Who Rode Today?

[dave s]

Is 91 really necessary? I’ve always used 89 in my 06.

The main reason I use super unleaded (97-99 octane) here in the UK is due to the amount of ethanol in the fuel
Supper unleaded has no more than 5%
Regular unleaded (us 89 or UK 95 octane) has 10% ethanol
Is this the same in US / Canada etc?

 

[Bumblebee]

When your 9 or 10 years old and using a rake it gets old fast. Lay out a piece of canvas about 10' x 10' and place them there and then drag them to the backyard burn pit. We had a push sweeper to... no power except the muscle it took to push it.

Yep, been there, done that and got that tee shirt too....I grew up on a beef farm....a place where work was not just a 4 letter word-joining the military was a break.

 

[Bumblebee]

The main reason I use super unleaded (97-99 octane) here in the UK is due to the amount of ethanol in the fuel
Supper unleaded has no more than 5%
Regular unleaded (us 89 or UK 95 octane) has 10% ethanol
Is this the same in US / Canada etc?

It's the same here...Shell and Esso have very little ethanol in their premium fuels...I burn that in all my small engines.

I'm too lazy to look it up but I remember my owner's manual calling for 91 octane or higher.

 

[Bumblebee]

I took out the ole GSXR 600 today. I'm still Vinyl wrapping the side fairings, so she is a little naked.

View attachment 1655995

Sure is a reminder that Suzuki likes their big booties......

 

[HayaWakened]

Is 91 really necessary? I’ve always used 89 in my 06.

An interesting topic for discussion ...

In my riding scenario the economic incentive for using a lower octane rating is minimal, maybe $2USD per tank.

But if I could buy 100 for the same price as 89, would it be better to always use the highest octane possible? What are the mechanical/chemical advantages gained by using a higher octane? Any disadvantages, price being equal?

 

[MonkeyButtRides]

Sure is a reminder that Suzuki likes their big booties......

The wife and I were just saying the same thing the other day.

 

[Bumblebee]

An interesting topic for discussion ...

In my riding scenario the economic incentive for using a lower octane rating is minimal, maybe $2USD per tank.

But if I could buy 100 for the same price as 89, would it be better to always use the highest octane possible? What are the mechanical/chemical advantages gained by using a higher octane? Any disadvantages, price being equal?

I'd say the biggest advantage of using premium is lower ethanol....higher octane gives a bigger bang and thus produces more power (as you already know).

 

[HayaWakened]

I'd say the biggest advantage of using premium is lower ethanol....higher octane gives a bigger bang and thus produces more power (as you already know).

I know there's a relationship between octane and the engine's compression ratio. If I remember, the Gen 2's is 12.5:1?? Thus the recommendation for a higher octane value (per the manual). Going back to Wuzza's comment, I believe it is fine to run a lower octane as long as early ignition is avoided.

 

[Bumblebee]

I know there's a relationship between octane and the engine's compression ratio. If I remember, the Gen 2's is 12.5:1?? Thus the recommendation for a higher octane value (per the manual). Going back to Wuzza's comment, I believe it is fine to run a lower octane as long as early ignition is avoided.

Perhaps but I'll stick to the manufacturer recommendation of 91 octane as a minimum.

 

[hayabuser]

I use 94 exclusively due to the fact that it's the only grade guaranteed to be 0% ethanol around here.

 

[Hayabusa Wannabe]

But if I could buy 100 for the same price as 89, would it be better to always use the highest octane possible? What are the mechanical/chemical advantages gained by using a higher octane? Any disadvantages, price being equal?

High octane is more difficult to ignite and a low compression engine may reflect that. My 5th gen VFR specifies a minimum octane of 86. Its starts are more labored with high octane. My yard equipment demonstrates the same problem. I have to painfully pull the starter rope many more times with high octane. It is like the plugs are wet at the beginning.

I'd say the biggest advantage of using premium is lower ethanol....higher octane gives a bigger bang and thus produces more power (as you already know).

