Your bike must be an 883. They don't require 90+.

 

My manual says to use 91 (95 RON). I have an 08 96ci.

 

I only use 87 in my 883, but would never put that stuff in my Glide with it's S&S engine. A lot of us have non-stock engines or modifications that 87 wouldn't do well in. My stock engined 1200 runs fine on 91, but I'd use nothing less.

 

Yes I should have mentioned I have an iron 883,and not a 1200

 

um yea. use 93 octane from now on. i have a 2012 Iron and it only gets 93 octane.

 

No. More octane is not "better" unless the engine needs it to avoid detonation. He should use what his owners manual recommends and nothing more (unless the only choices are less than the recommended octane and more than the recommended octane, in which case he should overshoot by the smallest possible amount).

 

This.

Also, bear in mind that the numbers on the pump are the minimum rating for the fuel being dispensed. In actual practice the dispensed fuel is likely 0.25 to 0.5 points higher than displayed on the pump in order for the station to have some buffer zone and avoid potential fines.

 

All model years are not the same.
For 2006 and earlier (carb) 883's the manual calls for 87 octane.
For ALL 2007 and later Sporties (883 & 1200), the manual calls for 91+ octane.

 

I agree. Been a while, but I have stopped at stations in the past with only two grades, and mixed the tank half and half. Been more than once over the years that shortly after filling with 87, got some detonation, and stopped again in a few miles (easy throttle miles) to add some 93, or whatever was highest. Old gas? Glad that's a rare occurrence now. Have 3 Harleys now, use a different grade in each. Haven't forgotten and used the wrong gas yet.

 

Why worry about it?? It's not going to hurt anything, even if it 'WAS' a 1/2 gallon.