Higher Octane Gasoline
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Thread: Higher Octane Gasoline

  1. #1
    Member indadman's Avatar
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    Higher Octane Gasoline

    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.

    Has anyone else tried moving up to higher octane gasoline, and are there any opinions as to whether such a move can impact performance? I'm eager to hear from you.

  2. #2
    Senior Member 2wheelsforme's Avatar
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    Your imagination! Octane is a measurement of resistance to knock and nothing to do with better or higher quality fuel. Now if you want you might see something in alcohol free fuel. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/article...tane-gasoline/
    Last edited by 2wheelsforme; 05-23-2020 at 12:13 PM.

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    I run 91 all the time and I doubt there’s any HP increases.

  4. #4
    Senior Member ReserveBum's Avatar
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    In our area there is a convenience store that stocks ethanol free 91 octane. Using regular 87 octane I get @ 40-41 mpg and the bike runs fine. Occasionally I'll use the ethanol free 91 octane - my mileage goes up to @44 for that tank and it feels a little more powerful

  5. #5
    Senior Member F6Bster's Avatar
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    I run regular unleaded in my 2016 F6B and have never had a knock. But most of my riding is above 5000 feet. Our unleaded at these higher elevations 85 octane (possible because of the thinner air) and never a knock. Now, if I went down to lower elevations that could change. On my 2002 Wing when at lower elevations and on a really hot day I would get knocking when I cranked the throttle, so I would use a higher octane in those situations to avoid the knock. I think 2wheelsforme has it right!
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  6. #6
    Senior Member F6Dave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by F6Bster View Post
    I run regular unleaded in my 2016 F6B and have never had a knock. But most of my riding is above 5000 feet. Our unleaded at these higher elevations 85 octane (possible because of the thinner air) and never a knock. Now, if I went down to lower elevations that could change. On my 2002 Wing when at lower elevations and on a really hot day I would get knocking when I cranked the throttle, so I would use a higher octane in those situations to avoid the knock. I think 2wheelsforme has it right!
    My experience is similar. My 2016 has never knocked. I run 87 octane ethanol free most of the time, which is available 2 miles from my house. But I used to own a 2013 F6B that knocked on hot days. I remember one very hot day in particular. When I accelerated, I could hear the knock come and go several times. It happened very quickly, maybe over a second or two. I suspect the knock sensors signaled the engine management computer to retard the timing, and that process cycled a few times to get things right. It may have been a bad tank of gas, but in the future I always used premium on very hot days with that bike.

    Some high performance cars, like Shelby Mustangs, state their claimed horsepower is reduced when anything but premium is used. I don't think they can actually measure the octane, so I assume they just retard the timing as soon as knocking is detected. I'd be curious if anyone knows more about this. Regardless, with the federal mandate that any new vehicle must 'run' on 87 octane, there are definitely some high performance engines that do make more power with higher octane gasoline.
    Last edited by F6Dave; 05-24-2020 at 11:32 AM.

  7. #7
    Senior Member rdbonds's Avatar
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    ReserveBum - I agree with your assessment about ethanol-free gas providing better fuel economy. Ethanol has a lower BTU/lb energy content than gasoline. Running fuel without it translates to having more power-dense fuel. On vehicles that can use E85, it takes significantly more fuel to make the same power levels as on E10 gas. The turbo tuning crowd really likes E85 since the ethanol burns is more resistant to detonation and therefore you can run higher boost...but you have to run larger injectors to get enough into the engine.

    I agree that running higher than specified octane is a waste UNLESS the engine has been pulling timing due to diagnosed misfires, in which case the absence of those will return the fuel/timing to normal and generate more power as a result.

  8. #8
    Senior Member valkmc's Avatar
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    Here in central Flogida I can get ethanol free 91 at multiple stations. I use it some and it makes a slight mpg difference but not much. Doesn't matter what I use I very seldom break the 40's. I am normally 36-38 mpg!

  9. #9
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    I’ll be honest. I buy the cheapest gas I can find, usually, not always. Always just regular, never any higher octane. Never once heard a knock, no matter the fuel. That’s either one of the F6B’s I’ve owned too.
    “Gibraltar” 2016 white deluxe has been sold.

  10. #10
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    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.
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