Who's running Regular
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 62
From: Port St. Lucie, FL
What do you mean, I don't go out of my way to find "regular" gas. I don't go out of my way to look for "premium" because it is not needed.
Just like my body, I don't need ribeye to survive. I could live off of hot dogs etc if needed.
It is what it is, I call it waste. It is a waste to drive around searching for that premium stuff and it is a waste to burn it when it is not needed.
Now not saying it is never needed. Some things need it but a stock H-D twin cam is not one of them. Even a mildly tuned one. Push the tunign to the limit with other perfromance goodies and then it may be needed.
Harley does it for the same reasons Polaris did it with their snowmobiles etc and the same reason Arctic Cat does it and the same reason the metrics do it with some of their products. It just makes for a bigger cushion against
possibly warrently claims. They will send an adjuster over that has no clue
and he will tell the dealer it was because of fuel. They will take a sample back
to make it look good but that is it.
So it is just another way for them to cover their asses.
Just like my body, I don't need ribeye to survive. I could live off of hot dogs etc if needed.
It is what it is, I call it waste. It is a waste to drive around searching for that premium stuff and it is a waste to burn it when it is not needed.
Now not saying it is never needed. Some things need it but a stock H-D twin cam is not one of them. Even a mildly tuned one. Push the tunign to the limit with other perfromance goodies and then it may be needed.
Harley does it for the same reasons Polaris did it with their snowmobiles etc and the same reason Arctic Cat does it and the same reason the metrics do it with some of their products. It just makes for a bigger cushion against
possibly warrently claims. They will send an adjuster over that has no clue
and he will tell the dealer it was because of fuel. They will take a sample back
to make it look good but that is it.
So it is just another way for them to cover their asses.
Between my two 103" builds totaling over 33K miles riding in temps over 100 degrees using only 87 octane am told by those who only pick and choose what they want to believe in the HD Owners manual that my findings are all wrong.
I don't know the riding profile of these naysayers. But I ride nearly everyday down here in South Florida.. Our speed limit/suggestion is 70 MPH. I would think these would qualify as extreme conditions for 90% of you. Rat1 and I report our experiences in using 87 octane in our Harleys here on this forum.
We're pointing out waste. We know what our bikes cost us and we both can afford to be stupid with our money and purchase premium gas for our bikes. But we choose not to. Why? Because it's not necessary. You want to pi$$ your gas allowance away, it's fine by us. Just don't insult us with your perceived pride of self ownership.
I don't need to be reminded that my HDs cost $20K+, especially when my wrist watch cost more than my bike. Rat1 and I have proved our Harleys won't self destruct by operating on regular gas. Take it for what it's worth. In the meantime don't preach us the "Owners" manual unless you follow it EXACTLY word for word.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 377
Likes: 5
From: Central California
Totally agree with Rat1.
Between my two 103" builds totaling over 33K miles riding in temps over 100 degrees using only 87 octane am told by those who only pick and choose what they want to believe in the HD Owners manual that my findings are all wrong.
I don't know the riding profile of these naysayers. But I ride nearly everyday down here in South Florida.. Our speed limit/suggestion is 70 MPH. I would think these would qualify as extreme conditions for 90% of you. Rat1 and I report our experiences in using 87 octane in our Harleys here on this forum.
We're pointing out waste. We know what our bikes cost us and we both can afford to be stupid with our money and purchase premium gas for our bikes. But we choose not to. Why? Because it's not necessary. You want to pi$$ your gas allowance away, it's fine by us. Just don't insult us with your perceived pride of self ownership.
I don't need to be reminded that my HDs cost $20K+, especially when my wrist watch cost more than my bike. Rat1 and I have proved our Harleys won't self destruct by operating on regular gas. Take it for what it's worth. In the meantime don't preach us the "Owners" manual unless you follow it EXACTLY word for word.
Between my two 103" builds totaling over 33K miles riding in temps over 100 degrees using only 87 octane am told by those who only pick and choose what they want to believe in the HD Owners manual that my findings are all wrong.
I don't know the riding profile of these naysayers. But I ride nearly everyday down here in South Florida.. Our speed limit/suggestion is 70 MPH. I would think these would qualify as extreme conditions for 90% of you. Rat1 and I report our experiences in using 87 octane in our Harleys here on this forum.
We're pointing out waste. We know what our bikes cost us and we both can afford to be stupid with our money and purchase premium gas for our bikes. But we choose not to. Why? Because it's not necessary. You want to pi$$ your gas allowance away, it's fine by us. Just don't insult us with your perceived pride of self ownership.
I don't need to be reminded that my HDs cost $20K+, especially when my wrist watch cost more than my bike. Rat1 and I have proved our Harleys won't self destruct by operating on regular gas. Take it for what it's worth. In the meantime don't preach us the "Owners" manual unless you follow it EXACTLY word for word.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 2
From: Northern Colorado
I don't need to be reminded that my HDs cost $20K+, especially when my wrist watch cost more than my bike. Rat1 and I have proved our Harleys won't self destruct by operating on regular gas. Take it for what it's worth. In the meantime don't preach us the "Owners" manual unless you follow it EXACTLY word for word.
BTW, you shouldn't preach about waste when you're walking around with a $20K+ wrist watch, some might consider that to be a little more wasteful than spending an extra 20-30˘ a gallon for premium.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,443
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
See that's just it, it has nothing to do with the owners manual, it's like this if your motor runs great and has no detonation on 87 than good for you but not all beasts are equall. now if you have this issue and ignore it and blow your motor cause of detonation and were to cheap to put a higher grade of fuel, technically Harley could say it's your baby.
Sas thing is with aftermarket pipes and gear drive cams one would not be able to hear the motor pinging. You would have to know how to read a spark plug for signs of detonation.
Man some of you guy's just like to hear yourselves talk
Sas thing is with aftermarket pipes and gear drive cams one would not be able to hear the motor pinging. You would have to know how to read a spark plug for signs of detonation.
Man some of you guy's just like to hear yourselves talk
Banned
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,259
Likes: 5
From: NW NC
This thread got me to conduct a test. Had to gas up yesterday twice. First time I pulled into a station and there were a couple on their HD's just leaving a pump. I asked them if they used 93 and after confirming they did I pulled to that pump as it was a one hose type station. When I got to where I was going (200 mile trip to a job site) I needed to refuel so decided to try a tank of 89. No, I'm not going as low as 87. Anyway I am curious if the bike will run as good and also how it will affect my gas mileage. BTW, sure are a lot of bashers here....
i going to split the norm here i been using 89 octane(plus),i Don't put in Joes gas. i use either BP or Sunco,Hess i think a name brand should have better quality of gas....just me though never pinged and goes as fast as i am willing to go and get 38-40 mpg
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 62
From: Port St. Lucie, FL
Don't you wish our HDs appreciate like those watches? :-)
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,341
Likes: 9
From: Woodinville, WA
The issue of what octane to use comes down to what runs best with the engine design and build. One octane isn't better than another - I always got a laugh out of my father in law's insistence that he run "hi test" every other fill up. It's a big mistake to run high octane in a lower compression engine and an even bigger mistake to run regular in a higher compression engine. Add air cooled into the mix and you want to stick with premium/high octane. Damage due to detonation is going to be far more expensive than the money saved.
"Octane is NOT a measure of power but of the fuels' resistance to ignition from heat"
"Octane is NOT a measure of power but of the fuels' resistance to ignition from heat"
Last edited by davessworks; May 26, 2011 at 08:15 PM.