Normal or High Octane?

[Eddieh93]

Maybe a thread for this already but what is people opinions/experience on both Petrols.

I have been experimenting recently to see if you can actually notice a difference between the two, and I must say I notice it massively! The High Octane pulls better, gets me up to speed quicker, gets me more speed(1-2mph), feels a lot smoother and generally makes the bike feel better.

I will always try and put High Octane in from now on.

Ed

 

[Ralph]

I cant tell any difference in power but my bike was one that cut out now and then just as you touched
the throttle to pick up the revs and higher octane fuel seems to help, the bike is so economical
it only adds pence if anything to the running costs so I tend to use it.

 

[Donut]

Maybe a thread for this already but what is people opinions/experience on both Petrols.

I have been experimenting recently to see if you can actually notice a difference between the two, and I must say I notice it massively! The High Octane pulls better, gets me up to speed quicker, gets me more speed(1-2mph), feels a lot smoother and generally makes the bike feel better.

I will always try and put High Octane in from now on.

Ed

Even if Super Unleaded gave an increase for the extra 5p to 10p per litre I'll stick to standard unleaded thank you.

 

[Nuggets]

I would have to agree with EddieH93, I think there is a difference using super unleaded, my head and science tells me there shouldn't be any difference, but personally I think it pulls better and the engine is more responsive.

Maybe it's the placebo effect?!

 

[Noggie]

Higher octane fuel will give you a smoother running engine, more power and lower consumption.

This was actually stated in an instruction manual on a car I had many years ago.
It stated that all power and consumption figures was based on 95 octane fuel, by using higher octane they would get better, with lower it would get worse.
Said car idled much better on 98 octane fuel than 95, but now a days 98 is getting hard to find.

On the consumption side it does not get much better, but you will probably get an improvement similar to the price difference of lesser octane fuel. Meaning the extra distance gained by the higher octane fuel is equal to the amount of lower octane fuel you have to add to travel an equal distance. So you would not loose on this.
Changing the fuel map to run on high octane fuel will get you even more power and improved consumption.

Remember, the engine is made to run on anything from crappy "jungle fuel", high sulfur US fuel, and high grade fuel, the stock map is a compromise, and getting I.e a power commander will custom map your engine to run on local fuel quality, usually with a gain in power, and a better utilization of the fuel, hence the improved consumption.

 

[CVSensei]

Does anyone know if mixing the two grades is a problem? I recently started using higher octane as well but it occurred to me that the tank was not empty when I filled up.

 

[spencer]

Higher octane all the way much better fuel consumption bike runs so much smother, i have found the shell V power the best to use so it worth paying the extra 6p a Lt. The only problem i have with shell is they keep telling me to take helmet off which i don't mind but give me someware to put it when i fill up, im not putting a 500 note helmet on the floor.

 

[Ralph]

No problem mixing the two but if you had half a tank of low and refilled with half a tank of high
you end up with something between the two, not a problem but it takes a few tanks to get were
you are running on high, for what it's worth Shell V-power is supposed to have less Ethanol in it
than other fuels, many engines have knock detectors and can vary the ignition advance for better
fuels the MT does not so cant take advantage from them but going off mine it seems to be right
on the edge of needing the higher octane and as it uses so little it does not cost much extra to
use it and that's what I do given the choice.