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    #1

    High octane

    Like so many others, I waste money buying premium fuel for my 1982 GS1100e (stock except for pods and pipe, 9.5:1). I always thought it was just extra, (if unneeded) protection against detonation.

    Now I've just read this recent post:

    "Since higher-octane "premium" fuel burns slower, you need to advance the timing several degrees to get it to complete its burn in time.
    With stock timing and "premium" fuel, the mixture is not being completely burned, robbing you of power.
    My suggestion here is to go with the factory-recommended "regular" fuel."

    Thoughts, comments? Gas money doesn't concern me, but "robbing you of power" certainly caught my eye. The above quote may be taken out of context, but it implies a bike would make more power with regular gas.

    Any truth in that?
    1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

    2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.
    Tags: None
    #2
    rob you are not loosing any power.
    going from 86 to 93 octane IMO does not change your seat of the pants feel.
    now if you buy "racing" gas aka 100 octane and up and if it's not needed it can take power away but....it smells sooooooooooo good

    Comment

      #3
      I've never used 86, always 92 or 93.

      So theoretically, I could gain a miniscule amount of power by switching from 92 to 85?

      What would you put in a relatively stock 1100EZ if you didn't pay for gas?
      1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

      2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

      Comment

        #4
        Higher octane fuel is "harder" to burn than lower octane. In engines with high compression ratios, low octane fuel may explode prematurely. Using higher octane fuel prevents the premature burning (knocking).

        I'm not entirely sure that it burns slower, but higher octane fuel can withstand higher compression without igniting.

        Read this:
        Octane rating - Wikipedia
        https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

        Comment

          #5
          I've always believed that if you didn't hear any knocking with regular, premium was just a waste of money. Since I don't pay for gas, I always got premium. But if I'll theoretically gain a teensy amount of power with regular...

          I might as well save someone a few pennies. Make my accountant proud.
          1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

          2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

          Comment

            #6
            you never really know what's coming out of the hose honestly...
            i would just do as you have been doing but that's just my opinion.

            Comment

              #7
              Originally posted by blowerbike View Post
              you never really know what's coming out of the hose honestly...
              i would just do as you have been doing but that's just my opinion.
              Will do. I know someone who built a bike like yours knows more than I do.
              1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

              2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

              Comment

                #8
                IMO premium fuel is a ripoff anyway. Most people don't know what octane does anyway, they think high octane fuel makes their ride faster (it doesn't). High octane fuel just prevents detonation in forced induction or high compression engines.

                Comment

                  #9
                  In hot waether my 1150 will ping if I try to get away with even mid grade. Mainly under load, or a quick roll on the throttle, if passing for instance.
                  sigpic
                  When consulting the magic 8 ball for advice, one must first ask it "will your answers be accurate?"

                  Glen
                  -85 1150 es - Plus size supermodel.
                  -Rusty old scooter.
                  Other things I like to photograph.....instagram.com/gs_junkie
                  https://www.instagram.com/glen_brenner/
                  https://www.flickr.com/photos/152267...7713345317771/

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Same here. I run premium during the spring and summer, mid-grade in fall and winter in my 1150.
                    "Thought he, it is a wicked world in all meridians; I'll die a pagan."
                    ~Herman Melville

                    2016 1200 Superlow
                    1982 CB900f

                    Comment

                      #11
                      If your engine pings, knocks or detonates, try a higher grade. If it doesn't don't. Almost all of my GSes have been fine without it, a few have pinged once in a while in hot weather, so on that one I used better grade in Summertime. One of my buddy's GKs detonated constantly once warmed up, but it had something wrong with it, the Premium fuel didn't help it much if any. A big waste if it's not needed, and I believe it does lose a bit of power if the engine is built for, tuned for and runs fine on regular gas. I'm also quite sure any power losses are much to small to check with any butt dyno. And on an engine with a problem such as carboned up combustion chambers or advanced timing among others higer octane fuel can be an effective band-aid.
                      http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

                      Life is too short to ride an L.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Gasoline companies do have "winter blends" and "summer blends" too. The fuel you get in the winter is not the same fuel as you get in the summer, even if it's the same exact pump with the same octane rating.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Originally posted by srg View Post
                          Gasoline companies do have "winter blends" and "summer blends" too. The fuel you get in the winter is not the same fuel as you get in the summer, even if it's the same exact pump with the same octane rating.
                          That was the case some years ago, though not sure it is now. The winter mixtures were ones with ethanol blended in, and switched in the summer to non blended gas. Now that 10% ethanol is in everything all the time, not sure we have those season blends anymore per se.
                          sigpicMrBill Been a GSR member on and off since April 2002
                          1980 GS 750E Bought new in Feb of 1980
                          2015 CAN AM RTS


                          Stuff I've done to my bike:dancing: 1100E front end with new Sonic springs, 1100E swing arm conversion with new Progressive shocks installed, 530 sprockets/chain conversion, new SS brake lines, new brake pads. New SS fasteners through out. Rebuilt carbs, new EBC clutch springs and horn installed. New paint. Motor runs strong.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Yeah, they still use seasonal blends in most areas:

                            What Is Winter-Blend Gasoline, Anyway?
                            http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/summer-blend-vs-winter-blend-gasoline-whats-the-difference-13747431
                            California might start using winter-blend gasoline early in a desperate attempt to bring down gas prices. But what is winter-blend gas, anyway?


                            Why Is Gas So Expensive at Certain Times of Year?
                            http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/fuel-consumption/summer-fuel.htm
                            Unfortunately for drivers, we often see the highest gas prices during the summer, starting around Memorial Day. In May 2022, U.S. consumers paid an average of $1.50 per gallon more than they were at the same time in 2021, according to AAA.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Originally posted by srg View Post
                              Yeah, they still use seasonal blends in most areas:

                              What Is Winter-Blend Gasoline, Anyway?
                              http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/summer-blend-vs-winter-blend-gasoline-whats-the-difference-13747431
                              California might start using winter-blend gasoline early in a desperate attempt to bring down gas prices. But what is winter-blend gas, anyway?


                              http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-e...ummer-fuel.htm
                              Guess we get one blend here, bad.
                              sigpicMrBill Been a GSR member on and off since April 2002
                              1980 GS 750E Bought new in Feb of 1980
                              2015 CAN AM RTS


                              Stuff I've done to my bike:dancing: 1100E front end with new Sonic springs, 1100E swing arm conversion with new Progressive shocks installed, 530 sprockets/chain conversion, new SS brake lines, new brake pads. New SS fasteners through out. Rebuilt carbs, new EBC clutch springs and horn installed. New paint. Motor runs strong.

                              Comment

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