Octane

[waltconrad]

the manual on my 05 955 calls for 90 octane.  they sell 89 and 91 here.  What do you all use?

[John Stenhouse]

UK sells 95 and 97 so it isn't an issue here. Which one is cheaper, one octane rating either way shouldn't make a difference.

[abruzzi]

I run mid grade in my 03--88 in New Mexico (using the (R+M)/2 method European octane's use a differend scale, RON, I think.)  Try the lower grade, go wide open in 4th or so at around 3000rpm.  If you hear pinging, back off, and go higher at the next fill-up.


Geof

[Stretch]

I've been using 87 for ages with no issues.

[cbxtc6]

I've been using 87 for ages with no issues.

+1  Why spend more?

[Stretch]

For real.  The engine doesn't knock (at all) and still runs like Jack The Cheetah on angel dust.

[katoomon]

Hey,whodidthespellcheckon"octain?"  

I was just getting used to it.

[Sasquatch]

With the off road tune, my bike runs fine on mid grade.  Will ping a bit on regular if it is loaded hard.

[looch]

UK sells 95 and 97 so it isn't an issue here. Which one is cheaper, one octane rating either way shouldn't make a difference.

That's because Europe and the UK measure octane in RON, while here in NA we use MON. So your 95 is our 87 and your 97 is our 89.

[waltconrad]

The Chuck the Triumph Mech in Vegas says it runs fine on 87. That's what i've been using and it runs fine.

[pit0rz]

87 here too, never a ping.

[John Stenhouse]

Am I wrong in thinking the efi should sort out any pinking?

Is that just wishful thinking  :roll:

[Stretch]

Not so much the EFI itself, but the ECU that controls the EFI... sensing the different parameters that contribute to poor performance and detonation, and changing the mixture to compensate for less-than-optimum conditions.

That's why today's cars are producing 60's muscle car horsepower ratings on today's nasty-assed pump gasoline, and still making less smog.

I remember the mid-70's American V-8's (hell, I had a couple)... anti-smog engines tuned terribly lean so as to emit less pollution... 351 cubic inches (5.8 liters), and a bit more than 125 horsepower.  Pathetic.

Now, smaller engines (5.4 liters) are churning out more than 500 hp, and run even cleaner than the 70's anti-smog engines, all due to better designs and electronic engine management.