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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: kballowe on November 20, 2022, 09:58:26 AM
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What octane rating (USA scale) do you run in your Moto Guzzi ?
My '20 Eldo usually gets 91 octane. 89 in a pinch.
It has occasionally burned a tank of 87 octane when there was nothing else available.
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In my convert I burn 91 or 93 octane preferred on occasion 89 convert doesn't ping runs really well and it's a 1976
TOMB
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When we lived in CA Central Valley ran 91.
Now living in Colorado at 4500 ft (moved here a year ago) and running 85 with no pinging. Also MPG went from 45 to 59+.
Different fuel blend here? Don't know..just happy with our new home and loving retirement!!!
Ride safe and often,
Jeff
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We don’t have 91 in my area. 87, 89, and 93.
I too off at the close by non-ethanol station at the end of every ride before I park my bikes. They carry all grades in Non-ethanol.
If I am out and about and know I can’t get home before needing fuel I will add the needed amount to get me home of whatever grade non-ethanol is available, or 93 10% ethanol. That way I am reducing the % ethanol in the tank. I try and plan it so I have a gallon or less when I get home.
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Non Ethanol mostly. Unless I can't find it. 90 is usually what it is around here.
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I buy whatever the highest octane is as the station I am filling up at. I try to use Shell consistently; there are cheaper fuels available at independent stations, and I buy gas there for the mower and my Suburban (she drinks anything- I bet she would run on coal dust mixed with water!) but for a couple of bucks a tank, I stick with a known quantity on the bike. Large-bore, air-cooled motors are prone to ping in the heat of summer, so I want to give the Stelvio any advantage I can.
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On reading others were using 87-89 in their V9’s I tried it and can’t tell a difference between that and 91-95. No pinging at all but then we are going into winter so that could change in next summer’s heat. We’ll see.
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I don't think I've seen 93 in a long while. I buy non-ethanol 91 for all my bikes. Easy to find where I go. For my truck, always E-15 88.
-AJ
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Stelvio runs fine on 87 in all temps,non ethenal for winterstorage,91 for old bikes.
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I always try and run PREMIUM (91 or 93) octane in both my bikes when I can, but my Centauro GT will run just fine on 87 when needed... :thumb: :boozing: :cool: :wink:
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I opt for 98 because the 95 pump handle is yellow and the 98 is red.
My bike is red, so I thought it would logically be the way to go… :rolleyes:
Seriously though, the octane ratings for automobile gas (petrol), can not be relied upon to be as specified. Avgas @ 100/130 is certified correct and comes with a release note guaranteeing as much. I think we are probably being duped a lot of the time thinking we are buying the “good” stuff.
I am certain here in Oz, that the United stuff is garbage.
(https://i.ibb.co/xJMk4Vw/87-FB411-D-3307-4-F87-9-B89-81-F550-C2-E087.png) (https://ibb.co/xJMk4Vw)
When I did an Oz lap on my Triumph Sprint ST 1050, I would consistently get about 30 km more to a tank on Caltex Vortex, than the garbage from the Curry Munchers.
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I am retired from Weights & Measures. I used to take a lot of samples none ever came back as not up to labeled octane. Not delivering the correct amount of fuel not so much. But as the equipment wears it starts to favor the customer by dispensing more than the readout indicates. I used to get a lot of complaints about how my gas tank doesn't hold that much. Vehicle manufacturers state tank capacities lower than actual. I think so they won't be sued by someone who ran out of and got hurt or something similar. Propane dispensers were notorious for going out of tolerance. I was always red tagging those things.
kk
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I use 91/premium because in these parts, only premium comes as non ethanol.
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The 1st 6 months of ownership with the 98 EV, I filled the tank with 91 octane gas. Then I gave the 89 octane a try and have not had any ill effects (pinging in the Summer, etc) for 15 years. That's a lot in savings in fuel cost over the years.
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When we lived in CA Central Valley ran 91.
