Gas grade

[bluesman]

What happens if I run mid grade 89 Octane in my 103? I went from a 102 CI Yamaha that burned only Regular to buying Premium & it sux

[MontgomeryLittle]

You may get some pinging. I think other folks here have run 89 though. Maybe some with octane boost. I just typically run what the manual calls for. Wife and I both have the 103's and we only run premium.

[Gorilla]

Had my 103 dynoed with 87 oct in it 3 years ago. It has run great and performs very well. Gets between 35 and 38 mpg.

[GARYD]

Never used anything but 87 in all my Harleys. Latest models were a 2010 Limited(103) and my 2012 TriGlide with Stage 1 udgrade. Never had a problem, but as MontgomeryLittle said you may get some pinging(I doubt it if it's stock). If so go to 89 and try that before spending money on unnecessary hi-grade gas.

Every single article I've ever read about regular vs premium gas said the same thing. If the manual says "Recommends" you can use either, if it says "Requires" then you have to use premium. This is for stock vehicles(cars or bikes). If you have a modified engine then you may need premium.

I have a few articles on the subject in my computor and will post them as soon as I get home. There are a few other threads here on the same subject.
This and oil are the 2 biggest controversial issues.
Just do some research (try a tank)and see how yours acts with the different octanes.

[JJHog]

Around here the Gas Stations are required to switch between "Winter Blend" and "Summer Blend". I believe the Winter Blend has more than 10% ethanol but not up to 15% and the Summer Blend is a max of 10%. I've always run 91-93 octone premium without any pinging. But at close to $4 bucks a gallon I might give 89 octance a try.

[screwball]

Well, this subject keeps coming up. Harley recommends 92 Oct. You can't always hear pinging, until you eat a hole in your pistons. You can't always feel the difference between 87, 89, or 92 octane until you eat an engine. Here in Cal the difference in price from 87 octane to 92 octane is about 20 cents a gallon. With a 6 gallon tank you are saving about a buck a fill-up. Is it really worth it?? You dropped over $30,000 for that trike, why not spend an extra buck to feed it correctly. Do you use reclaimed oil, or not change it to save a buck?? Used tires??

[Oldmsocko]

I totally agree with Screwball. I always run premium and if I can't get it I put in octane booster which I always have with me.

[rhino 2]

The difference between 89 octane and 93 [very few stations have 91 in my neck of the woods] is 5 to 8 cents a gal more. So that's at most only 48 cents extra a tankful....

[GARYD]

That's the beauty of America, you can throw away your money any way you want. I on the other hand do not want to give our enemies any more money then I have to. If I could get synthtic gas like I do my oil then yes I would buy it. Depends on how "used" the tire is. I've also spent way over that on my cars (Vettes) which I used 87 in all the time - except on track days when I wanted 100% from the motor(which I don't need on any of my other cars or Harleys). I will not buy a vehicle that has to use premium.

I have more years on my bikes running 87 with no problems then there are bikers(overly exaggerating), but a lot none the less and I don't know any other rider that has problems using 87 octane. Yes it's possible to get pinging - if so go to a higher octain.

Maybe you might know someone whos cousins babysitters uncles best friend had an engine problem with lower octain gas. I know of no one on this and other forums that had any problems with 87 either.
And until someone can show me scientific proof, I'm going to keep on saving that $1.20/tank of gas or $300/year minimum.

Screwball, if I had to use premium I would. Yes I spent $32k for my bike. and way over $100,000 on all my other bikes - never had a problem - so I will continue to do so until, as you say, it will eat my engine.
What do you say to the hundreds if not thousands of riders that use 87/89 that are not having problems?
It's just another old wives tale. That has to be broken - like changing oil (auto)every 3000 miles.

Of course Harley is going to recommend (notice they don't require it) premium, it won't make it run worse so what's to lose, they're playing it safe. Not going to cost them any money to do so. I have yet to be told by a dealer flat out that 87 will do any harm to my engine. Even if one did I wouldn't believe him unless he showed me some proof, same with the engine oil myth.

I'm usually in agreement with you guys, but I'm sorry, I have to disagree you on this subject.
Good debate. Stay safe and enjoy triking.

[bluesman]

Thanks guys. I was hoping I'd hear that answer.lol

[screwball]

Go for it, they are your vehicles

note to self, don't buy used vehicles from GARYD.

Hey Bluesman, don't buy that expensive synthetic oil, Pep Boys Reclaimed is just as good. You can save a buck or two every 35,000 mile when you change oil. Ditto, wash out that oil filter and reuse it, another 8 bucks saved. There are 950 people watching this board, two of them don't see any problem with cheap gas, go for it!

[GARYD]

Screwball, what have you got against people that have ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS USING 87 octain gas and NEVER HAD? Sounds like you own the only premium gas refinery in the country.
There are a hellovalot more then 2 people using 87 or even 89 gas on this forum and other forums as well. I don't understand you anamosity toward us. We don't make fun of you.
Many people have bought my vehicles and drove happily ever after - not one has had a problem.

I didn't say cheap gas I said low octain 87 gas. Unless you consider BP and Shell and Mobil as cheap gas.

And yes I do wash my air filter and reuse it

[Geezzer Glide]

Well to start it really makes no difference to me what grade gas others run as their trike is not my $30,000 trike.
Here in Omaha NE 87 Octane is $3.43 a gal.
89 Octane is $.33 a gal.
91 or 92 Octane is $3.63 a gal.
Personally myself if the manufacture recommends premium gas that's what I run. My thoughts is they recommend it for a reason. So as far as I'm concerned I could care less if someone else runs kerosene for fuel. It's not my engine.
If my tank is bone dry and I put 6 gallons of gas in it the difference in the cost of a tank of gas between 89 and 91, 6 gallons, is $1.80 for me.
If I had to worry about less than $2 a tank difference between the 2 I'd better be looking at more of my budget than just gas prices.
I don't like the gas prices anymore than anyone else but they are what they are.
Dan

[trikermutha]

love the forums..it amazes me is the difference in gas prices. I was in Kentucky last week and premium was like 3.60 come back home and its like 4.60..LOve living near a major city they will blead you dry..

[Rod69]

Try to use 91 when I can. If I can't have no problem using 89. But I do carry octane boost with me. Don't always use it, but I think if I used 89 all the time I would add some every other time.

[0pini0nated]

Well to start it really makes no difference to me what grade gas others run as their trike is not my $30,000 trike.
Here in Omaha NE 87 Octane is $3.43 a gal.
89 Octane is $.33 a gal.
91 or 92 Octane is $3.63 a gal.
Personally myself if the manufacture recommends premium gas that's what I run. My thoughts is they recommend it for a reason. So as far as I'm concerned I could care less if someone else runs kerosene for fuel. It's not my engine.
If my tank is bone dry and I put 6 gallons of gas in it the difference in the cost of a tank of gas between 89 and 91, 6 gallons, is $1.80 for me.
If I had to worry about less than $2 a tank difference between the 2 I'd better be looking at more of my budget than just gas prices.
I don't like the gas prices anymore than anyone else but they are what they are.
Dan

+1 My XL1200 "Specification" is 91 octane, so that's what I feed it. The previous owner filled it up with 87 the day I went to pick it up. Every time I opened the throttle, after a brief burst of pinging, the ECU retarded the spark (to protect the engine) and it ran poorly. As soon as I ran through the initial tank full, I filled up with premium, most (not all) of the pre-ignition subsided, and the performance improved. The price between regular and premium, is only about $1 IF the tank was *empty*, which it never is.