Gasoline grade make a difference?

[MarcF]

Just curious - what grade gasoline is best in the '04 1150RT? Is any one grade better than another for this bike? I'm about to go fill my first tank of gas on my "new to me" RT. Wooohooo!!!! Yeah!!!!

 

Thanks,

Marc

 

[SKYGZR]

Personally, Highest Octane available always in the Scoots, lowest in the Cages. Scoots don't take that much, where as Cages do.

[tvpierce]

Some have noticed pinging if they run anything other than Super. I run Regular in my '96 and have no pinging. In the interest of science, I ran Super for a few tanks... I noticed no change in performance, and no change in fuel consumption (and I calculate my mpg on every fill-up).

[dirtrider]

Morning Marc

 

That's an easy one to answer. Just look in your owners manual & they will tell you what you need to use. Of if no one has removed it look at the little sticker on your bike next to the fuel filler cap.

 

Just be sure to pay attention to the rating suggested, RON or AKI (R+M)/2). You might need to convert.

 

 

[Selden]

Personally, Highest Octane available always in the Scoots, lowest in the Cages. Scoots don't take that much, where as Cages do.

It depends on the cage; my per mile fuel costs are about the same: Fit: 37-40 mpg highway; RT: 43-46 mpg highway. The Fit is more comfortable; the RT is more fun.

[Bob H.]

I have always run high test 93 octane or higher and yes it does make a difference in power and miles per gallon.

[MotorcycleWriter]

Running lower octane in my '02 causes pinging under acceleration. Long term pinging can cause piston damage.

[George S.]

One other thing- If you fill it, use it! "Modern" gasoline formulations now start to turn to varnish after sitting only a few weeks in the tank. Use a fuel stabilizer for storage or if you don't ride much.

[4wheeldog]

Mid grade should be sufficient for your '04. You can use regular at higher elevation (Above 5000'). The biggest difference in fuel these days is ethanol content.....The more there is in it, the more gas you will use. My '02 loves it when I find some ethanol free. Some places, premium is available ethanol free. I will use that, when I can find it.

[tgregg]

I used to be in that business and the reason I run the "good stuff" is the cleaner package is usually higher so it helps keep injectors working well. Octane is also important especially in an engine not cooled by water. Temps can get hot and cause destructive detonation. Like stated before, high in bikes, low in cars!

[breyfogle]

Just curious - what grade gasoline is best in the '04 1150RT? Is any one grade better than another for this bike?

 

IMHO, you should run the lowest octane brand name gas that does NOT ping for the way you ride your bike. If it pings, try the next higher octane. Repeat.

[MotorcycleWriter]

My '02 loves it when I find some ethanol free. Some places, premium is available ethanol free. I will use that, when I can find it.

 

Ethanol free gives me about 1 mpg and it's about 25 cents more expensive per gallon. Really can't tell any difference in performance. The biggest performance difference I note is when the weather is cooler.

[4wheeldog]

My '02 loves it when I find some ethanol free. Some places, premium is available ethanol free. I will use that, when I can find it.

 

Ethanol free gives me about 1 mpg and it's about 25 cents more expensive per gallon. Really can't tell any difference in performance. The biggest performance difference I note is when the weather is cooler.

 

Well, my experience is up to 10% better mileage with the ethanol free stuff. So premium, under those circumstances, is well worth the difference.

(This is only true with the RT. Cars/pickups do not seem to care near as much). With the beemer, I would happily pay full price for the real gas, they could keep the ethanol. Just sayin'.

[MarcF]

Gents - thanks for the input.

Marc

 

[jbr7t]

I don't have any scientific data to support this, but my 04 1150RT ran great on premium. I tried mid grad a couple times and it just seemed to run rough. Just my 2 cents

 

[Polo]

I have always run high test 93 octane or higher and yes it does make a difference in power and miles per gallon.

 

If you've always run 93, how would you know there's a difference?

[Ozonkiller]

On the dyno the lower octane (87) was good for a couple of ponies. On the road the higher octane is good for about 7% better mileage as measured on a '96 RS over 154,000 miles.

[OlGeezer]

If you use a gasoline with a lower octane rating than what is recommended, the anti-knock sensor will retard the timing to protect the engine and you will have less power. I'm not positive, but I think the oilheads use midgrade and the 1200s use premium. It's based on the compression ratio. Just think, the recommended fuel for the K13S is 98 octane which is unobtainable except at stations selling racing fuel. A friend of mine who has a K12S says it does make a difference. He has also pulled wheelies in the first three gears on his K16GT, so he does have a tendency to grip it and twist it a bit more than I do. For me, it's about dollars per mile. I've always been told that running a fuel with a higher octane rating than what is recommended is not only a waste of money but also not good for the engine, but I can't provide data for that statement so it's just heresay.

[4wheeldog]

Oilheads do not have knock sensors......Other than your ears. Mid grade is plenty for oilheads, unless it is really hot out. Then, 91 or better helps keep from the dread detonation. At elevation, (Above 5000') regular works fine, except that mid grade may help if the temp get up to 100 or more.

[Upright]

My RT seems to happily drink whatever I fill 'er with, so I run regular.

[JamesW]

Nope, no anti-knock sensors on beemer bikes.

 

If I lived where I couldn't get non-ethanol premium I would probably run regular or the mid-grade but not the premium ethanol because I would think that the chances of getting bad gasoline with possible phase separation would be greater with the ethanol premium simply because few people opt for the pricy premium these days. Hence, the ethanol premium is probably not as fresh as the cheaper grades.

 

Really glad I can find non-ethanol premium. Even use the stuff in my lawn mower.

 

Really tired of there being 48 states with each one having different laws that deal with everything from taxes to what's in motor fuel. 48 ways to re-invent the wheel, duhhhhhh....

[mneblett]

Nope, no anti-knock sensors on beemer bikes.

Not correct -- there are knock sensors on my R12RT.

[JamesW]

Uhhhh, excuse me Mark but this is the oilhead forum and a 1200 is most definitely a hexhead. I suppose you could get pissy and correct me for saying "all beemers" and to that I would say....duhhhhh. I surely don't know if a hex head has a knock sensor nor could I care as I shall never in this lifetime own anything newer than my '04(oilhead)RT. There, I feel better having said all that.

[BIWOZ]

I know your ratings are different from ours (AKI vs RON) and we have 91 RON ULP, 95 RON PULP and 98 RON. As a 'rule of thumb", I believe if you multiply our figures by 0.95, you get a rough approximation of yours.

 

So:

 

91 = ~87

95 = ~91

98 = ~93

 

When available, I run my 04 R1150RT exclusively on 95RON, or if necessary on 98RON (Gawd that gets expensive!). I wouldn't say it's exactly unhappy on 91, it just doesn't seem as willing to get up and boogie.

 

Won't use ethanol.

[OlGeezer]

Thanks for the clarification/correction.

[OlGeezer]

Nope, no anti-knock sensors on beemer bikes.

Not correct -- there are knock sensors on my R12RT.

 

And the new K bikes...