Author Topic: Gasoline grade poll (Read 44192 times)

Red01 · « **on:** August 14, 2007, 12:22:02 PM »

Lets not get into the octane debate, just vote what you use most often in your Bandit (any size, stock compression ratio).

Barbarian · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2007, 12:24:43 PM »

I use what it says in the manual: regular.

txbanditrydr · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2007, 12:31:01 PM »

Quote from: "Barbarian"

I use what it says in the manual: regular.

+1 .... Absolutely.

Sven · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2007, 07:14:29 PM »

Can't vote, nobody offered "hi-test" or "unleaded" as choices. What year it it again?

Red01 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 15, 2007, 09:39:52 AM »

I didn't think you could buy leaded gas for road use anywhere in the US anymore.
What's the difference between hi-test and premium anyway?
Do I need to add Ethyl, too?

Sven · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2007, 07:35:23 PM »

Quote from: "Red01"

Do I need to add Ethyl, too?

Yes. One thing I miss is cold Ethyl and her skeleton kiss.

aussiebandit · « **Reply #6 on:** August 16, 2007, 11:00:28 PM »

I generally use regular ULP.

The only time I use premium/hi octane is if my wife is filling up her bike at the same time (her m750 only drinks the good stuff).

ZenMan · « **Reply #7 on:** August 21, 2007, 01:10:27 PM »

I alternate between premium and regular now it's broke-in.

I tried a couple tanks of regular in a row, started getting some pinging at low revs under load. 10.5:1 compession is just high enough to be the probable culprit.

The reason I use premium alternately is for the detergent additives (Shell), my bike is fuel injected. And since the pinging went away when I went back, I'll stick with it.

I thought about usng the mid-grade all the time, but the premium had the better detergents, so alternating works out the same octane on average, and runs cleaner.

Just my personal choice here, fellas, I'm not trying to start the debate again! Whatever works for ya is OK with me!

StangMATA · « **Reply #8 on:** August 21, 2007, 11:43:42 PM »

Premium in every tank.

elbandito · « **Reply #9 on:** August 22, 2007, 01:00:10 AM »

Always thought that if the engine was designed to run under a certain octane, using anything higher was just throwing money away... so I use regular.

WabashMX5 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 22, 2007, 10:16:30 PM »

Quote from: "elbandito"

Always thought that if the engine was designed to run under a certain octane, using anything higher was just throwing money away... so I use regular.

+1 here. Haven't noticed any pinging, etc. on 87 R+M/2 octane, so don't see the reason for more....

H2RICK · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2007, 01:10:46 AM »

I believe there was another thread on this that I already posted to, but....
My 2.5G 1200 runs just fine on regular....but I've only got about 4.5K miles on the clock so far. #17 may like premium once she gets a few more miles on the clock.
I have/have tried a few tanks of premium during the 4.5k miles but she didn't seem to like it, for whatever reason. She was cranky during the cold start/warmup process, whereas on regular she started up as nice as you could want. I have/have experienced a very slight pinging once or twice on very hot days (90F+) down at lower altitudes after a long highway run loaded down with camping gear.
I run Esso/Exxon fuels exclusively in all my rides, for whatever that's worth, and have never had a fuel related problem of any kind.
As an aside, if my H2 will run happily on some refiner's product, ANY other bike will be happy with that same product. H2's, even stock-engined ones like mine, are notorious detonators and will buck and surge at the slightest provocation. I can/can run regular in the H2.....but she lets you know she'd prefer premium, especially on hot days (80F+), so that's what she gets. On cooler days ( below ~65F) I can get away with regular mostly.
My .02.....

PaulVS · « **Reply #12 on:** August 26, 2007, 10:19:24 PM »

My analogy has always been...

Using higher octane than the level that prevents pinging & detonation is like overfilling a water canteen so you have 'extra water'.

That being said... if I have to fill up at a "no-name" gas station, I typically will go with 89 instead of 87 octane... or if I'm not in a hurry... a 50/50 mix of the two.

Sven · « **Reply #13 on:** August 27, 2007, 01:35:18 AM »

Quote from: "PaulVS"

if I have to fill up at a "no-name" gas station, I typically will go with 89 instead of 87 octane... or if I'm not in a hurry... a 50/50 mix of the two.

Hee hee. Why not a 75/25? Or a 89/11? Weird science, dude. If you don't trust the gas, why not just go with mid-grade for that particualr tank and be done with it?

PaulVS · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2007, 08:55:28 AM »

Quote from: "Sven"

Quote from: "PaulVS"
if I have to fill up at a "no-name" gas station, I typically will go with 89 instead of 87 octane... or if I'm not in a hurry... a 50/50 mix of the two.

Hee hee. Why not a 75/25? Or a 89/11? Weird science, dude. If you don't trust the gas, why not just go with mid-grade for that particualr tank and be done with it?

I don't actually measure the 50/50 ratio. More like a few bucks of 87 and a few bucks of 89. Think I've only done that a couple of times, anyway... so it's really a non-issue.

But the story goes that fuel that has been sitting for awhile loses octane.

I've experimented with all the grades available here (typically 87,89,93) and it seems like the Bandit runs best on 'good' 87. Also seems like the warm-up time is better as well. (As I understand it, the lower the octane, the lower the flash point.)