Now living in Colorado at 4500 ft (moved here a year ago) and running 85 with no pinging. Also MPG went from 45 to 59+.
Different fuel blend here? Don't know..just happy with our new home and loving retirement!!!
Ride safe and often,
Jeff
The biggest factor is altitude. You encounter reduced wind resistance and your motor is making less power due to the thinner air. This adds up to better fuel mileage as well as lowered octane requirements since pre-ignition is less likely with lower overall pressures.
It is also possible there are variants in required E10 or oxygenate content, but that's likely secondary to those other factors.
I can't answer the poll because the answer varies.
I tend to aim for recommended octane, but I'll go higher with hotter ambient temps and more aggressive planned riding or lower with cooler ambient temps, higher altitude, and/or more sedate riding.
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We don't have any choice here with barged fuel, only 87 winter blend ( that means stabilizer and iso added non ethenol) currently $7/gal. Til next summer.
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Local to me I can get 93 non Ethanol so thats what I run. When Im going somewhere without Ill run whatever I can get mostly. It really doesn't seem to like 87 when your running higher speed roads though. I dont hear pinging, but at times [like hills, at high highway speeds] I can feel the power loss.
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most time fill up ethanol free 90 octane on the road get 93 e10
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For years I only put 93 octane in my Norges, but recently I have been using 89 octane in my Norge and my v7 850 special; haven't noticed any ill effects of using the less expensive alternative.
Jon
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90 octane non-ethanol is available and not overly expensive here in Central Texas. My '04 Breva 750 has the nylon fuel tank and the former owner ran it on non-ethanol 90 and I faithfully carry on the tradition. In a pinch, I'd use premium ethanol fuel, but only if necessary to get me home. Hasn't happened yet.
Ralph
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my 72 Eldorado ,76 Convert and Honda SUV get any of the low grades but the V7 Special only ever gets hi grade Ethanol free, i justify this because it gets such good milage, about 60 MPG
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As far as I can tell, Guzzi has spec’s 90 octane (US method) for all , for decades.
I put higher octane in when that’s all they have, but there is NO value to the bike to run higher octane than spec’s by mfg. A properly running motor, at least in mostly stock configuration can not take advantage of higher than rated octane.
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87 in the EV. Whatever the non-ethanol is in the Griso.
When I'm on the road in the Griso I will put the 10% corn in there and for some reason it seams to get better mpg using the 87. I don't think you gain anything using the higher octane.
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Usually fill with 90 non-ethanol or if not available ethanol 91,93, or 89 in that order.
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I usually run 93 because that's what all the non-ethanol gas around here is... If I cant find non-ethanol, I put midgrade/91
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07 Norge - NON Ethanol Premium. The non ethanal to stop the gas tank expansion to plastic tank. 16 years later still as new size.
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I use 89 octane on all of my bikes and none of them ping. Occasionally I'll use 93 or non-ethanol gas and I've never noticed a difference in performance and I don't know when was the last time I checked mileage on any of the bikes.
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My husband hates fueling the bikes & scooters at stations (the Vespas tend to spit-up on themselves). He prefers to keep 5 gallons of stabilized gas at home, and top off as needed. Obviously, this doesn't work when we head to up to rim country. This means I usually don't have a clue as to what it is I'm putting in the tank, except that it's likely to be top-tier. That said, I've never seen him use premium.
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87 RM/2 in a Breva 750 at 4500 ft altitude. Rarely 89 or 91.
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2022 V85 Ethanol free 89. Runs quite well.
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I use high octane in bikes, particularly the air cooled Guzzis. Lug it in the wrong gear you might get some ping.
OTOH, I use cheap 87 octane in my Corvette. Can tell no difference using 91.
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Funny story...A few years ago, a group of us were riding at the annual Guzzi Rally in Datil, New Mexico, and it was dusk and we were out of gas at a rural station in Magdalena, that was about to close for the day.
