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[buckeye bulldog]

What is the best octane for a 103 se with true dual rineharts?

[Fired00d]

Owners manual states minimum of 91 octane. Doesn't matter what the exhaust is by the time the fuel gets there it's already burned. Premium around here is 93 octane when I travel or I'm at places w/less then 91 octane I might add some octane boost.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Chains]

I always use 93 Octane

[HOGMIKE]

Use the highest you can get: 93 in the southeast, lowest is in NM at 90, we have 91  in SoCal....
Sometimes all you can find is 86!!
I'll dump in a little Lucas when it's on sale!

 

[SIX38]

Ditto highest available. I always carry some quality octane booster with me when I'm on road trips. More than once I fueled up in a one horse town somewhere and they were either out of premium or the engine pinged on the premium (?) they sold. The 110's really don't like lower octane fuel so the booster can give you some comfort level.

Tom P.

[yellowhog]

I agree...always use the highest octane available.  If you can't get 91, put some octane boost in.  Motors are too expensive to use low-grade fuels or lubricants...

[swat1]

Use 93, got a few buddies who built 113's they run aviation gas 100 octane about every other tank they swear by it

[Twolanerider]

I agree...always use the highest octane available.  If you can't get 91, put some octane boost in.  Motors are too expensive to use low-grade fuels or lubricants...

Low octane doesn't imply low quality.  Octane is just a measure several properties of the fuel.  Not a measure of whether it's "good" or "bad" or its cleanliness or even its additive package though.  Paying extra for a fuel with an octane rating higher than is required for your engine accomplishes only lightening your wallet a bit.

[grc]

Low octane doesn't imply low quality.  Octane is just a measure several properties of the fuel.  Not a measure of whether it's "good" or "bad" or its cleanliness or even its additive package though.  Paying extra for a fuel with an octane rating higher than is required for your engine accomplishes only lightening your wallet a bit.

It also can decrease fuel economy and maximum power as well.  Many don't understand that in these days of lead free fuel, higher octane ratings are acheived through the use of more of the lighter fractions from the refining process as well as through the addition of things like alcohol.  Those lighter fractions and the alcohols have less energy per gallon than the heavier fractions.  So if you use 93 octane in an engine designed to run 87 octane, you will in fact produce less max power and less mileage.  So you lose twice, first on the wasted 20 cent difference between premium and regular, then again as you get fewer mpg.

Best advice, use only as much octane as required for your engine to run knock free without constant detuning from the ECM.  And that would normally be the octane recommended by the manufacturer.


Jerry

[Twolanerider]

As Scott detailed there's just no gain in buying the higher octane fuel.  For those that are getting tunes done to their bikes you might even consider having the bike on the dyno with a tank full of 89 (or whatever).  Set the timing tables to avoid detonation with that fuel.  Then you never have to worry about what you find out on the road. 

[110tHunDer]

As Scott detailed there's just no gain in buying the higher octane fuel.  For those that are getting tunes done to their bikes you might even consider having the bike on the dyno with a tank full of 89 (or whatever).  Set the timing tables to avoid detonation with that fuel.  Then you never have to worry about what you find out on the road.  

+1.  Mine's tuned with 87.

[Twolanerider]

+1.  Mine's tuned with 87.

That's just too easy not to do Brian.  Got both of the bikes here dialed in with 89. 

[Chains]

That's just too easy not to do Brian.  Got both of the bikes here dialed in with 89. 

  Great idea guys I have been told the higher the octane the higher the heat in the motor, not sure if true or not, I am sure someone here will have an idea on it.  Will get mine tuned to 89.  Thanks for the money saving tip.