Fuel Octane….Price Deterrent

[bikerchris1270]

With the current price of fuel,Premium being north of $5/gal, how many of you have gotten away with 87 octane fuel with no issues? I start thinking of doing a trip somewhere and my thoughts drift toward a 2nd mortgage to afford hotel and fuel…..not to mention food.

 

[Calimusjohn]

I've run on 87 for thousands of miles. No problem. I use 93 on days where performance is desired.

 

[Woodaddict]

I was using 87 octane. But on start off I would hear a couple of pings, so I went back to 93. Something about taking off at low RPM would let it ping. Not worth taking chance to start engine damage

 

[troop]

Chris,
Didn't you get a Monster stage 1 flash? If so, what does Monster say about that? On my past 2019 F3S and current 2022 RT S2S, I have custom tunes made with Dyno Jet Power Vision devices. These maps require the use of 91 octane. This device also allows me the option of flashing in the BRP stock fuel tune. While still being "recommended" by BRP, 87 octane is still the minimum fuel requirement. With the stock tune, I haven't noticed any butt difference between 87/91 fuel. I am actually pondering going back to the stock tune due to the $1.10 difference between a gallon of 91 and 87. Maybe flip/flop between 87/91? At least still get lower ethanol content than straight 87.

 

[racoon]

I use what the engine manufacturer recommends, even when it costs me more at the pump.

 

[Albec]

I prefer to run the high-octane, factory recommended, stuff myself. Around here the price difference is around a dollar a gallon, so about $7 more for a full tank, assuming the tank is near empty.

Better safe than sorry and at $7, I can afford it.

For me, if paying $7 more for a tank of gas is going to break me, then it's time to get rid of this toy.

 

[Lew L]

.

HIGH OCTANE for me...... Stage 1 with intake and exhaust mods. Plus, I hop up all the motors; The Spyder, the V-Max, the Dodge Hemi, even the snowblower.......

 

[jzeiler]

If you have ever seen what detonation damage can do to an engine you would never ask the original question.

 

[old Timer]

Living at a 4,700 ft elevation and riding even at higher elevations, never have run anything other than regular or than when running at near Sea Level, especially in the summer.

 

[2dogs]

For me, if paying $7 more for a tank of gas is going to break me, then it's time to get rid of this toy.

Right on! If you can't afford to pay, then don't play.

 

[bikerchris1270]

Chris,
Didn't you get a Monster stage 1 flash? If so, what does Monster say about that? On my past 2019 F3S and current 2022 RT S2S, I have custom tunes made with Dyno Jet Power Vision devices. These maps require the use of 91 octane. This device also allows me the option of flashing in the BRP stock fuel tune. While still being "recommended" by BRP, 87 octane is still the minimum fuel requirement. With the stock tune, I haven't noticed any butt difference between 87/91 fuel. I am actually pondering going back to the stock tune due to the $1.10 difference between a gallon of 91 and 87. Maybe flip/flop between 87/91? At least still get lower ethanol content than straight 87.

Good memory sir, yes, I did do the ECU modification. I’ll continue to run 91+ fuel avoiding ethanol . I asked the question being curious of what others do……..like others say,you wanna play, you gotta pay. Cheers!

 

[2dogs]

Good memory sir, yes, I did do the ECU modification. I’ll continue to run 91+ fuel avoiding ethanol . I asked the question being curious of what others do……..like others say,you wanna play, you gotta pay. Cheers!

I have stage II and carry a small bottle of Boostane in my trunk. It takes 2.61 oz. to turn 6 gallons of 87 octane into 91 octane. $12.00 for a 4oz bottle. Boostans apparently has a shelf life of 2 years if unopened and stored properly. I'm guessing my trunk is almost properly.

 

[Woodaddict]

With the current price of fuel,Premium being north of $5/gal, how many of you have gotten away with 87 octane fuel with no issues? I start thinking of doing a trip somewhere and my thoughts drift toward a 2nd mortgage to afford hotel and fuel…..not to mention food.

The price difference gap between 87 and 93 is always the same gap within pennies, so why are you riding even with 87 being so high. Asking for a friend......

 

[RogerC60]

I ran one tankful of 87 in my '24 Spyder RTL, just to see what would happen. There have been times in my motorcycling journeys that 87 was all I could get, and I wanted to know ahead of time how my Spyder would run on it.

It did fine, I could not tell any difference between 87 and 93. I didn't get any pinging, and couldn't detect any lack of power.

But I'll still keep using 93 since that is what the engineers said it should have.

 

[BajaRon]

Compression ratio on the 1330 is 12.2 to 1. It is 10.8 to 1 on the 998 V-Twin. Surprisingly, the 1330 is more forgiving on fuel octane than the 998. My guess is that the fuel management system has been improved to compensate better than the older V-Twin. But both will run just fine on 87 octane in stock configuration. Ethanol fuel creates a higher incidence of problems than the octane question. This is universal regardless of octane rating.

But there are caveats, of course. If you have an ECU tune, you’re going to need to stick with at least 91 octane.

If you are running high altitudes, (typically, above 4,000 feet) you may find nothing above 87 octane. You may be looking at 85 or 86. Which above 4,000 feet will also run OK in a stock engine. You’ll need to consult your tuner (if you run one) to get recommendations for high altitude.

As already mentioned, if I were running a tune, I’d have a bottle of Octane Booster along so I didn’t get caught under octaned.