My buddy was on his modern Victory Cross-Country at the time, and realized that the only gas at this station (closing in 15 minutes...) was only 85 octane. :rolleyes: :shocked: :huh:
He protested and said: "I only run PREMIUM in my bike and I refuse to put that lower octane gas in my tank!!"
The rest of us were filling our Guzzi's up and said: Well, I guess you're "shit out of luck!" :laugh: :grin: :thumb:
Of course, rather than be stranded with an empty tank, he finally gave in, and his bike ran just fine the rest of the weekend... :laugh: :grin: :wink:
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Took a road trip on a Harley Dyna Superglide "out west" and thru the Nebraska Sandhills. 87 octane was the only thing available once Lincoln, Nebraska was in my mirrors. Ran about 1,200 miles (of 3,500) on 87 octane fuel. Couldn't tell the difference. Of course, I was meandering along the 2-lane roads for most of the trip.
:boozing:
Really, the only issue was trying not to slip on the cow hockey.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52516813831_e87025467f_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52516839201_24faced174_b.jpg)
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On our "Road Trip" to the NORCAL Guzzi Rally in Susanville, CA, my buddy's GS1150 Beemer ran out of gas, just 1/4 mile outside of Tonopah, Nevada.
Luckily, I had about 25 miles left in the tank of the "White Whale" and I had a siphon! :wink: :thumb: So I motored up the road, filled her up and returned to save the day. :bow: :thumb: :boozing: :cool: :wink:
Morale of the Story - When the sign says: Next Gas 100 miles...pay attention!! :laugh: :grin:
(https://i.ibb.co/B4VTDsY/IMG-3144.jpg) (https://ibb.co/B4VTDsY)
(https://i.ibb.co/pZpJ7HX/IMG-3140.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pZpJ7HX)
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I live in Korea and often get gasoline on a US Army base, usually I put 91 octane. On Korean gas stations I only get the premium gasoline, which I believe is equivalent to 91 octane.
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I'm with Dilliw
I can't tell the difference in performance , but my V7II Herron head get better MPG on the 87 than the 93.
Grant ya ... If the RPM's fall below 1500 in anything but 1st gear ... I'm down-shifting before it starts "Rattling" :laugh:
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The only corn free gas I can find is 110 octane, at one station.
93 premium E10 when I don't have a choice.
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Back east, (New York), and back in the day, we used to have SUNOCO gas stations...and you could dial in the octane rating you wanted right on the pump...
Remember SUNOCO 260? :rolleyes: :shocked: :huh: :thumb: :wink:
(https://i.ibb.co/7nBKwJJ/Screen-Shot-2022-11-24-at-9-50-09-AM.png) (https://ibb.co/7nBKwJJ)
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Put 89 in my V11 yesterday and it did not like it starting rattling under load
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Put 89 in my V11 yesterday and it did not like it starting rattling under load
Go for a lower gear & higher revs??!!
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I don't think that I have ridden any of my bikes during the last three years, but my 1100 Sport's get 93 octane ethanol free when I'm riding around my area or when they are just sitting around unused in the barns, but I will also fuel up with 93 octane corn fuel when I'm out riding away from home.
Neglecting all of my rides.... Hard to believe that I have six or seven bikes in this barn just sitting there, waiting on me to start slowing down the work thing and start living again little.... :)
(https://i.ibb.co/xGDKSVq/IMG-0823.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xGDKSVq)
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Hey Medic Andy,
It doesn't do the bikes any good to sit either....start slowing down & living again, we ain't getting any younger.
Art
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I don't think that I have ridden any of my bikes during the last three years, but my 1100 Sport's get 93 octane ethanol free when I'm riding around my area or when they are just sitting around unused in the barns, but I will also fuel up with 93 octane corn fuel when I'm out riding away from home.
Neglecting all of my rides.... Hard to believe that I have six or seven bikes in this barn just sitting there, waiting on me to start slowing down the work thing and start living again little.... :)
(https://i.ibb.co/xGDKSVq/IMG-0823.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xGDKSVq)
Well if you ever decide to downsize I'll gladly take that yellow 1100 off your hands. That's one beautiful bike!
