[Guest]

What octane of gas do you put in your bike?

 

[fastbike]

If your engine is stock (i.e. no hi-comp pistons), it should run fine on regular. Use the lowest grade that will not ping.

 

[Guest]

Use the lowest grade that will avoid pinging.

Isn't it the other way around? Use the HIGHEST grade to avoid pinging.

 

[ScottRNelson]

If the bike is not experiencing detonation with the lowest grade, that's what you want to use. If your engine has not been modified with high compression pistons, the lowest grade is best.

 

[Gman86]

Here we go! ;D

 

[CETME]

Scott is 100% right.... putting "premium" in a vehicle that calls for regular is a waste of money, and will actually give you less power.....

Premium is just slower burning, and less volatile... thats all.. its not "better" gas.

 

[Guest]

I keep track of mileage every time I fill up the tank. I know that this is not an exact science but when averaged over 5,000 miles I have found that I get 0.5 mpg more with regular fuel than with premium (about 3,000 miles w/premium, 2,000 w/ regular). So I have permenantly switched to regular gas. Couldn't tell any difference in performance, MPG aren't really any different, so I might as well keep the money for new tires.

 

[masterdale]

OK, my owners manual calls for 'a minimum of 95 octane' for my '03 M1000s i.e. That's pretty high. Do any owners of these same models run a lower octane successfully? I'd have no shame putting in less expensive gas, but only if it works. To date, I have not gone below the highest octane available.

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

I run the 89 stuff. Works fine. never tried the toilet water, though, so no first hand experience here.

 

[Guest]

Be sure you are comparing apples to apples. There is more than one way of determining octane level. Premium in the US is usually 92 or 93 octane using the R/M method. I do not believe that the 95 octane referred to in the Ducati manual corresponds to our system.

 

[masterdale]

Good point on the apples to apples - does anyone know what the Duc manual 95 octane is in American English! ???

 

[test-reg]

Good point on the apples to apples - does anyone know what the Duc manual 95 octane is in American English!

 

[Bill]

I was BMW mechanic for 12 years and I've listened to the debate over octain for as long as I remember. My conclusion is that everyone has their own opinion and you have to run the fuel you feel comfortable running. For my part I've always tried to look at it like like this, fuel for a motor is like food for your body, we can all servive on cheese burgers and onion rings but in the long run we won't last as long and we won't runs as well in our old age. If you take a part a motor that has run on low octain for a number of years and that same motor has alot of city driving on it, your going to find alot of carbon buildup in the combustion chambers and more than likely be a candidate for an early valve job. I think low octain is fine if you do more highway driving, but once again this is just my opinion,I don't think anyone is wrong.

 

[capww8]

no difference performance wise between 89 and 95 octane. You aren't going to get pinging with either.

 

[Gman86]

I run with low and mid grade in my 02 without any problems.

 

[humungus]

no difference performance wise between 89 and 95 octane. You aren't going to get pinging with either.

How about mpg ? Anyone noticed any difference between octanes ?

 

[Guest]

Use the lowest grade that will not ping.

I notice the difference when I put anything but premium in my car, so I've always put premium in the bike. Up here in the mile high city, premium is 91. There shouldn't be a problem putting in higher octance gas than is required, should there?

 

[Guest]

i always run premium, because i haven't done enough research to support either of the octane theories.

so, i just go with the owners manual. 95 ron...i guess thats closest to our 92-93 (ron+mon)/2

 

[Fillmore]

Up here in the mile high city, premium is 91. There shouldn't be a problem putting in higher octance gas than is required, should there?

I live at 7200' and my regular commute runs between 5500' and 7500'. At altitude my carbueted Monster and SS run fine on 87, but the plugs look like the bike's running rich if I run 91. At closer to sea level I bump up to the mid grade because of fear that my bikes tuned for 7000' will be lean and pre-detonate where there's lots of extra oxygen.

Laura's FI'd Monster 900 (with slip-ons and no re-map... yet) on the other hand will ping with 86/87, so I run mid or premium in her bike depending on whether the mid is 88 or 89 octane. She tends to have one cylinder run a little richer that the other, and it looks extra rich if she's just running 91 all the time.

On the plus side, because of the FI, she doesn't change grades when we go to the beach.

--Fillmore

 

[Rideon]

I ran mid grade due to comments on this board, then switched back to premium with an immediate performance boost, (slight, but a boost) and slightly cooler running temps.
If you F--- up on the octane, and hear detonation, you have already compromised your engine, as in damaged it. You want to risk that? At god knows what per hour to fix heads/pistons/valves? AT 150. per piston ring? Not in my lifetime!

I have an 02 S4. Premium for me!

Regards,
Rideon