Preferred octane boost?
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
I have almost never had a problem finding 91/93 octane fuel anywhere on this continent.
Sometimes finding gasoline itself was a bit of a challenge, so Ive carried gas cans for those areas or journeys.
Your octane needs at higher altitudes drops.
Sometimes finding gasoline itself was a bit of a challenge, so Ive carried gas cans for those areas or journeys.
Your octane needs at higher altitudes drops.
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 11,545
Likes: 8,380
From: Inland NW
I have 27 states and a few provinces under my belt, mostly on backroads, so I get it. I leave home base with a bottle of Lucas or Amsoil, just in case. I have had to pull some gnarly elevation on a run through Colorado with a tank of 87, so lesson learned.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,145
Likes: 6,168
From: SE Michigan
What lesson? The higher you go the less octane you need.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,146
Likes: 11,220
From: San Diego, CA
My buddies and I are leaving in May for a four corners run. I expect some of the more woke states may be hard to find 91+ octane. Whats the easiest booster to carry? By that I mean so it's easy to measure out whether I need 4-5 or 6 gallons of gas, I want a convenient way to measure it out. So whats the go to octane boost you guys use?
Just curious..... what octane was your bike tuned on....??
I have a '16 bagger with a 124" crate engine that put out 135HP/151TQ during it's dyno tune.
I live in SoCal, so the bike was full of SoCal 91 octane fuel for the dyno break-in and tuning...
I've yet to add an octane booster, and I cruise all over the place out here in the West...... Can't remember not being able to find 91 octane fuel. If I had to put some mid-grade or regular in it, I would just stay out high loads on the engine, until I could put some 91 octane fuel in it again...
IMHO.... unless you had the bike tuned on 92, 93, or higher octane fuel... There's really no need for an octane booster...
There is always the possibility you could get some "bad gas" somewhere along the way on cruise through the back roads.... but I doubt octane booster will help much then...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,145
Likes: 6,168
From: SE Michigan
Just curious..... what octane was your bike tuned on....??
I have a '16 bagger with a 124" crate engine that put out 135HP/151TQ during it's dyno tune.
I live in SoCal, so the bike was full of SoCal 91 octane fuel for the dyno break-in and tuning...
I've yet to add an octane booster, and I cruise all over the place out here in the West...... Can't remember not being able to find 91 octane fuel. If I had to put some mid-grade or regular in it, I would just stay out high loads on the engine, until I could put some 91 octane fuel in it again...
IMHO.... unless you had the bike tuned on 92, 93, or higher octane fuel... There's really no need for an octane booster...
There is always the possibility you could get some "bad gas" somewhere along the way on cruise through the back roads.... but I doubt octane booster will help much then...
I have a '16 bagger with a 124" crate engine that put out 135HP/151TQ during it's dyno tune.
I live in SoCal, so the bike was full of SoCal 91 octane fuel for the dyno break-in and tuning...
I've yet to add an octane booster, and I cruise all over the place out here in the West...... Can't remember not being able to find 91 octane fuel. If I had to put some mid-grade or regular in it, I would just stay out high loads on the engine, until I could put some 91 octane fuel in it again...
IMHO.... unless you had the bike tuned on 92, 93, or higher octane fuel... There's really no need for an octane booster...
There is always the possibility you could get some "bad gas" somewhere along the way on cruise through the back roads.... but I doubt octane booster will help much then...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
i've run a few tanks of 89 here in la when the station was out of 91. never even noticed a difference in performance or mpg. wouldn't do it on a consistent basis, but a couple tanks here or there isn't gonna hurt.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 282
Likes: 129
From: Palm City, FL
This is what I run in my bike: https://bndautomotive.com/aces-formu...oline-formula/
Supposed to be good for 11 points of octane at 1oz per 6 gals. Comes with a measuring bottle that holds about 12 ounces and has a measuring cup with 1/4oz graduations, like the bottle that Stabil uses. I keep one of these bottles in my backpack, double bagged in zip loc's.
Added to 91 octane, it's good enough for 14psi of boost without knock in my engine.
I run their 2-stroke additive in my 2.5 liter V-6 Mercury's too. 91 + ACES at 150psi compression. Works great.
Supposed to be good for 11 points of octane at 1oz per 6 gals. Comes with a measuring bottle that holds about 12 ounces and has a measuring cup with 1/4oz graduations, like the bottle that Stabil uses. I keep one of these bottles in my backpack, double bagged in zip loc's.
Added to 91 octane, it's good enough for 14psi of boost without knock in my engine.
I run their 2-stroke additive in my 2.5 liter V-6 Mercury's too. 91 + ACES at 150psi compression. Works great.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,145
Likes: 6,168
From: SE Michigan
This is what I run in my bike: https://bndautomotive.com/aces-formu...oline-formula/
Supposed to be good for 11 points of octane at 1oz per 6 gals. Comes with a measuring bottle that holds about 12 ounces and has a measuring cup with 1/4oz graduations, like the bottle that Stabil uses. I keep one of these bottles in my backpack, double bagged in zip loc's.
Added to 91 octane, it's good enough for 14psi of boost without knock in my engine.
I run their 2-stroke additive in my 2.5 liter V-6 Mercury's too. 91 + ACES at 150psi compression. Works great.
Supposed to be good for 11 points of octane at 1oz per 6 gals. Comes with a measuring bottle that holds about 12 ounces and has a measuring cup with 1/4oz graduations, like the bottle that Stabil uses. I keep one of these bottles in my backpack, double bagged in zip loc's.
Added to 91 octane, it's good enough for 14psi of boost without knock in my engine.
I run their 2-stroke additive in my 2.5 liter V-6 Mercury's too. 91 + ACES at 150psi compression. Works great.
Last edited by Keithhu; Mar 13, 2023 at 05:55 PM.
