Clint - Post 8 and 9 are what my post is in response to.
I will add a comment about the development of the M8 engine. In several interviews by various motorcycle magazines with the engineers that developed the M8 they referenced the 1,000 member focus group that H-D set up. They identified the top 10 criteria from that group's wishes for a new motor. In that top ten was mpg.
So the M8 which is bigger and more powerful has the EPA combined riding of 45 mpg as compared to the TC's combined of 42.
At age 65 three years after I retired I went to H-D because the Hondas and Kawasaki touring bikes that I was riding got in the range of 32 to 38 mpg at best. All the Harleys (34) since then have all gotten at least 50 mpg.
As I developed them I found ways to improve performance and longevity of the engine.
It may not matter to you or others. But this forum is about members bikes, the modification, the rides and related matters. If someone does not like my posts I could care less. Just don't read them. Some find it entertaining to comment on them and that is okay also. Just part of the experience.
I have offered in the past to the disbelievers to see for themselves how they run. Just pm me of your location and as long as I can still ride I will drop by with any one of them but the 13 Street Bob is the best example of how good a bike can run with my setup.
But for the trike folks the 15 Freewheeler with the 120ST is a great example also. The engine has over 16K since installed.
First almost all racing fuels spec for some alcohol in them. Why? Kevin Cameron explained that MotoAmerica specs the Sunoco race fuels they use with alcohol. It acts as a refrigerant to cool the incoming charge resulting in a denser charge. Alcohol evaporates much faster than gasoline. The denser charge is a wash in the slightly less BTU's in the alcohol so there is no power loss.
At 10% or less there is no detrimental effects on engines built in the last three decades.
Ten cents difference in cost between 87 and 91/93!!!! Maybe in the 70's and 80's but across this country I find it is 80 to 90 cents per gallon difference. I have seen a rare 50 cents difference and an occasional dollar difference. I tour on average for the past 3 years over 40K per year and about 4.5 gallons per fill. So I am averaging almost four dollars per fill and 6 to 7 fills per day on the road. That covers about one motel stay per three days on the trip. I do a few things that mitigate heat. A tank lift, oil cooler, power AFR, stock muffler with high flow intake(more torque), stock spark advance and periodic carbon cleaning and fuel injector cleaning.
I have proven over the past 15 years and 400K miles that a stock H-D can go ocean to ocean and Key West to the Arctic Circle without pinging by making them run as cool as possible.
Of course if you build your engine with cams, more compression, higher spark advance you will need the highest octane.
Is premium gas worth it?
Post#29 10-30-2017, 07:21 PM
lh4x4
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 12,982
Thanks: 601
Thanked 639 Times in 423 Posts
Clint - Post 8 and 9 are what my post is in response to.
It may not matter to you or others. But this forum is about members bikes, the modification, the rides and related matters. If someone does not like my posts I could care less. Just don't read them. Some find it entertaining to comment on them and that is okay also. Just part of the experience.
Post 8 and 9 were the ones I was referring to,also. Before you get butthurt again, re-read what you wrote above. That advice does work both ways, sir.
04-22-2018, 03:55 AM