Our gas stations are not required to reveal ethanol content and their customer service reflected exactly what the sign says by all grades on the pump, ergo it may contain up to "x" percent ethanol. The ethanol content can even be determined by station owners, thus I would require a lab test to tell me what I am buying. If you are in an area where it is law to succinctly ID the level of ethanol in each grade, (perhaps most areas) that is helpful.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

I know there's a relationship between octane and the engine's compression ratio. If I remember, the Gen 2's is 12.5:1?? Thus the recommendation for a higher octane value (per the manual). Going back to Wuzza's comment, I believe it is fine to run a lower octane as long as early ignition is avoided.

I’d forgotten that the Gen2s had a higher comp ratio. No ethanol around here either.

 

[Bumblebee]

High octane is more difficult to ignite and a low compression engine may reflect that. My 5th gen VFR specifies a minimum octane of 86. Its starts are more labored with high octane. My yard equipment demonstrates the same problem. I have to painfully pull the starter rope many more times with high octane. It is like the plugs are wet at the beginning.



Our gas stations are not required to reveal ethanol content and their customer service reflected exactly what the sign says by all grades on the pump, ergo it may contain up to "x" percent ethanol. The ethanol content can even be determined by station owners, thus I would require a lab test to tell me what I am buying. If you are in an area where it is law to succinctly ID the level of ethanol in each grade, (perhaps most areas) that is helpful.

Ethanol content is displayed on the pump here which is handy....I only use premium in all my small engines...my owners manual for my garden tractor and snowblower states only use premium fuel.

 

[Hayabusa Wannabe]

I only use premium in all my small engines...my owners manual for my garden tractor and snowblower states only use premium fuel.

I have never heard of yard equipment requiring high octane. I dare say, something is awry or perhaps even awheat.

Going by specs you have written, is that engine something like an EZT750? Kohler's (US) manual for that particular model shows a minimum octane of 87.

 

[MonkeyButtRides]

I have never heard of yard equipment requiring high octane. I dare say, something is awry or perhaps even awheat.

Going by specs you have written, is that engine something like an EZT750? Kohler's (US) manual for that particular model shows a minimum octane of 87.

My yard equipment gets treated like poop. I even dumped some of the strained gas out my 97 GSXR that had been sitting for 20 years (no storage prep) into my lawn mower. It coughed, joked, smoked and I told it to suck it up and cut the fricking grass or I would replace it with electricity.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

My yard equipment gets treated like poop. I even dumped some of the strained gas out my 97 GSXR that had been sitting for 20 years (no storage prep) into my lawn mower. It coughed, joked, smoked and I told it to suck it up and cut the fricking grass or I would replace it with electricity.

Wha’d it say?

 

[PeregrineKeith]

I’ll admit to riding the Harley a bit more lately due to the group I’m riding with more… but today I was on the Busa and can’t tell you how good it felt! Only a short ride through the SugarLoaf area and all alone so I could light the fires whenever I felt like it and man was it good!

 

[MonkeyButtRides]

Wha’d it say?

Does it matter? Grass has been CUT without electricity.

 

[Bumblebee]

My yard equipment gets treated like poop. I even dumped some of the strained gas out my 97 GSXR that had been sitting for 20 years (no storage prep) into my lawn mower. It coughed, joked, smoked and I told it to suck it up and cut the fricking grass or I would replace it with electricity.

I'm kind of OCD like that, I'm that guy that everyone wants to buy stuff from because they know it's cared for.....I even wax my snowblower and garden tractor....

 

[Bumblebee]

I have never heard of yard equipment requiring high octane. I dare say, something is awry or perhaps even awheat.

Going by specs you have written, is that engine something like an EZT750? Kohler's (US) manual for that particular model shows a minimum octane of 87.

From the owner's manual it does say 87 is acceptable however, ethanol has to be 10% or less....around here, premium is the only choice for that level of ethanol.

I use premium fuel in all my small equipment and always will as long as there is premium fuel and small equipment.