Octane rating you use?

[Hotblack]

ARCO premium 92 for my 1150. ...And like dpep, noticeably better gas mileage.

There is no science I've heard of that supports getting noticeably better mileage by using premium fuels. 87 octane gasoline has the same potential energy as 92 octane, and gives up that energy easier. The technical reading I've done indicated that using high octane gasoline in simple engines designed for 87 octane fuel provides less power and lower mpg.

If you get better mileage or more power from using higher octane it means you were getting some pinging, whether you were able to hear it or not. And yes it's possible to have it and not hear it. I'm all for results, wether there's any science behind them or not.

Still I find the 750 runs fine on 87 most of the time, with the seemingly usual exception of hot weather and hard riding combined. The 550 absolutely never complains about 87 octane. I'd say that depending on your usual riding conditions it could prove beneficial to raise the fuel octane used in your 750.

[chrissinc]

Up here in Canada you can get as high as 94 octane, but generally for my '84 GS750EF which has fairly high compression I stick around the 90-91 octane mark. In my "official" shop manual it recomends 90 or higher. I have used 89 and in hot weather, or stop and go traffic, I can feel it pinging ever so slightly but its still very drivable. If I use around the 90-91 stuff the pinging goes away in stop and go and hot weather. I have used the 94 stuff but it didn't give me any more power or smoothness so I stuck with the slightly lesser grade. In colder weather I sometimes go to 89 octane to help the bike along a bit because it rarely warms up to full operating temperature near wintertime. If it is hot summer driving an extra octane level won't break the bank and will give you a bit of insurance in case your stuck in stop and go traffic. Especially on air/oil cooled bikes.

[mrquadriga]

Thanks everybody. I certainly learned something from this thread. -Pete '80 1100L

[Anonymous]

Me too. I never hurts to ask. And actually, It's been warmer up here lately, and I started running 92, and there's been a noticable difference in power and mileage.

[mrquadriga]

IGlenn, what part of the Land of 10,000 lakes are you from? I'm near the Iron Range.-Pete '80 1100L