Apology To My Bike.

Just want to apologize for filling up with 87 octane regular gas today. Tiny mountain gas station didn't carry premium... Felt like I was punishing her, but 87 runs better than an empty tank so it had to be done! Okay, I feel better now.  :goofy:

FYI...

87 actually burns easier than Premium.

Only reason why Premium is recommended for high compression engines is it prevents pre-detonation (diesel effect)....Now the question is, does the compression ratio of our VFRs qualify it as engines that really needs premium gas??

I don't think that our owner;s manual actually suggests using premium on our bikes....

Frankly, I suspect that a lot of us are actually just throwing our money away putting premium gas in our bikes..

Premium is a waist in our bikes.  Mine actually runs better and gets better MPG on the 87 octane fuel.

FYI...

87 actually burns easier than Premium.

Only reason why Premium is recommended for high compression engines is it prevents pre-detonation (diesel effect)....Now the question is, does the compression ratio of our VFRs qualify it as engines that really needs premium gas??

I don't think that our owner;s manual actually suggests using premium on our bikes....

Frankly, I suspect that a lot of us are actually just throwing our money away putting premium gas in our bikes..

:1:   

:lurk:  

Burning premium in an engine that doesn't require it only increases hydrocarbon emissions out the tail pipe.  Our 5th gens do not require premium and running it results in a slightly slower burn which causes the increased unburnt HC in the exhaust.

So don't feel bad, Ben.  Regular gas is the recommended fuel for our bikes.  Since your bike doesn't have a catalytic converter you weren't doing any harm putting in premium.  Maybe you can save some money and buy some farkles to make it up to her...

Premium fuel is a waste of money in VFR's but as long as you feel warm and fuzzy inside about using it that is all the counts.

Rollin

Premium fuel is a waste of money in VFR's but as long as you feel warm and fuzzy inside about using it that is all the counts.

Rollin

Thanks Rollin. What would we do without your characteristically witty wisdom. I'm serious. Every now and again I feel as if I need to give her a tasty treat. It's ridiculous. I'll save the change and work up to one of Sebspeed's gear box covers.

87 here.

I'm an 87 convert as of late as well.  I get an extra 1.5 MPG, and no ill effects.  FI bikes are a little different, I know.

It all depends on what the engine's tuned for.  Performance engines are often tuned for high octane fuel.  If you put 87 in an engine tuned for 93, your engine will eventually start knocking (pre-detonating fuel).

Higher octane has higher potential due to its slower burn, but the engine has to be tuned to take advantage of that slower burn.  If you're running with a Power Commander, you may be able to tune the bike for high octane and gain that power.  A standard tune sees no benefit (power, longevity) in using higher octane.

I've heard different stories on the different brands of fuel.  From my understanding, 87 is fairly similar across the board, with higher octanes receiving more and differing additives.  But a Shell gas station isn't owned by Shell Oil, they're just franchises.

7th gens want premium. Thats because they are better :-)

You guys have finally convinced me to try 87 octane in my '91.

The MOM says 87 is recommended, or even that E10 crap is OK. :wink:

My bike gets the cheap fuel, 87 octane.  Save your money on fuel, put the savings toward tires.

(Hint: it's all marketing tricks.)

when i was at MMI. we ran a bike on the dyno and tested different fuels. 

 NO difference in HP on pump gas. .

moth balls got tiny boost but made the bike run like crap at few spots.

 $25 per gallon race fuel added less than 2 HP.

  if i remember right the gas that cost close to $100 added about 5hp.

so. i run 87  :happy:

We don't got no steenkin' 87 here; we use 91, 95 and 98.

You keep running that high octane stuff, Ian, and sooner or later your bike will burst into flames and you will crash and die!

I use 87 regularly but wish it was pure gas.  I sometimes buy pure gas when I am near an outlet that sells it.

My 2 cents....... I run 87 reg. , but always go to name brand stations for the additives.

Note: Cheap stations may or may not have additives, depends on where they get their fuel from, but NB's "DO" have additives.

You can Google which brands have the best. 

Well I feel foolish. My last 4 bikes have all been carbs and I'd always been told to run premium in any small or performance engine. Looks like I'll be trying 87 some now can't argue with extra money in my pocket.  :wacko:

I must apologize to my redslut..............

Realizing I would not make it back to Luxemburg this afternoon (fuel about 30 euro cent per litre cheaper than Germany) I had to pump some...  The gas station had 85 octane, really cheap....   I thouhgt, it will be 5 litres only.....

Well................

It is a bit like getting your date drunk on really cheap wine... and she knows you are feeding her realy cheap wine...

Mind you, she will still do the business, but not very well.....  

In short, she runs like crap.  Will stop running at idle, will cut out if I slow down with a closed throttle...

Exhaust note changed, sounds crap....

Sorry honey, you will get proper gas in tomorrow....

I will never ever do that again...

In Spain as in Noo Zeeland... 95 and 98... Honda recommended 95 for the VFR

Octane numbers vary around the world depending on the ratings system used. So an 87 octane in North America will be a higher octane number in other countries. To the best of my knowledge it has to do with RON, or MON, or AKI (R+M/2) ratings. 

I feel guilty every time I fill with "ethanol enhanced" gas. Unfortunately, here in NY that is about all I can get.

Fed her some 98RON this morning and after a little while she ran fine again.

I ran her with the 85RON for some 50 miles (wanted to get out rather then mix it with new fuel).

Any or no chance that the engine was damaged?

No chance of engine damage, but you can check your spark plugs if things still seem off after 2-3 more fill ups with "normal" gas.

I had some confusion about octane when I bought my 03 aprilia about 5 years ago. The Mom specified an octane number higher than we have here.

Figured out the numbers are different from US to Euro, OK fine.

The Italian supermodel needs the good stuff.

The VFR, 5th gen at least, is not such a diva about what it drinks.

Less of a guzzler too. :laugh: