Regular or Premium

[BOOST]

Did my best to search the threads so I hope I am not bringing up old news...What is the better fuel for my '97 Vmax with stock carbs and jetting. The only after market item on my bike is Supertrapp slip ons. Am I wasting $ using premium as I have been? I've only run about 4 fill up's through it since I bought it. :ummm: Dan

 

[KJShover]

As far as fuel is concerned, run the lowest octane that you can without detonation. For the most of us that's 87, includes the stockers, slip-ons, pipes, pipes and carb kits.
I'm running pipes, carb kit, stg II cams, port matched heads, Dyna on curve 3, and I still can get away with regular ol 87 pump gas.

 

[MaxMidnight]

Only use premium if you either have money to burn or have upped the compression.

 

[bazwell]

I disagree with the others.
Over here no-one puts low octane in a bike (92). Must people put premium at least (95) and I usually try to put 98 in. It's fine on 95, but I can tell if it's got 92 in it quite easily.

I have run a few fuel consumption tests over the years, and I always get better MPH, and I can usually notice the difference in the idle and smoothness. In cars as well as bikes.

I am more than sold on high octane fuel. It's better in the long run.

What I don't agree with is fuel additives. They mostly don't work, and cost more than using good fuel. Octane boost is the biggest load of bullshit ever!

 

[Rickred]

I disagree with the others.
Over here no-one puts low octane in a bike (92). Must people put premium at least (95) and I usually try to put 98 in. It's fine on 95, but I can tell if it's got 92 in it quite easily.

I have run a few fuel consumption tests over the years, and I always get better MPH, and I can usually notice the difference in the idle and smoothness. In cars as well as bikes.

I am more than sold on high octane fuel. It's better in the long run.

What I don't agree with is fuel additives. They mostly don't work, and cost more than using good fuel. Octane boost is the biggest load of bullshit ever!

100% agree I've always run premium on all my bieks if available, even if fuel injected not necassery but i do get better mileage & a cleaner burn,

 

[tonyg-5386]

I ran premium (92 octane or above) in my 96 vmax for the first year I had it. I then started using reg 87 octane and notice no difference at all in the way the bike sounds, runs or the mpg so I will stick with 87 octane. If the bike is going to sit idle for a month or more I put 1oz of Marine Stabil in a full tank of gas when I top it off at the gas station. A forum member suggested carrying a 5 hour energy drink bottle full of stabilizer and that's what I do. It holds about 2oz and can treat 2 tankfuls. A buddy of mine at work drinks them all the time and leaves the empty bottles on my desk. Stale gas will kill our bikes quicker than anything.

 

[MaxMidnight]

When comparing 'standard' and 'super' unleaded fuels I don't think that you can base opinions purely on the octane rating.

If this were the case then when used in the (Gen I) V Max motor it would produce less power than with a lower octane fuel. This is due to the anti-knock additives burning slower than strait fuel thus it will produces less energy for the same volume burned.

Modern motors with sophisticated ECU's can re-configure themselves for different fuels and are able to take advantage of higher knock resistance that super unleaded fuels bring.

This is not true of the (Gen I) Max. There is, however, a 'but'.
Super Unleaded will also have other additive which can regain or perhaps enhance the calorific value of the fuel.
Each bang could produce more energy so throttle openings will be less and you will use less fuel.
That said I suspect if you tried to measure the power outputs for the two fuels on a dyno you would be hard pressed to see any measurable difference.

My own experience, even with the higher CR on my motor, is that I don't notice any difference.
That, of course, could be a reflection on my insensitivity. :confused2:

The bottom line is that if an individuals perception is that it makes a difference and feel it worth the additional cost then who an I to suggest that they are wrong?

 

[bazwell]

100% agree I've always run premium on all my bieks if available, even if fuel injected not necassery but i do get better mileage & a cleaner burn,

Over there they have ethanol in pump fuel. Yuck.
And 87 octane? It's just mean.

 

[bazwell]

There is, however, a 'but'.
Super Unleaded will also have other additive which can regain or perhaps enhance the calorific value of the fuel.

Hell yeah! Don't hear that terminology too often. :biglaugh:
Now we are getting somewhere.

Gas (as in LPG, not American petrol :rofl_200 has an octane rating of over 110, but less calories. So you get shit milage on gas even though the octane rating is wickedly high. :biglaugh: That's a pretty big butt right there!

