| Author | Message | ||
     Sofauxboho |
The 1125R manual specifies 91 octane fuel. It has generally been my experience that most vehicles that spec 91 octane run just fine on 87, but the 1125R is certainly the highest performance machine I've owned. Anyone out there running 87? | ||
| Xnoahx |
Do you run the cheapest oil you can find too? I run 91 | ||
| R2s |
Octane has nothing to due with the quality, its how fast it burns. Higher octane gas has more additives to make it burn slower so it costs more. If you are taking a trip on it and just running down the freeway a lower octane shouldn't hurt it, but if you start hot rodding it you will probably get some pre ignition and that's not to good for it though. | ||
| Sofauxboho |
What R2s said. I have no problem paying for 91 octane gas, as long as it's appropriate. What I'm wondering is, is it appropriate? I generally run my bike around sea level in relatively humid conditions (the San Francisco Bay Area) which lowers the chance of detonation. I am also not planning to make any mods in search of greater hp. The stock power is plenty. Let me revise my question: If you have tried running lower-octane fuel in a 1125, have you observed any denotation / preignition? | ||
| Sl33py |
Higher compression has more to do with the higher octane. If you don't use it you could have some pinging or knocking. I also saw that we aren't supposed to run fuel additives (octane booster) - really? I thought that would only help... | ||
| Fresnobuell |
YOu may not even hear the pinging, so the audible test doesn't apply. High compression engines need high octane. Is it worth $1 to $2 per tank to put your $6000 toy at risk? | ||
| D_adams |
93 octane from day one, nothing else. | ||
| Sofauxboho |
Ok, this is what I was remembering reading: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/tires-auto -parts/car-maintenance/premium-gas-a-waste-of-mone y-904/overview/index.htm The last paragraph there obviously doesn't apply to the 1125R, so it sounds like 91 octane is the way to go. Also, thanks to Fresnobuell for pointing out that non-audible pinging is a possibility. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
Highest octane I can get. I try to get to a sunoco for that 94 octane stuff. | ||
| Slojon |
GAS is GAS. When U run out, your walking. Octane makes a difference. Just started using 93 without ethanol. Costs more, but may help. You spend Your $$, I's spends mine. Almost time to RIDE...... | ||
| Danxb9r |
Manual states 91 octane or higher so thats what I use. Not worth the headache of knocking/pinging over a .25 difference in price. | ||
| Romano |
Higher octane fuel is a waste of money if it is not needed. To run it won't hurt but won't make your bike run better unless it needs it. The higher octane the greater the ignition temp required to ignite the fuel. It has nothing to do with burning slower, it just does'nt ignite as easily. Compression causes heat. If the manual say 91 then that is what you need to use. A diesel engine uses 25 to 1 compression to run on light oil. | ||
| Jdugger |
Whether or not octane makes a difference also depends on where you live, altitude, humidity, etc. Here in Texas, running a tank of 87 will cause you some grief. Here and there I'll be on a trip in Arkansas or somewhere else down here and that's all that's available. Oh, gawd, the bike will run like crap. It's REALLY noticeable. In Colorado, there's places where you can't even buy 87! 85 will be the highest you can find. And, guess what, it runs just fine. Of course, your bike only has 60% of it's normal power, but that's the mountains for you. | ||
| Geforce |
After riding on trips and sampling gas at different places. The higher the octane the better the bike runs. I always try to put 93 in it. | ||
| Fmaxwell |
Romano wrote: "Higher octane fuel is a waste of money if it is not needed." Over time, many of the performance and octane boosting additives, such as aromatic hydrocarbons, evaporate and leave a fuel with lower octane than fresh fuel. Ethanol enhanced fuel has a very short shelf life compared to straight gasoline. A "premium", 91 octane fuel will see its octane rating reduced to unusable (if your bike requires 91 octane) levels after as little as three weeks. So if you're burning through a tank or more per week, then buying higher than 91 octane is unlikely to benefit you. But if you're about to enter winter and ride your bike sporadically, then buy the highest octane fuel you can get and add a fuel stabilizer to it if you know it will be laid up for a while. Fresnobuell and I may not agree on politics, but we're in total agreement about this: If your bike calls for 91 octane fuel, run 91 octane or higher. If you are at elevations where 91 octane is not available, then run the highest that is, understanding that you need to gas-up with high octane if you ride down to normal elevations. (In higher-altitude areas, your engine draws in less air due to the reduced density of the atmosphere. That means less fuel and reduced absolute compression in the cylinder, which inhibits knock.) | ||
