Anyone have a gas preference?

[willie]

I got to thinking today about possible performance issues related to brand of gas. I can say from experience that my MINI has a "preference" for Chevron. There's a considerable difference in performance when using Chevron vs off market brands. I thought I'd start comparing brands in my GS1100GK to see if there's a difference in performance in that too.
I'd like to know if anyone else out there has experienced a difference in the performance of their GS based upon brand of gas. If so, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to hear about it.
Thanks,
Willie in TN

[GS1100ez]

as long as i dont use the ultra cheapy gas im good
i tend to stop off at sunoco for fuel in my bike and my jeep
there is a "Delta" which is about 10cents cheaper for mid grade (which is what i put in my bike and jeep)
but with its mid, hell its premium my jeep will ping real bad, where good gas mid is good no pinging

so as long as its not no name brand i have no problem with it

[TheCafeKid]

Obviously, one doesnt want to use "high octane" unless you're running higher compression via a bore kit or something like that. 87-89 is good. However, around here, ALOT of our stations are using at least 10% ethanol. NONE of my GSs have a particular distaste for it, HOWEVER, I find that when I go to Kentucky, or Indiana, who dont (at least i havent seen it) use ethanol in their gas, the bikes seem to run better, and smoother. At home, if its not completely out of the way, I will fill up at Sonoco, because the DONT put ethanol in their gas. Another thing I have heard is that in Indiana and Kentucky, 87 octane IS 87 octane. Its not a blend of octanes with an average octane of 87. Ohio is not as strict on fuel purity as the surrounding states for some reason. Not that i think the GSs would have a problem with 85 or even 90, but its nice to know you're getting what you're paying for...

[seuadr]

i like shell. the bike seems to run just a little better on shell. could it be my imagination? sure. but they are usually the same price so meh

YMMV but i tend to carry a bottle of chemtool in my bag and if the bike isn't happy, a few capfuls usually seems to clear it up. out here in the country the gas seems to be spotty sometimes

[Duro5341]

Sunoco Ultra 94 has no ethonal in it at all....this is coming from a reputable rep.

Duro

[Grandpa]

In 23 years of GS ownership, I got whatever regular unleaded gas was available. Absolutely no difference in how the bike ran. I owned four GS850G's and a GK.

Now I have a Yamaha Venture. I buy whatever gas is available, regular 87, and the big bike runs great, no matter what fuel.

Folks, as long as the motorcycle you ride is designed to accept regular fuel, and as long as the unit is in good state of tune, brand of fuel should not make a bit of difference.

Nick Diaz
Middletown, MD

[Commodus]

I like the burny kind. As in, if it burns it's good enough.

Okay not quite, but it's been my experience that if the bike is running properly it shouldn't be super-sensitive to fuel choice. Allowing high-compression engines, of course.

[rphillips]

I'm with Grandpa, Back in the day did a lot of street & strip drag racing. Tried namebrand vs. cheepo brands, no difference. Higher octane, no difference without higher compression.

[chef1366]

Pinto beans really set me off.

[sharpy]

Around these parts BP ultimate is the go for those in the know. Shell have too much crap in it and caltex is just crap. Oh and i use 100 octane in my tank running a 50/50 mix and the exhaust runs white just like old times. And no its not lean before u say anything. lol

[bwringer]

Dittos to what Grandpa said. I use whatever's cheap and ride the snot out of it, and it's never made the slightest bit of difference in at least a dozen states and a dozen years.

If your GS is touchy about gas, you're either riding an ultra-high-compression drag racer on the street or you need to fix your motorcycle. Most of the time, it's the latter...

Some newer bikes are indeed made to require higher-octane gas. These are bikes you won't find me buying, either. I already went through that little scam when I bought a VW Passat several years ago, and unexpectedly found that gas was only one of the many things that cost more for no real reason on that car... I digress.


All or almost all of the pump gas in Indiana is 10% ethanol. The difference here is simply that they don't have to tell you about it. Most stations here don't label at all. Some will have a label that says the gasoline may be up to 10% ethanol, or they might use the term "oxygenated" or "formulated for cleaner air".

But I don't care because it doesn't matter.

[TDC]

I try to run gas without ethanol. On my CB350 it makes it a lot easier to get the oring back on the float bowl when I'm messing with jets and such. I haven't gotten into the carbs on my GS yet, but I imagine it will help.

Josh

[jpaul]

IMO the problems that some people see from using the no name off brands are because of contamination in that one station's tanks. I have no loyalty to any particular brand. I use Speedway almost exclusively because with the Speedy Rewards card I rack up enough points to get a $100 cash card twice a year, but gas is pretty much gas.

[focus frenzy]

my 1000G with a 1mm over bore runs only on premium and would still clatter when throttle war rolled on under 3000rpm.

Rosie my 1100E is like a briggs and stratton lawn mower engine, nothing seems to bother her, heck I am a bad daddy and she has been parked collecting dust now I have the SV, and the gas in her is a year old. yesterday I changed her oil and filter, aired up her tires and took her out and after clearing her throat she runs like a champ on that old gas.

Japcatti my 1KSVN is fuel injected and I have not noticed any difference between brands but have noticed it does not like premium. you can give it a bit of gas to pull away from a stop and on premium you have a good risk of it coughing and dieing, making you look like a rookie. on regular it never does it.

with my Focus I can get a variance of up to 2mpg dependent on the gas brand, the worst mileage is with Exxon and the best is with race trac gas. but the focus is a ultra low emissions vehicle and has a rather sensitive feed back fuel system. feed back systems are just now starting to become common on new bikes.

[twiggy2cents]

i use nos energy drinks am i the only one?