 octane Hess when I can get it. The best fuel I have found for performance and MPG is Marathon. Picked up a tankful of that one day when I was out of the area. I could feel the difference when starting out the gas station driveway. It was a real surprise so much so that I thought my brain was playing games with me. But that tank produced some mileage in the low 30's on the first fill. Have not been able to find a Marathon in our county or the one just North of us.

I will say this for the defense of BRP engineering the lower octane rated fuels did not appear to do anything determental to the engine performance that was detectable by a set of male selective hearing ears. It could have been knocking up a storm but my ears did not hear anything. I can't even Bo so bold as to say it ran cooler because of the gas cap fiasco going on at that time.

I have never been a snake oil addict or advocate either. If I had anything to say reference fuels and octane ratings it would be ." I wish the EPA was out of business and Al Gore was a plumbing salesman." Bring back plain old gasoline again and get on with life in the fast lane.

the next sound you hear will be my knees unlocking. (Click click) ah that feels better!!!:bdh:

 

[Red angel]

Gas

We have two 2011 RT's and started running 91 then switched to 87 we are getting better gas miles with 87 this includes level and mountain roads. When we can purchase gas without ethanol we run it so that we can clean out the motor. This type gas is sold where boats get gas.

 

[Highwayman2013]

The sticker on my 2012 RT says 87 minimum.

 

[Ex-Rocket]

When I fill up my 2012 RTS I have always used the mid grade gasoline and about every third or fourth tank, I treat the bike to the good stuff just so it keeps her happy.

 

[Warlock]

Some forget there is more power in 87 than the other 2. The other 2 is for a more controlled burn. If the computer is doing the job the other 2 are not needed. Dodges was famous for needing the others because of pre mature detonation. This is were you get the knocking in the engine. So if you hear the pinging you need the higher octane.
david

 

[Lilly]

This is my 3rd spyder & used 87 in all of them

 

[IceCube]

Worry more about the E10 or E15 ( Don't Run E15) I found some pumps marked E15 on a trip to Kentucky. I'm told Higher Octane does not have as much alcohol in it. Don't know if it is true. Just ride. Spend all your money and live. Can't take it with you.

 

[IceCube]

PS I use both 87 and 93. Wife rides the 2012 RT Limited and I ride my 07 Goldwing. She has 18862 miles on it. She loves to ride.

 

[jthornton]

Talk about raising the dead, almost exactly a one year old post raised from the dead.

I've tried them all and did not notice any difference in performance or mileage once the rotax had a few hundred miles on it.

JT