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Thread: Higher Octane Gasoline

  1. #11
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    I have always tried to use 89. There was an in depth thread years ago on this forum about it. I remember the benefit was gas mileage. I think in owners manual it recommends 89 for a 2016 F6b.

  2. #12
    Senior Member 2wheelsforme's Avatar
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    Honda says use 86 or higher. Most regulars are 87 so fine. I thought it was agreed in this thread higher octane does nothing toward better performance or mileage. Only needed if you experience pinging or recommended by the manufacturer as does BMW and HD.

  3. #13
    Senior Member ReserveBum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2wheelsforme View Post
    Honda says use 86 or higher. Most regulars are 87 so fine. I thought it was agreed in this thread higher octane does nothing toward better performance or mileage. Only needed if you experience pinging or recommended by the manufacturer as does BMW and HD.
    Dont believe thats true...I get 3 mpg or better using 91 ethanol free over standard 87

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by SeaSteve View Post
    I would disagree with "cheapest" gas. I fill regular but only the top tier brands like Exxon, Shell, Chevron, etc. Supposedly/Hopefully detergents are added for the few more pennies per gallon than I'd get at Walmart's stations.
    Sometimes.

  5. #15
    Senior Member 2wheelsforme's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ReserveBum View Post
    Dont believe thats true...I get 3 mpg or better using 91 ethanol free over standard 87
    I agree with the ethanol free is better. The octane is what makes no difference.

  6. #16
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    I think paying more at the pump, causes riders to ride slower and save gas.

    There's a big difference in MPG when doing 80+MPH on I-10 compared to 70 on other highways.
    Last edited by SeaSteve; 05-27-2020 at 10:36 AM.
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  7. #17
    Senior Member F6Dave's Avatar
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    Actually, as the octane in gasoline increases, the energy content (BTU/gallon) drops slightly. It isn't enough to make a measurable difference in performance or mileage.

    Since higher octane gasoline contains no more energy, it can only increase performance by allowing an engine to run more efficiently, usually via higher compression and/or advanced ignition timing.

  8. #18
    Senior Member unsub's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by indadman View Post
    With gasoline prices being extremely low, I decided to run mid-grade Exxon and Shell gasoline in my bike. It seemed to make the bike a bit quicker, with a little more pep. It could just be my imagination, but I don't think so.
    Folks will bring out data to disprove your observation, but I also feel it's beneficial to up the octane. Don't get sucked into a debate just enjoy the performance.
    Floats Like a Butterfly, Stings Like a "B"
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  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by unsub View Post
    Folks will bring out data to disprove your observation, but I also feel it's beneficial to up the octane. Don't get sucked into a debate just enjoy the performance.
    Yup, don't let physics and science interfere with your opinion....

  10. #20
    Senior Member F6Dave's Avatar
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    Octane Myths

    Back in the '50s major oil companies ran ad campaigns promoting the amazing benefits of high octane gasoline. I doubt they ever dreamed those ads would create myths that would last for generations. Even the story about the 100 MPG carburetor oil companies paid to keep a secret eventually faded away.

    Pure gasoline has roughly 114,000 BTUs per gallon. E10 has a few thousand less. If an engine is running properly on fuel with enough octane to prevent detonation, it is physically impossible for a higher octane fuel with the same energy content to somehow 'find' additional horsepower.

    Maybe we need to think about it this way. A modern engine is designed to generate a certain amount of horsepower. If you feed it crappy gas, the engine management computer will detune the engine to prevent damage, resulting in less horsepower. When you switch back to fuel the engine was designed for, the engine will run optimally, and you'll 'get back' the power you lost with the crappy gas.

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