1. Nobody's "hyperventilating". Just stating concerns and recommending tips, IF one wishes to know. Oh, I already said not a "couple pints", but a couple quarts. Let's see... that's TWICE as much?
2. I 've used different fuels in all my Harleys AND my Vette and they all run better on premium. Sometimes I put 89 in my Vette if not a whole tank, but never 87.
3. You were ONCE told by a mechanic YEARS ago? Well, I was once told by a socialist friend of mine that Obama was the best President ever - gee, must be true? So I'm a mechanic and I'm giving you an update - if your manual recommends premium, then I recommend you run premium. Our bikes are worth it.
4. I totally agree with you on the ethanol - that sucks!

 

Some one has already done research on the amount of gas left in a hose on a one hose pump. I don't remember if it was this forum or another Harley forum (maybe HTT), but it measured 2 pints NOT QUARTS!
I agree they run a little better on premium - I didn't say they didn't . I said you can run any vehicle on 87 "IF" your manual says "recommends" premium. I use premium on track days because I want the full potential then, I don't need the full power of it on normal everyday driving and since it doesn't harm the engine at all, why not?. Not only that one mechanic. He started my search and many mechanics since then have said the same thing. Also every car/motorcycle article I've read (quite a few) regarding regular vs premium fuel says the same thing = unless your manual says "requires" you can safely use regular fuel with NO PROBLEM!!!!! I have kept most of those articles so I can show people that don't or won't believe it. If you can find one person/article that says if you use regular gas in your car/bike where the manual says "premium recommended", will destroy your engine, I'd sure like to see it.
To tell you the truth, I really can't tell any difference between the two - performance wise. I don't think anyone can unless done scientifically.
If you've NEVER used 87 in your Vette, how do you know it won't be OK????????? Hmmmmmmm. That's all I used in my Vettes = 87 and never had a fuel related problem.....NEVER. But I only had a 73 Conv. and an 81 so they weren't hi=perf models. What year was/is your Vette?? I'm sure the newer Vettes do require premium.
Of course there are a few exceptions.

 

I've tried the octane boost in my car, first i filled it up with 93oct,then ran it out filled with 8 7 Oct and added a bottle of octane boost and the car ran the same I had more pick up when on the gas, and 2 miles more per tank, then i did 87 and I could tell the difference, especially when trying to pass a few cars on two lane roads.... So current tank is 87 plus boost and i can feel a bit more power especially in passing gear.
​​​​

 

Ok, I should have quoted MY source - not all pumps are the same and according to a study cited by the AMA, it can be UP TO 1/2 gallon. Since I don't know which pump I'm using, I have to assume I'm getting the full 1/2 gallon so that's why I cite that amount. My Vette is a 2005 with 400 hp. The manual says to use 91 or higher, but yes, it also says you CAN use lower grades but performance will suffer. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD. If performance is suffering then so is efficiency (and fuel economy). But I agree that on the lower performance Vettes from those older years it probably doesn't matter as the compression ratio is lower. I have three 2012 Harleys and one 2014. None of the manuals say "recommended" or "required", but they list 91 octane as a "specification". They even recommend Screaming Eagle octane booster for better performance (of course, they sell it). But anyway, I feel that "specification" qualifies as a requirement more than it does a recommendation. My problem is I rode all over southeastern Ohio the last couple of days and none of the pumps I used had 91 - they had 87, 89 and 93! But that's ok because by just pumping the 93, I figure the first half gallon is 87 and it evens out and I have a sweet sounding, purring and occasionally roaring Harley hauling me down the road. BTW, I have a new favorite road to ride and it's Rt 141 in Ohio and runs from Gallipolis to Ironton - awesome!

 

 

It makes me giggle a little. If you think the snobbiness is bad on here, go over to corvetteforum.com. The ZO6/ZR1 guys really let the base model guys have it.lol
It's all in good fun.

 

Back in the 80's when I had my Vettes, my club had 2 groups. Big Block vs small block - those were the only fighting factions. The Big Blocks sat at one table and the rest of us sat everywhere else.

Corvette clubs now, in my opinion, are strictly for the rich. In my day even factory workers could afford a Vette and we had a lot of then in our club. It started getting bad, I think, in the late 90's when Vettes were getting too expensive. I remember a few times someone in the club would say "Let's go to Bowling Green and tour the factory on Tuesday and Wednesday". Most of us couldn't because we HAD TO WORK. That's when I started going to Harley club meetings instead of Vette club meetings. Eventually I got rid of my Vettes because I was having a lot more fun with the Harley crowd.
Vette owners = 2 warring factions
Harley owners = 6+ warring factions.
As you said, most are in good fun. LOL

 

No. This isn't correct. In the Midwest, you'll see a range of 80 cents between regular and premium. In California, the range will be twenty cents, with mid grade ten cents over regular.

"Supply and demand" isn't this perfect price-establishing mechanism economists claim it is.

 

If you're not running VP Fuel, you don't deserve to have a Harley.

 

You're right, there are different hoses out there so I'll amend my statement = There's not enough gas left in a hose to be worried about.
I figure if you CAN do something, why not? What's the harm? Higher performance usually means less efficiency. My MPG figures were always the same, I didn't see any better mileage from either one, but since I didn't use much premium how would I know?
I don't always follow Harley's recommendations. Do you remember when they also said using synthetic oil would destroy the engine - - - until they came out with their own syn oil.

I believe the newer Harley manuals do state "requires" - at least that's what people on this forum have said and posted pics of the page stating that.

I'll stick with what the vast majority of car/bike columnists say. I hate giving our enemies any more money than I have to. Plus I get to buy a couple extra beers or a burger each month with the savings.

All I'm saying is you won't harm your engine if you use regular gas instead of premium. Not saying you have to or you should use it.