91 octane vs. 87: I am so dumb. | GTAMotorcycle.com

91 octane vs. 87: I am so dumb.

GentlemanRacer

GentlemanRacer

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Was re-reading owners manual last week and noted that the bike takes 91 octane and not 87.

I remember filling up with 91 when I first got it, and then for some reason blanked and probably rode 1500km on 87. Switched back to 91 and it's a different bike. The terrible mileage should have been a hint.

I am ashamed. If the bike were a kid, I would take it to Disney world out of guilt. But like a kid, it doesn't really care now, it's damaged and will never know just how badly until it gets older and wonders why it didn't turn out as well as the other ones.

If you are a new rider and are getting weirdly poor mileage on your new bike, check whether it is meant to take premium fuel.
 
GentlemanRacer said:
Was re-reading owners manual last week and noted that the bike takes 91 octane and not 87.

I remember filling up with 91 when I first got it, and then for some reason blanked and probably rode 1500km on 87. Switched back to 91 and it's a different bike. The terrible mileage should have been a hint.

I am ashamed. If the bike were a kid, I would take it to Disney world out of guilt. But like a kid, it doesn't really care now, it's damaged and will never know just how badly until it gets older and wonders why it didn't turn out as well as the other ones.

If you are a new rider and are getting weirdly poor mileage on your new bike, check whether it is meant to take premium fuel.
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Well I'm a new rider, but have always used 94 v-power from Shell (recommended by dealership) my full mileage was crap while breaking in the bike (new) and its still crap now that I drive the hell out of it ;) If it was a kid I'd be in jail for abuse hahahaha
 
use what the manual recommends, any higher octance is a waste of money.
if unsure, use the lowest octane fuel that the engine allows before starting to ping.
 
09SV650S said:
Well I'm a new rider, but have always used 94 v-power from Shell (recommended by dealership) my full mileage was crap while breaking in the bike (new) and its still crap now that I drive the hell out of it ;) If it was a kid I'd be in jail for abuse hahahaha
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FYI V-Power from Shell is 91... the only 94 is from Petro Canada (formerly Sunoco).
 
use whatever the manual says to use
 
kellen said:
higher octane gives you more horsepower
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Only if your engine is built for it. My engine makes less horsepower on high octane than regular.
 
Feb30th said:
FYI V-Power from Shell is 91... the only 94 is from Petro Canada (formerly Sunoco).
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Shell 91 = Good
Petro/Sunoco 94 = Baaaaaaad.

-Jamie M.
 
All a SV needs is 87 anything else is a waste of money. It will run just as good on the cheap stuff I put a tank of V power in befere the winter but for summer use 87 it is exactly what is called for in a SV.
 
I definitely agree with this statement, I've gone back and forth from 87 to 91 with my SV and never noticed a difference at all. A SS or SB may be another matter though.
 
polarized said:
I definitely agree with this statement, I've gone back and forth from 87 to 91 with my SV and never noticed a difference at all. A SS or SB may be another matter though.
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Exactly it depends on what the engine is designed to run with I have to use premium in my 1198 because it needs it and was designed for it. Check the manual and use what is recomended many bikes do not need premium.
 
GentlemanRacer said:
Was re-reading owners manual last week and noted that the bike takes 91 octane and not 87.

I remember filling up with 91 when I first got it, and then for some reason blanked and probably rode 1500km on 87. Switched back to 91 and it's a different bike. The terrible mileage should have been a hint.

I am ashamed. If the bike were a kid, I would take it to Disney world out of guilt. But like a kid, it doesn't really care now, it's damaged and will never know just how badly until it gets older and wonders why it didn't turn out as well as the other ones.

If you are a new rider and are getting weirdly poor mileage on your new bike, check whether it is meant to take premium fuel.
Click to expand...

What kind of bike? Manual may say 91 RON which is 87 over here.
 
kellen said:
higher octane gives you more horsepower
Click to expand...


No necessarily true.
I know of a CBR125 that is raced in the series and it was put onto the Parts Canada dyno where they tried different fuels like: 87 octane, 91 octane, racing fuels, avgas... And it produced the most rear wheel horsepower on 87 octane fuel. The owner's manual calls for 87.

Internal engine design, carburation/injection settings....all play a roll. For a stock or near stock engine use what the manufacturer recommends.
 
If you put more than what the manual recommends, you either are rich or too protective or listen to idiots.
 
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Ikan said:
No necessarily true.
I know of a CBR125 that is raced in the series and it was put onto the Parts Canada dyno where they tried different fuels like: 87 octane, 91 octane, racing fuels, avgas... And it produced the most rear wheel horsepower on 87 octane fuel. The owner's manual calls for 87.

Internal engine design, carburation/injection settings....all play a roll. For a stock or near stock engine use what the manufacturer recommends.
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well, buddy's friends cousin told me that octane makes the bike have better torque at higher rpms. he also said that ethanol is bad because it can eat away gas tanks and clogs fuel injecting nozzles
 
It's pretty simple kids, use 87 unless you get pinging/knocking.

Using 87 on an engine "made for" 91 will not hurt the engine in any way.
 
The only bike I've owned that "needed" 91 or better was my Honda CBX. With lower octane it ran like crap and would ping and stall. You could certainly tell it didn't like it. It wasn't subtle about it. Only thing it could have done to make it clearer to me was to vomit it out the tank as I pumped it in.
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