I wouldnt even think about touchin that stuf. Did it by mistake on my 09 Ultra and kept wonderin if the thing was gonna blow up. Premium isnt that expensive over regular for the bikes so thats whats going in each time.

 

...at a difference of basically $0.20/gal, a five gallon tank is 1 dollar difference.
I'll spend the extra dollar for the 93 octane.

 

Thank goodness all you riders that quote “Harley says to use 91” I am sure you are all still running stock bikes as suggested by the mc. You can afford to pay the extra per tank as I am sure you haven’t changed pipes, bars, air cleaners etc.
Any mechanic worth his salt will tell you better to use fresh regular that old high test. I ride in Canada and so there are not a lot of people purchasing high test. My 09 runs great on reg since day one. 86,000klm.and counting. I do plan to ride coast to coast this summer through the states and so may have to go with high test as the gas is different from state to state. Depending on what the local additive of choice is.

 

Exactly right! If your budget is running that tight, you have bigger issues.

 

Same here well said!

 

I run premium yearround but here in Las Vegas with average summer temp. somewhere north of 110+ degrees I sometimes add a few shots of octane boost to the tank June July & August. Don't know if it helps the bike run cooler but if makes me feel better.

 

Once again much truth is slain in the name of "Common Knowledge" also known as Pseudoscience. For those who care:

1.) Premium and Regular burn at the same speed. Premium has a slightly higher ignition point and is therefore less likely to ignite in the absence of an external ignition source such as a spark or an advancing flame front. Chvron Oil Company makes some excellent books available on this subject for those that might care to investigate this subject further.
2.) Pinging is annoying but is NOT harmful to an engine. Pinging is caused when a second flame front is generated in the combustion chamber. The "Ping" is the noise you hear when the two flame fronts collide. Detonation on the other hand WILL destroy pistons. Detonation is the spontaneous combustion of the entire mixture all at once, or the entire remaining unburned mixture igniting all at once. Curiously Detonation is not audible. Similar conditions can lead to Pinging and Detonation, but it is important to keep the two phenomena separate in your mind. Pinging can occur without Detonation and Detonation can occur without Pinging.
3.) If you have the Delphi Fuel Injection System, the voltage required to ionize the spark plug gap during the power stroke is measured by the computer. This is used to determine if a Ping occurred (or is occurring). If the computer program algorithm indicates a Ping, the system will dramatically retard the spark advance for the next power stroke, as well as many following power strokes. This algorithm is designed to retard the spark advance enough and long enough to be absolutely positively certain that the owner/rider doesn't hear a Ping. This means that the spark retard program almost always retards the spark a few degrees more than is actually required. The computer then slowly adds spark advance back into the program with each subsequent power stroke until it reaches the normal program amount . . . or the engine Pings again. If the engine Pings again, then the whole process starts over. The logic is that you want to run the spark advance curve just shy of an audible Ping. But they program errs on the side of making sure the customer does not hear a ping. If the computer detects a Ping, it usually means that the timing will be retarded much more, and for much longer than is actually required to control the Ping. But . . . it does keep the owner happy and not complaining to the Dealer. However, know this, spark advance is Power and Fuel Economy; so the more spark advance you can get, and the longer that it can be maintained, the more power and the better the fuel economy will be. Running low octane fuel WILL set the system off much earlier and much more often than high octane fuel will. But because of how the system is designed, saying that you can run low octane fuel because you don't hear a Ping is an indication that the computer programing is working as designed, NOT that you aren't paying a price in decreased power and fuel economy for your choice of low octane fuel . . . because you are! Generally, running low octane fuel will NOT damage the engine and will not cause an audible Ping . . . but the fuel economy and the maximum power of the engine at any given RPM, Load and Throttle Position WILL go down due to the significant and frequent loss of spark advance as the computer keeps the engine from pinging by retarding the spark timing.
4.) Premium fuel from name plate suppliers (NOT discount stations) usually contains additional detergents that DO keep Fuel Injectors clean, Intake tracts clean, and prevent the build up of deposits on the back sides of the Intake Valves. All good stuff! Also because the fuel economy is reduced due to the reduced spark advance when running low octane fuel; I'd be willing to bet that running low octane fuel is actually more expensive on a cost per mile basis than higher octane fuel is.

 

It is not about saving money, it is about wasting it unneedfully. If you guys want to waste money then by all means, go waste it. High oct does not increase performance and Fuel economy and that is a fact. if your scooter is predetining then you have other issues that are not atributed to the oct rating of the fuel. Possibly carbon buildup from all them extra additives that come from the higher oct fuel or maybe you need to leanr to shift properly and quit lugging your motors.

As far as the extra heat, lower oct will build a little extra heat in the pipe. This is actually a benefit to HP. Heat in the pipe is a good thing when it comes to power. Only problem is keeping the heat in the pipe and not escaping out on to your leg.

 

Rat1 - You da man. You are among the few who have it right on.

 

Rat1 - just noticed you live only about 40 miles from me. Grand Forks........