The other but, which I haven't had a chance to experience but heard about years ago, is light weight fuels. So it's got the octane, and the calories, but weighs less! That's what I want. Vroom vroom! :biglaugh: I think Shell was playing with them a while ago.

 

[PDWeyand]

There are some that believe that running the highest rating fuel they can buy and other think it is a wash to do so. Some believe in fuel additives others think that they are snake oil. I will time to time burn a tank of premium fuel. I have used lucas additives and products before and have seen them work. I think it is a matter of personal choice on you get any benefits from running the higher octane rated fuel or any additives. I will not claim the the extra fuel rating helps or hurts but it does cost more. I do believe most of the additives to fuel or other wise are just snake oil and are a waste of money. I had a injector not spraying correctly and use the Lucas injector cleaner additive for a few months in my wife's van and it did clear it up and make the van run better. I now do not have to use the additive on her van. I do feel like it was worth the 10 dollars I spent on the bottle versus placing a hundred or so for a new injector. Plus my time of getting it replaced.

 

[MaxMidnight]

Gas (as in LPG, not American petrol :rofl_200 has an octane rating of over 110, but less calories. So you get shit mileage on gas even though the octane rating is wickedly high. :biglaugh: That's a pretty big butt right there!

True if the compression ratio remains the same.

However, the better knock resistance will allow motors to run higher CR's thus get more energy from each bang to make up the lower calorific value.

 

[ninjaneer]

look at the sticker underneath your lid. it'll tell you the octance that yamaha had as a reference when they designed their motor to be able to claim the hp and torque numbers that they published. sure they didn't envision corn drippings would be squeezed in the mix, but run some "fuel cleaner" if you are so inclined every so whenever.

 

[DMAN999]

87 Octane for me, I tried the 89 and 93 Octane but I didn't see any improvement in mpg or the way my Max runs at all.

 

[PATMAX]

After trying everything octanewise, i use low octane in my stock motored Maxes. I have run 108 octane and felt the bike ran smoother but never saw any seat of the pants power boosts. Now, I did notice when I went back to low octane, I noticed a coughing, burb, hesitation for several miles but it seemed to clear up eventually, definitely less than one tank full. What I do not know is, are my piston tops cleaner or less sooty? Are the rings affected? I don't open enough motors to know the effects. In the end I say, higher octane is a waste for me. Maybe different for you though

 

[Thevmaxrider]

After taking a look at the intake valves on a Max that the guy swore by premium gas and seeing enough carbon on them to make me wonder how they closed properly I have sworn off the stuff. I honestly believe that those who say they get more power or better fuel mileage may just be experiencing a psychological response. If something costs more it must be better right? Even with a high compression engine like Toxic's I don't run anything but 87 octane regular unleaded fuel and it runs great. The only thing the higher octane fuels might have is some cleaners that might work once in a while to clean the combustion chamber.

Of an interesting note I have noted that Toxic does in fact get better gas mileage and runs better on Shell gas vs other brands. Why I have no clue, but it has always been that way.

 

[gamorg02]

Of an interesting note I have noted that Toxic does in fact get better gas mileage and runs better on Shell gas vs other brands. Why I have no clue, but it has always been that way.

same. i've never gotten a bad 'batch' from shell either.

about 1-2 mpg better with shell.

 

[KJShover]

Over there they have ethanol in pump fuel. Yuck.
And 87 octane? It's just mean.

I feel sorry for those guys, No corn sqeezin's up here. They tried many years ago, but the climate dosn't agree with it, so they axed it. Haven't seen it offered since. :clapping:

 

[bazwell]

look at the sticker underneath your lid. it'll tell you the octance that yamaha had as a reference when they designed their motor to be able to claim the hp and torque numbers that they published. sure they didn't envision corn drippings would be squeezed in the mix, but run some "fuel cleaner" if you are so inclined every so whenever.

My sticker's long gone. What was originally recommended? :ummm:
My old '82 BMW (car) needed 95! Don't know what the Japs were using back then.

 

[Sonoran6]

unless it specifically says otherwise, regular in all my vehicles

 

[sdt354]

I'd use Shell 87 all the time if I could. Other additives used too, but staying on topic.
Steve-o