What kind of gas you guys use? | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

What kind of gas you guys use?

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Only ever run 91 from Shell in my DRZ. When I fill up my truck I get 25 litres in jerry cans that'll last me 2-3 weeks because the nearest station is a little out of the way. It's what the dealer told me to use, so that's what I've been sticking with.
 
48Connor said:
It's what the dealer told me to use,.
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Only because it's ethanol free. For the summer months it's a waste of money so long as the bike is being ridden regularly. At the end of the season before you put it away, burn out all the regular gas and then put in the 91 along with some stabilizer. In the meantime save yourself the cost and hassle.
 
Anything other then the manufacturer required is a waste. Engines are designed with that octane in mind. Though I do agree I go Shell for the ethanol free.
 
I only run 94 octane because Dreamer48 on a different forum said it gives him +5 to HP and +10 to charisma.
 
conundrum said:
In short:
- As far as I know, any gas grade above 91 gets there via using more ethanol. Even most 91 uses it, with the exception of Shell, and I believe some Ultramar and Canadian Tire locations.
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Ultramar and Canadian Tire in Ontario buy most of their volume from Imperial Oil (Esso). Ultramar doesn't have refineries in Ontario, so they work on an exchange program with Esso...basically, they buy from Esso in Ontario, and Esso buys from them in Quebec.

Canadian Tire...They have zero refineries and buy from everyone in the market, so it could be anyone's gas. I believe that Imperial has exclusive supply for all the "en route" CTC locations down the 401 corridor.

That said...like what most have been saying, use what you manual states. In the winter, I'll fill up with 94 and fuel stabilizer. Never had a problem in 20 years.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Only because it's ethanol free. For the summer months it's a waste of money so long as the bike is being ridden regularly.
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I'll just say that "E0" gasoline has a higher energy density E10 (34.2 MJ/L for gasoline vs 33.18MJ/L for E10); ethanol's energy density is only 20.9 MJ/L so when you mix it with gasoline (34.2) and displace some gas with it, the overall energy density of the blend is going to drop. In the case of E10, it's about 3%. I find I get slightly better fuel economy riding on Shell 91 (0% ethanol) than I do with E10 blends like Ultra 94.

If I didn't need the octane of Ultra94 for my Mustang and STi I'd run 91 Shell in them too.
 
In another thread a few months back here I did the math on the "non ethanol gets better milage" argument. Long story short, it still costs you more money in a low L/100K vehicle like a motorcycle.
 
PrivatePilot said:
In another thread a few months back here I did the math on the "non ethanol gets better milage" argument. Long story short, it still costs you more money in a low L/100K vehicle like a motorcycle.
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Were you comparing premium-to-premium or E0-premium-Shell-to-regular?
 
I use regular in everything except the Buell because it has Harley engine and makes the least h.p. per cubic inch. I know that sounds counter intuitive but that's the way the cookie crumbles.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Zero ethanol to the typical 10% ethanol.
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The only E0 gasoline commonly available in Ontario, that I know of, is Shell 91 "V-Power" which is a premium-grade fuel. Since most premiums cost around the same per litre, I'd sort of say the benefits of no-ethanol and better fuel economy (and perhaps more power at WOT) are worth it but you need to be comparing similar grades of fuel.

If the argument is that you want E0 but to get it have to pay premium pricing despite only needing the AKI of "regular" then that's different; in that case, yes, the economics frown on paying that difference. However, to some, getting no ethanol is worth the extra cost.
 
Over the 5519 kms I've ridden this year I've burned 251 litres of fuel at an average price of $1.18 /litre for premium.

My total cost so far is $296.01. Let's assume for a $1/litre for 87 octane for easy math. Plus most of that 5500 was done in late may/early june.

That's $251 vs $296. For that small cost, I'm happy to know there's no ethanol running through my bike.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
 
Xrsman said:
Over the 5519 kms I've ridden this year I've burned 251 litres of fuel at an average price of $1.18 /litre for premium.

My total cost so far is $296.01. Let's assume for a $1/litre for 87 octane for easy math. Plus most of that 5500 was done in late may/early june.

That's $251 vs $296. For that small cost, I'm happy to know there's no ethanol running through my bike.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
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yup +1
 
48Connor said:
Only ever run 91 from Shell in my DRZ. When I fill up my truck I get 25 litres in jerry cans that'll last me 2-3 weeks because the nearest station is a little out of the way. It's what the dealer told me to use, so that's what I've been sticking with.
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it only needs 87. you're wasting your money with 91. Read your manual.
 
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[video=youtube;dceB3SKBw9w]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dceB3SKBw9w[/video]
 
Benny! said:
it only needs 87. you're wasting your money with 91.
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Do you know of an 87 that is ethanol-free? Shell 91 "V-Power" is. As mentioned previously, to some the added cost of 91 Shell is worth not running ethanol through the system.
 
Blackfin said:
Do you know of an 87 that is ethanol-free? Shell 91 "V-Power" is. As mentioned previously, to some the added cost of 91 Shell is worth not running ethanol through the system.
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The DRZ engine is designed to be able to take up to 10% ethanol. As stated in the manual. A bit of ethanol isn't going to explode the bike. Sure store it with 91 if you want.
 
Benny! said:
The DRZ engine is designed to be able to take up to 10% ethanol. As stated in the manual. A bit of ethanol isn't going to explode the bike. Sure store it with 91 if you want.
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Most engines, even lawn mowers, are designed to tolerate E10. Doesn't mean some people still prefer to keep it out of their fuel systems.
 
Blackfin said:
Most engines, even lawn mowers, are designed to tolerate E10.
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The bigggest reason ethanol gas is discouraged on small engines is because it often sits for long periods of time and becomes subject to phase separation occurring. Basically you end up with water in the gas which can wash lubrication off important surfaces, corrode fuel systems etc.

Lawnmowers this year are a good example - given the super dry summer it's entirely possible many people still have the same gas in their mowers that they filled them with in spring. Snow blowers are another great example - last fill up in March, and same gas still sitting in them through this very humid summer, picking up water.

In short it often has little to do with an engines "tolerance" of ethanol, it has everything to do with phase separation on engines that sit a lot. On motorcycles that are used regularly this is moot, as mentioned, so if the engine is designed to run on regular 87 with ethanol, use it.
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