Octane advice
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 177
Likes: 21
From: Southern Ontario
Octane advice
What are you running for octane in the twin cooled 103? Recommended 91, but I know in the metric world a lot of people run regular and believe the bikes run better.
Any advice is eagerly accepted by the newbie!
Any advice is eagerly accepted by the newbie!
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 177
Likes: 21
From: Southern Ontario
I'm not sure I can even get 94 in Ontario. I know I can get 91, which is what the manual recommends.
The new FLHTK's are 10:01 compression...
I got a bit of ping yesterday running 93....
But that was in a stop and go traffic jam here in San Antonio with AAT of 100f and ET of 260f.
I wouldn't run lower.... but I wouldn't stress searching for higher either.
I got a bit of ping yesterday running 93....
But that was in a stop and go traffic jam here in San Antonio with AAT of 100f and ET of 260f.
I wouldn't run lower.... but I wouldn't stress searching for higher either.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 646
Likes: 167
From: chicago
In chicago area I get 93. Never saw 94. Somestations have "racing fuel" which is 103 I believe but never tried it.
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 695
Likes: 13
From: New Braunfels, TX
I'd stick with 91. The ECU will back out timing if it detects knock so you may not hurt anything with lower octane but you sure as hell won't help anything.
I'll tell anybody all day not to run more octane than they need, but these engines really should be running on premium.
Also the metric bikes don't really compare. When conditions are right you can make more power with less octane, however you need octane to cope with more heat and HD's liquid cooling almost isn't liquid cooling at all. Those metric bikes run a lot cooler.
I'll tell anybody all day not to run more octane than they need, but these engines really should be running on premium.
Also the metric bikes don't really compare. When conditions are right you can make more power with less octane, however you need octane to cope with more heat and HD's liquid cooling almost isn't liquid cooling at all. Those metric bikes run a lot cooler.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
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From: Carlsbad, CA
Octane is additives to reduce pre-ignition of gasoline. It in itself does not increase performance. 91 is the minimum HD recommends for the 103. If you want to give lower octane a try, go for it. But, I'm betting the first hot day, pulling a hill, or accelerating you will wish you hadn't tried to save $2 on a fill up. Be prepared with some good octane boost like Lucas, when you find out why HD recommends 91.
The 103 is a low RPM torque monster. The torque partially comes from compression. Where as stock metrics are rev animals, and many have lower compression and can run on lower octane. Don't even begin to compare the 103 to metrics.
The 103 is a low RPM torque monster. The torque partially comes from compression. Where as stock metrics are rev animals, and many have lower compression and can run on lower octane. Don't even begin to compare the 103 to metrics.
Last edited by TriGeezer; Jul 10, 2015 at 10:29 AM.