| Carbonbigfoot |
Damn. Am I the only one here that's screwed up and actually filled up with 87? Yes, it runs like crap. A bit hotter, staggers, not right at all. Run at least 91. R | ||
| Milleniumx1 |
This topic always perplexes me ... I've owned trucks/cars that get 10 mpg or less with manufacturer's suggested 91 or higher. So that's what I put in them, figuring the costs of trying to save a few pennies becomes an expense over time when not taking care of things properly. So with a bike that gets the kind of mileage of a Buell, how much $$$ could you possibly be saving over a year by using cheaper fuel? Mike | ||
| Redscuell |
I ran 98 ron for my R's early life, then switched to 95 ron; then recently tried 95 ron E10. All worked well, tho I lost the mpg gains of my fuel remap when I used E10. | ||
| Kidder |
Here we go again...you want to run the LOWEST octane that your bike can use that will not induce pinging/pre-detonation, etc. So, for the 1125, that would be 91. Like someone said above, it's because of the higher compression that it needs 91. I have a Suzuki V-Strom 650. I run 87 in it. People that run anything higher are wasting their money. So, for those of you that have bikes that require minimum 87 don't waste your money on anything higher (unless you get pinging, etc)!. It won't increase horsepower, make you look cooler, etc. | ||
| Oyrider |
Did anyone purchase their 1125 to get good gas mileage and use low octane fuel? Me thinks you got the wrong bike. I have a 250 Kawasaki you might be interested in... 70 mpg on 87 octane. | ||
| Littlebutquick |
i run 99 super unleaded in uk runs sweet | ||
| Fmaxwell |
@Kidder "you want to run the LOWEST octane that your bike can use that will not induce pinging/pre-detonation, etc." As I tried to explain, the octane of fuel decreases over time. If you're buying fuel to use in the next week or two, then 91 octane is fine. If it might sit for a month or more (when the bike is laid up for the winter, while you're away on a trip, etc.), you want a higher octane so that it can lose a few points and not be too low. "So, for the 1125, that would be 91." I don't have a way to measure the octane of the fuel that I buy. But I do know that there is a history of gas stations overstating the octane ratings: http://articles.latimes.com/1992-08-13/news/mn-573 3_1_public-citizen "So, for those of you that have bikes that require minimum 87 don't waste your money on anything higher (unless you get pinging, etc)!. It won't increase horsepower, make you look cooler, etc." Are you aware that many vehicles include anti-knock sensors can detect detonation (pinging) that you cannot hear? In response, ECMs retard timing to eliminate the pinging. The result is lower horsepower. So don't assume that your inability to hear pinging means that the octane of your fuel is high enough. | ||
| Jaimec |
It's easier to hear detonation in an air-cooled engine than a water-cooled one, too. The water jacket helps muffle some of the noise you'd otherwise hear. As was pointed out, just because you don't hear it, doesn't mean it's not doing it. FWIW. | ||
| Romano |
Hi all, This talk about winter and altitude has got me shivering. Come to Australia where you can ride all year and your fuel never goes off. You guys have a whole new set of rules to consider and am sorry to be a bit ignorant about your particular circumstances. Yes it is true that octane will decrease in time. Never had a problem with it here in sunny Queensland. Good luck. Romano | ||
| Moosestang |
This is a high compression motor, 12.3:1 I believe, that's high! I would not run less than 91, unless you don't use all that power. I've been running 93 since day 1, because we don't have 91 in Florida. | ||
| Chessm |
do you guys prefer regular gas or synthetic gas? and how often do you guys change the gas? | ||
| Froggy |
I change the gas in my CR when the light comes on, so about 200-220 miles. | ||
| Fmaxwell |
I only use AMSGAS full synthetic gasoline because they have a web site that has all kinds of graphs, testimonials, and scientific sounding stuff that says it's the best. | ||
| Milleniumx1 |
Synthetic gas ... I'll definitely look into that, especially if there's scientific looking graphs and stuff like that  Chess, I've not yet ridden my 09R, but I plan to remove the noid, and then re-install it, alternating with each fuel fill-up. Where does one get this synthetic fuel - And would I be okay running 87 octane versus 91 since it's really slippery? | ||
| Zac4mac |
Wherever I am, Loretta gets Premium. My only real preference is Name Brand with dedicated hoses for Premium. I try to avoid pumps with a single shared hose. Z |
