Should I put an additive in my fuel tank for the Baja?

[boxerguy]

I'm getting things organized for this Baja Mexico Group Ride on the 23rd of this month.  i've talked to various people regarding this subject and have gotten conflicting answers!  I've been told that unleaded gas in both regular and Premium is now widely available
in pretty much all major towns and cities.  Also they don't dilute the fuel with Ethanol, so I'm thinking the Premium stuff should be
also a higher octane and better for our bikes....

Would it be prudent to be proactive and use something while buying fuel down there?  Is there a product available here that is better
than others?

[szurszewski]

What is it you want this product to do? I rode a few thousand miles on my K1200LT back in 2017 and had no issues with the fuel from Pemex. Most stations had premium but we ran fine on regular. What am I missing?

[dirtrider]

6 hours ago, boxerguy said:

I'm getting things organized for this Baja Mexico Group Ride on the 23rd of this month.  i've talked to various people regarding this subject and have gotten conflicting answers!  I've been told that unleaded gas in both regular and Premium is now widely available
in pretty much all major towns and cities.  Also they don't dilute the fuel with Ethanol, so I'm thinking the Premium stuff should be
also a higher octane and better for our bikes....

Would it be prudent to be proactive and use something while buying fuel down there?  Is there a product available here that is better
than others?

 

Morning Boxerguy

 

Adding Ethanol (all else being equal)  actually adds octane rating to gasoline.

 

Your 2009 1200RT can run on regular gasoline without issue as it has knock sensors. It isn't something that should be done if it can be avoided but  it will operate OK on lower octane rated  regular if needed but will lose some power due to the spark retard.

 

Your bike has a lot of miles range (slightly less on lower octane fuel) so just buy premium when you can & use what you can find when you can't.   

[boxerguy]

Good Morning all

Thanks for both of your inputs...Guess I was just probably worried about nothing.  I spoke to someone
a month ago about mexican travel and he said he would never think of travelling there without fuel additives.
Apparently, he goes down there often.

I tend to respect the opinions and knowledge of the contributors on this forum more so than just a casual person
that I meet on the street!

[dirtrider]

57 minutes ago, boxerguy said:

Good Morning all

Thanks for both of your inputs...Guess I was just probably worried about nothing.  I spoke to someone
a month ago about mexican travel and he said he would never think of travelling there without fuel additives.
Apparently, he goes down there often.

I tend to respect the opinions and knowledge of the contributors on this forum more so than just a casual person
that I meet on the street!

 

Afternoon Boxerguy

 

What is that guy riding? He might be riding a high compression engine bike that doesn't have knock sensors while riding to areas with no premium fuel available.

 

 

[boxerguy]

Good Afternoon D.R.

He was riding a BMW K1600 ..."The Big Beast"

[dirtrider]

16 minutes ago, boxerguy said:

Good Afternoon D.R.

He was riding a BMW K1600 ..."The Big Beast"

 

Afternoon Boxerguy

 

I still question his need for an octane booster, has he even tried to use Mexican gasoline without an octane booster? If he hasn't tried without then how can he be sure it is doing anything for his bike?

 

If you really think you need (or want to use) an octane booster then keep in mind that a large number of over-the-counter octane boosters are basically snake oil with very little  gain  in actually increasing the octane rating.

 

Most of the better octane boosters (that you can actually find) contain "methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl" so you might look for that in the contents on the label of the octane booster that you are looking to buy.

 

Absolutely don't use advertising hype, or even container label improvement numbers, as a large number of octane boosters rate the octane boost in points but fail to point out the their points are rated in tenths so a 3 octane rating gain on the label might only be .3 (3 tenths of an octane rating gain).

 

Again, you shouldn't need any  octane booster on a knock sensor controlled motorcycle as long as the regular gasoline is not subpar to U.S. regular gasoline.   If the only gasoline found is real low octane crap then even an octane booster is probably not going to help as the very best rated octane booster (that is available in normal retail channels usually gains less than 3 points).    

 

You might find out what brand your 1600 guy is using (& recommending) then post it here so we can research it for effectiveness. 

 

 

[boxerguy]

Good Evening D.R.

Actually I only met this guy once, when I was grocery shopping.  He saw me parking my boxer and came over to strike up a chat.
I briefly mentioned that I was organizing a Baja Trip and asked him if he was interested.  I got the impression from our conversation
that he never tried running with no additives!  He said to me that Mexico was so backward and behind the times, that he felt better
knowing he was using an additive.
Right after he made that statement, I really started to question his wisdom in using additives.  D.R's first reply to this Topic really hit
it spot on.  From what I understand by talking to other travellers who have driven there in 4 wheeled cars and motorhomes, is that
Pemex is carrying Ultra Low Sulphur (15 ppm) diesel fuel,   reg unleaded and premium gas.

