87 Octane seems to work just fine

[vito1943]

I know that the Owner's Manual specifies using 91 or higher octane fuel, and I have mostly done so for the last few years. But lately I read that Electronic Fuel Injection engines automatically compensate for changes in octane and that using a lower octane will not harm the engine or performance. The last several fill ups I have added 87 octane regular fuel. Nothing seem different. Same mpg, seemingly the same performance, acceleration, etc. And no sound of engine knocking. Am I missing something here, but saving $1 a gallon without giving up anything seems to make sense.

 

[old Timer]

Agree completely vito. For those of us that live in higher elevations we are at 4,600 ft elevation and ride at that and higher elevations never need anything above regular. All gasoline fuels have deturgent additives.

 

[racoon]

Using fuel with lower than recommended octane won't harm the engine, and you're right that the "computer" will adjust the engine so it safely uses the lower octane fuel.
But unless you put it on a dyno for testing, your impression that the performance, acceleration, etc is the same is just your impression, and probably is not what is actually happening.

As for higher elevation, yes, lower octane fuel will be fine... until you drive down the mountain.

Your Spyders, your choice. I'll keep filling mine with fuel that meets the octane rating recommended by the manufacturer.

 

[hogmemberisold]

I was sceptical about using 87 octane until I saw in the manual that we can use anything from 87 to 91 octane, a good wide range.

 

[BajaRon]

This has been covered maybe a few hundred times here on this forum alone. Seat of the pants analysis has been proven to be much less than accurate.

To compensate for the lower octane, the ignition is retarded by the computer, reducing performance and fuel mileage. How much depends on several parameters which the computer also takes into consideration.

Everything is a trade off. If you want to save money, go with lower octane. If you want peek performance, then the manufacturer's recommendation is best.

My approach is that the Spyder is a toy. I always try to get all I can from my toys. If I want to save money. I drive my car and I don't buy toys. But I may be in the minority, because I feel the same way about windshields...

 

[jjc54]

I agee that 87 will work but please no hard acceleration from a low RPM. Learn to downshift before putting the hammer down. Lot more fun also.

 

[racoon]

My approach is that the Spyder is a toy. I always try to get all I can from my toys. If I want to save money. I drive my car and I don't buy toys. But I may be in the minority, because I feel the same way about windshields...

I like toys, and my Spyder is definitely the most expensive toy I've ever bought.
And I happen to like the fairly large windshield on my Spyder.

 

[Woodaddict]

I have run 87 octane gas quite a bit. I found that starting from idle to easy throttle would give me a couple of pings. So I have decided to use 93 high test. I don't want to hurt the engine.

 

[JayBros]

I routinely run 93 because that's what the manufacturer recommends. However, when you're on tour out on the far side of beyond, you have to take what you can get, and there sometimes is nothing other than 87. What I try to do on those occasions is refuel at facilities that appear to do a good volume of business. YMMV.

 

[Dasmoetorhead]

We can only get 91 octane here in California, so I use that.
I'd run 87 in a heartbeat if I had to, but I go with what the manufacturer recommends.

 

[djh3]

So part of the manufactures octane game is "how it burns" and emissions to pass regulations. It burns a bit hotter so it helps with the emissions and makes EPA happy.

 

[baxter]

On my third Spyder, and 87 octane has been used in all three, riding in the desert to the mountains, hot and cold, and my bikes have performed without any issues. But that is just me…

 

[TheMariner]

As a side note for the International visitors to this forum, the Octane rating being discussed here really only relates to Canada, the US, & Mexico, as it is measured on the AKI scale.

There are 3 different methods of measuring Octane: RON (the most common); MON; & AKI.
AKI is the average of RON & MON, and it is sometimes called PON. The same fuel will have 3 different Octane ratings, depending on the test method applied in whichever part of the world you might be/are living in.

Confused yet?

 

[rjinaz86323]

My 2018 is approaching 20k miles and has not run anything but 87 Octane. No issues whatsoever.

 

[Cobranut]

I wouldn't hesitate to use 87 if I were unable to get anything higher, but I'd be careful not to use heavy throttle and to keep the revs up.
I'd also be refueling with 93 at the first opportunity.

The Spyder is a toy. If I couldn't afford to put the proper fuel in it, I can't afford the toy.

 

[racoon]

So part of the manufactures octane game is "how it burns" and emissions to pass regulations. It burns a bit hotter so it helps with the emissions and makes EPA happy.

Sorry, but Octane has nothing to do with the temperature that the gasoline burns at.
All gasoline grades contain the same amount of energy for the same volume of gas, and burn at the same temperature.

Octane is a measure of compressibility.

Octane measures the amount of compression fuel can withstand prior to ignition. Higher octane ratings indicate fuel that is less likely to pre-ignite when under pressure, which can cause engine damage. Because of this, performance cars require higher octane fuel to run their higher compression engines.

Performance in this context means engines with a higher compression ratio.
According to Google, these are some compression ratios for comparison:

2024 Can-Am Spyder Rotax 1330cc ACE engine: 12.2:1
2024 Can-Am Ryker Rotax 900cc ACE engine: 11:1
2024 Can-Am Ryker Rotax 600cc ACE engine: 12:1
2024 Honda Civic 2L inline 4 engine: 10.8:1
2024 Harley-Davidson various engines: 10.5:1, 11.4:1, or 13.0:1
2023 Honda Ridgeline 3.5L V6: 11.5:1

Google thinks that H-D recommends 91 Octane for their engines, and that Can-Am recommends 91 Octane gas for the Ryker engines.
Honda recommends 87 Octane for the Ridgeline and regular Civic engines.
However, for the turbo charged engines in the Civic Si and Civic Type R models, Honda recommends 91 Octane gas.

 

[jzeiler]

You can use a lower octane than what the manufacturer recommends without damaging your engine. The ECU detects any pre ignition knock and de tunes the engine to prevent it from doing damage but your gas mileage and performance will suffer due to the de tune. We had to be very careful on the BMW K1200LT as it did NOT have a knock detector and engine damage would occur if you ran 87 octane over the 91 recommended.

 

[Metalman]

I have owned my 2023 Spyder RTL for about a month and I've ridden it 1000 miles over country roads, in the city, and on the highway. I use 87 octane fuel and my average miles per gallon has been 39.5 (actual MPG not indicated MPG on the bike's computer). I'm very happy with the mileage, it's about the same as it was on my last three bikes (Goldwing, 1800 VTX, and M109R).

 

[BajaRon]

You do realize the XPS kits are made and sold by BRP/CAN-AM, so the oil in the kit meets the CAN-AM specifications?

Over priced, yeah, probably.

This is true. And though this was not supposed to be an oil thread. Every time I hear this, I wonder why BRP approves an oil that shears down to 20 weight at around 5,000 miles. Right about the same mileage that the 998 V-Twin did the same thing. Yet that maintenance interval was 4,500 miles. Meaning that the engineers knew the oil started to go away quickly after 4,500 miles.

If 20 weight is good in the 1330 ACE motor, Why not just recommend that? If it's not, then why recommend running 20 weight for 4,500 miles?

 

[Jetfixer]

Keep in mind that with the high compression, if you decide to upgrade your Spyder to the Stage 2 ECU flash 91 Octane is absolutely required. The Stage 2 upgrade makes it go from a toy to a very fun toy!