Question about gas!
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 333
Likes: 7
From: Newfoundland
Question about gas!
Hey, I have a 2003 Heritage softail 100th anniversary. The bike is carbureted. I live here in Newfoundland and you cant always get supreme gas. I am planning a trip about 700km, through mostly rural communities. My question is when i cant get supreme gas ( 91 octane?) IS it ok to fill up on regular ( 87 octane?) and add some octane boos?
Thanks, ******
Thanks, ******
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 15,706
Likes: 22,739
From: Farmington ,MS
Hey, I have a 2003 Heritage softail 100th anniversary. The bike is carbureted. I live here in Newfoundland and you cant always get supreme gas. I am planning a trip about 700km, through mostly rural communities. My question is when i cant get supreme gas ( 91 octane?) IS it ok to fill up on regular ( 87 octane?) and add some octane boos?
Thanks, ******
Thanks, ******
As long as your bike is stock should not be a problem. I go places every year where "supreme" is not available...use 87 with no problem. Your bike will be more prone to detonate or "ping", so keep the rpms up and don't lug the motor
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,784
Likes: 2,612
From: san antonio
You should be running the lowest grade fuel that will not cause the engine to ping. There is no benefit to running premium fuel if you can run a lower grade and the engine doesn't ping. Might make you feel better filling up with premium but the engine doesn't know the difference and, if it does, it will tell you by detonating.
If the bike does ping on the lower grade, you can do what you suggest and supplement the lower grade with octane boost.
If the bike does ping on the lower grade, you can do what you suggest and supplement the lower grade with octane boost.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Calgary
Hey, I have a 2003 Heritage softail 100th anniversary. The bike is carbureted. I live here in Newfoundland and you cant always get supreme gas. I am planning a trip about 700km, through mostly rural communities. My question is when i cant get supreme gas ( 91 octane?) IS it ok to fill up on regular ( 87 octane?) and add some octane boos?
Thanks, ******
Thanks, ******
Octane boost is a scam for the most part. If you really want to raise octane acetone/toluene/xylene are all 110 octane,so a liter mixed in to your tank will show some octane enhancement but those little bottles just don't really help.
If you are staying in Canada for your ride shell gas,even regular won't ping. Chevron is great stuff once you get into British Columbia.
Here in Saskatchewan premium isn't polluted with ethanol so you will like that stuff.
Stick to name brand gas. Only go to husky if you really have too,there is just too much ethanol in their gas for my liking.
Safe travels
If you are staying in Canada for your ride shell gas,even regular won't ping. Chevron is great stuff once you get into British Columbia.
Here in Saskatchewan premium isn't polluted with ethanol so you will like that stuff.
Stick to name brand gas. Only go to husky if you really have too,there is just too much ethanol in their gas for my liking.
Safe travels
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,784
Likes: 2,612
From: san antonio
Torco and Lucas both make robust octane boosters. Not disagreeing that toluene or xylene are not effective but you have to be careful with them; the octane boost is pre-mixed, packaged and you can drop it in you saddle bag. I have never purchased toluene or xylene and dont' know what quanties are available.
You do have to be careful with what octane boost you buy. Some don't play well with O2 sensors (no worries with carbed bike) and some will react with ethanol creating a gel that will settle in the bottom of the tank and choke things up.
Do the due diligence and understand the differences between the available products and make an informed decision. But first, run the bike on 87 octane; may not have any issues.
You do have to be careful with what octane boost you buy. Some don't play well with O2 sensors (no worries with carbed bike) and some will react with ethanol creating a gel that will settle in the bottom of the tank and choke things up.
Do the due diligence and understand the differences between the available products and make an informed decision. But first, run the bike on 87 octane; may not have any issues.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Calgary
Octane boost is a scam for the most part. If you really want to raise octane acetone/toluene/xylene are all 110 octane,so a liter mixed in to your tank will show some octane enhancement but those little bottles just don't really help.
If you are staying in Canada for your ride shell gas,even regular won't ping. Chevron is great stuff once you get into British Columbia.
Here in Saskatchewan premium isn't polluted with ethanol so you will like that stuff.
Stick to name brand gas. Only go to husky if you really have too,there is just too much ethanol in their gas for my liking.
Safe travels
If you are staying in Canada for your ride shell gas,even regular won't ping. Chevron is great stuff once you get into British Columbia.
Here in Saskatchewan premium isn't polluted with ethanol so you will like that stuff.
Stick to name brand gas. Only go to husky if you really have too,there is just too much ethanol in their gas for my liking.
Safe travels
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 354
Likes: 8
From: Pittsburgh , Pa.
Gas
My previous bike was a 2002 Night Train and it ran fine with no pinging . I ran mostly 87 octane but would add a little hightest occasionally . It was carbureted but my 2010 Heritage is fuel injected and it runs good on the same fuel. Of course my bikes are all stock and I don't run them hard , but don't lug them either.