High octane...always???

[Leathercash]

Hi, I'm new to this particular forum and was wondering somehting: My owner's manuel says my 2004 Buell xb12S does best on 91 octane. Problem is, I can't find 91 ANYWHERE!!! So how about using something like 94 octane....is that ok? All replies are welcome,thanks!

 

[mrdozer2you]

Yep 94 is fine. The higher octane fuels typically have more cleaners in them. Im guessing they recommend higher octane because chances of fouling things are less with better fuel.

 

[maybebuell]

around boston 92 is the highest you can find...where you getting 94 oct

 

[Mike]

i've seen 97 at one point in NH about 2 years ago. but i have not seen it since.
i can just imagine the price of that now a gallon.

 

[buellxb]

My local dealer says to use the highest octane you can find, but I've also been told not to exceed 91 octane fuel. I think it has something to do with how your motorcycle is tuned. If you get a high-flow air cleaner you could probably do well with 93+ octane. If I had the race kit I would stay at 93+. I know there is a science to it, but I'm not qualified to say much more. I would like to hear the overall consensus as well. Any pros out there? What it is BPG?

 

[maybebuell]

theres no power gain or loss with higher octane...alot has to do with motor temps and timing....buells run hot and higher octane has a slower burn or more controlled burn to help with timing to controll engine knock...if you want to burn a house down use low actane gas it burns faster and hotter

 

[Leathercash]

Cool cool, I did fill up today and managed to sqeeze out the $3.89 a gallon price for what was 93 octane, and I have noticed no difference in performance as of yet. Good thing I ride a bike Thanks for the replies any more would be very helpful[up]

 

[buellxb]

Wow. $3.89 per gallon? Premium is about $3 around here. Are you in California Leathercash? Buell has a lot of unique engineering as compared with other motorcycle companies. I wonder if any motorcycle company will every have the balls to make an electric bike?? Does anyone remember the Saturn EV1. That car had a 3.6 second zero to 60 mph. It was all electric. I bet the same smooth, clean power could be used on a motorcycle. I don't know, but I bet Buell could find a way to make it cool.

 

[v12tiger]

Maybebuell.. about the 'no power gain with higher octane'. I've always known for higher octanes to produce more power. Consider a fuel like 110 for racing or 113. I always assumed that the higher octance implied hotter more powerful explosion thus more power. Maybe assuming is the prblm. Please edumacate me on this as I have no expertise in this subject or any other for that matter.

 

[bahamasair]

Higher octane doesnt make more power it allows you to run higher compression in your engine which makes more power. The higher the octane the higher the compression ratio you can use without detonation or pinging. Race engines running without a blower or turbo will be from 11:1 to 14:1 which would destroy pistons if you tried to run on a lower octane gas.

 

[mrdozer2you]

Most high octane fuels around me are for racing and contain lead. Im not for sure but I think its anything over 102 has lead.(maybe its 110 I cant remember) But I do know that higher octane contains more detergents = cleaner for your motor, less varnish and gum buildup, cleaner injectors. Also my old car was a 2000 Toyota Celica and right on the gas cap it said no less than 91 octane. I wonder if the car not having a fuel filter had anything to do with it. Do our Buells have fuel filters? If they do I havent seen one and I've had most of the bike apart.

 

[maybebuell]

pretty much what baham said...to motors the same size one at 9.1 and one a 12.1....12.1 will run hotter air gas mixture will be compressed more to a point it wants to ignite without a spark from pressure and heet from top of piston...octane slowes it down till its time to burn at the right time,,usually when the spark plug ignite..timing....

 

[Leathercash]

Mrdozer2you, we do have fuel filters, however they are never required service or replacing, they are permanent I believe.

 

[slydwazer]

Leathercash -- use nothing but premium high octane fuel in your engine. Higher octane fuels burn slower than lower octane. Lower octane fuels burn extremely fast and create abnormally high cylinder pressures which can, and WILL, crack (or blow a hole in) your piston. The fuel mixture ignites BTDC and requires a certain amount of "burn" time. High octane fuels are most definitely required in higher compression engines because it is so tightly compacted on the compression stroke. Once ignited (BTDC), it needs to release its energy (controlled explosion) on the downward stroke (aka, power stroke) for maximum power. If it is burned too quickly, detonation will grenade your engine. There is no particular benefit from running a much higher octane (i.e., 110 octane race fuel), but there are severe consequences from running an octane rating too low.

 

[tommy]

Hey folks im riding a 2000 X1,I have always run 110 racing fuel,dont have a problem getting it other than the $7 a gallon price.it smells good burning also.
Mine will cough at the light also,or act like it is loading up.
Im getting some oil residue in the intake pipe.Any ideas.im running the racing module and vance and hines exhaust,

 

[buelltool]

fuel....smuel..... for the amount of gas buells hold....sacreligious to run anything than the best you can get. Even at today's prices still only about 10-12 bucks to fill. Here in the north, Sunoco has 94 octane....the bike loves eatin that.....

 

[MrOrange]

Just a quick note on high octane fuels. High octane fuels tend to sit in the providers tanks longer than the regular or low octane gas. The chemicals that increase the octane and the other cleaners tend to become unstable in as little as 3 weeks. Sometime that unstable older fuel has can account for a "bad tank of gas". the reason I bring this up is that my XB9 will tolerate the regular stuff pretty well. actually really well. I have been regularly running it with ambient high temperatures in the low 90s. I think that if it was any hotter I would have to run the slower burning fuels though... BTW the thing about the bad premium gas was from a motorcycle web page--I'll get the URL for all to read on Monday.

 

[MrOrange]

Sorry it took me so long to get the link. The article is a bit preachy but offers another aspect on gasoline.

 

[Somthngfrce]

Great Article!!

 

[midlifecrisis]

I used to run 108 octane in my Sportster back in the early '90s and it did run very well. it did have lead but my understanding was always if you had a catalytic converter you couldn't run leaded fuel but with out the catalyst you could. The problem was an older car (like my 1970 T/A Challenger 340 Six Pack) needed leaded fuel because it did not have hardened valve seats and the newer fuels destroyed them unless you fitted the hardened seats. At around 50 MPG run the best fuel you can. just ask LeFox what they are paying for gas across the pond and you'll be happy paying $3.50 per gallon.