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I run 89 non ethanol, except during the heat of the summer I run 91 non ethanol.
I have run 87, but it pings if I give too much throttle.
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Funny story...A few years ago, a group of us were riding at the annual Guzzi Rally in Datil, New Mexico, and it was dusk and we were out of gas at a rural station in Magdalena, that was about to close for the day.
My buddy was on his modern Victory Cross-Country at the time, and realized that the only gas at this station (closing in 15 minutes...) was only 85 octane. :rolleyes: :shocked: :huh:
He protested and said: "I only run PREMIUM in my bike and I refuse to put that lower octane gas in my tank!!"
The rest of us were filling our Guzzi's up and said: Well, I guess you're "shit out of luck!" :laugh: :grin: :thumb:
Of course, rather than be stranded with an empty tank, he finally gave in, and his bike ran just fine the rest of the weekend... :laugh: :grin: :wink:
Some engines require high anti-knock fuel because of high compression. Some only because of being air cooled. IMO, the air cooled bikes run fine on low octane as long as they aren't sitting in traffic or ridden hard. I way I look at it, if I am averaging 50 mpg and ride 10,000 miles a year I am putting in 200 gallons of fuel. Today the average difference in my region is 75 cents a gallon. If I can't afford an extra $150 a year to follow the manufacturers recommendation I probably buy a more fuel efficient bike that is recommended 87 octane.
Now, if I am out in the country and there is only 87 non-ethanol available I will mix that in with 1/2 a tank of 93 non-ethanol instead of waiting until I am almost empty.
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On my trip to Moab in October I pulled into the first station I saw and put 5.997 gallons in a 6 gallon (manufacturer's rating) tank. I didn't expect to only get 31MPG in the Norge. Now I will fill up a little
more often.
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As far as I can tell, Guzzi has spec’s 90 octane (US method) for all , for decades.
I put higher octane in when that’s all they have, but there is NO value to the bike to run higher octane than spec’s by mfg. A properly running motor, at least in mostly stock configuration can not take advantage of higher than rated octane.
Hmmm. Now I've to think. I've been putting 91 ethanol free because I've been led to believe the ethanol is bad, fair enough. I think most people are running high octane to get the ethanol free benefit. But I looked yesterday and I can also get 87 ethanol free here. Which is more important, the octane rating or the ethanol content?
-AJ
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I run 91 in my Cal and Monster. No ethanol free gas in my AO. The Bonneville with the 800cc big bore motor will only run on avgas or VP racing fuel.
Larry
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What octane would you choose? I generally go with 90 non ethanol or 93 w/10% ethanol.
(https://i.postimg.cc/RhFvtd3m/IMG-9441.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ZBGktrFs)
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What octane would you choose? I generally go with 90 non ethanol or 93 w/10% ethanol.
(https://i.postimg.cc/RhFvtd3m/IMG-9441.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ZBGktrFs)
That's quite a selection you got there !
:bike-037:
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Why are all the different grades the same price? Premium is usually a lot more than regular. Both of my bikes run on regular.
kk
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All the same price when I filled up (and took the pic a couple weeks ago). Last time I was there prices were a little lower and interestingly 93 (10% ethanol) and 90 ethanol free, were 1 cent less than 87 and 89.
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This is just a wag, but I think I usually run 91,possibly 93 or 94,idk.
What I do know for certainty,is that I only run ethanol free gas,which is only available in premium gas and certain stations, ie Shell,Ultramar + ?
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I don't know of any ethanol-free fuel in this area. It's out there, somewhere, but I am simply unaware of it.
Three of our bikes spec 90+ octane, and the rest say "86 or higher"
So, those lesser species get good old 87 octane. The rest get 89 or 91. Usually.
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I don't know of any ethanol-free fuel in this area. It's out there, somewhere, but I am simply unaware of it.
Try searching this website for ethanol-free gas:
https://www.pure-gas.org/