As far as the freshness of the fuel,  this is the high season for tourists down there, and I'm sure the gas stations are turning over their
tanks very frequently, which should guarantee good quality fresh fuel. 
Ok, so this leads me to my last concern,  water or contaminants in the fuel....How easy is it to change a fuel filter on these bikes??
I know the tupperware has to come off to access the fuel tank, as I'm pretty sure the fuel filter is inside the tank.

D.R. will probably chime in on this, I'm curious about just carrying a spare filter with me in case something goes weird with the fuel.
Is that filter change something that can be done with a limited quantity of tools?

 I always carry a deluxe set of metric tools when I ride anywhere as well as a pouch containing 5 ft of 14 gauge wire, Ring terminals,
butt connectors,  3/8 and 1/4 dr ratchets, ext bars,  breaker bars,  and all the Torx and Hex sockets that the bike requires! 

[dirtrider]

10 hours ago, boxerguy said:

Good Evening D.R.

D.R. will probably chime in on this, I'm curious about just carrying a spare filter with me in case something goes weird with the fuel.
Is that filter change something that can be done with a limited quantity of tools?

 I always carry a deluxe set of metric tools when I ride anywhere as well as a pouch containing 5 ft of 14 gauge wire, Ring terminals,
butt connectors,  3/8 and 1/4 dr ratchets, ext bars,  breaker bars,  and all the Torx and Hex sockets that the bike requires! 

 

Morning Boxerguy

 

THIS! , could be a problem as your 2009 1200RT doesn't have a replaceable fuel filter. I don't know why BMW went with a non-replaceable fuel filter  but that is just what they did.

 

The good news is I have yet to see a BMW 1200RT hexhead have fuel plugging related issue. There might be some but I haven't ever seen one.  

 

When I travel on my motorcycle(s)  I carry a set of motorcycle jumper cables in case I, or someone else, on the trip has a dead battery & I also carry a long "flat storing" tow strap.

 

I don't use the jumper cables often on trips but do on cold weather camping tips as someone always seems to have a battery give up & die on a cold morning.

 

But I have used the tow strap a number of times to tow someone's broken bike to a safe place to work on it, or wait for a trailer to arrive. The tow strap can also be used to tie side cases back on, or tie carried gear back on if there is a minor accident that causes the need.

 

I usually also carry some Zip ties, also carry  some electrical tape, some duct tape, & some mechanics wire wound on a pencil.

 

Probably not for every rider but a favorite carry on my bike(s) is a small cheap digital volt-ohm meter in a waterproof baggie-- This thing  is a lifesaver in an electrical emergency & can make the difference on (IF) someone on the trip can continue the trip or has to abort & return home due to electrical gremlins.

 

Another BIGGIE-- & something that every traveling rider should carry is a tire repair kit (tire plugging kit) & an air source. Also, once that you add in the tire repair kit be sure to replace the glue & plugs often (at least once a year or more often if possible)  as they can degrade in the heat of motorcycle carry. Personally I like the string type tire plugs as those allow odd shaped punctures or off-angle punctures to be repaired (you can keep shoving in more strings until the leak stops). With standard tire plugs you usually only get one shot at hitting the hole at the correct angle & place, if you miss then the tire won't hold air.  

 

You can possibly get by with a small hand pump or Co2 air fill kit but personally I carry a small electric air pump  with a short hose but long electrical wire (long wires take up less storage space than a long hose).  I have tried a number of small air pumps over the years but usually end up with a cheap automobile pump from Walmart that I remove the large plastic housing so only carry the small internal pump guts & no off/on switch, just plug it in to start pump.  I shorten the hose & lengthen the wires (so it can reach both wheels). I do fabricate a small aluminum guard for the pump drive gear but that probably isn't necessary for an emergency pump. My personal  carry pumps are older so have metal pistons but some of the newer cheap pumps have plastic pistons. Plastic piston will work in an emergency but the plastic will melt if the pump is used for longer duty (like blowing up air mattress).  

 

On my dirt bikes where weight is a big concern I carry a very light weight bicycle hand pump (weighs just ounces).

 

If you plan on riding at night then you might also carry a spare H-7 headlight bulb (another quirk on the 1200RT is they sure like to eat headlight bulbs). This is something that you will probably find out over the life of your bike.

 

You should also research the archives on this site for tips on how to install a 1200RT headlight bulb.  Installing a headlight bulb in the 1200RT  (especially the R/H one) can be a REAL TEST of your language & ingenuity  the first couple of times that you need to do it.  After you do a few bulb changes  it's no big deal but until you learn the tricks (that work for YOU) it can be somewhat of a challenge.

 

I carry more but the last thing that I will suggest is a (BRIGHT)  forehead type light that goes on your head. If you have problems at night (like plugging a tire) or other motorcycle problem then you will need both hands free so having a head mounted light is a big plus to working on or around your bike at night. It can also be a safety thing as  drivers can see you better with that bouncing, moving light on your head.  Even loading or unloading  the bike in the dark is much easier with a bright light on your head. For camping at remote areas it is a must.

 

Ok, maybe one more thing--either zip tie a spare key hidden on the bike somewhere (traveling alone) or trade spare keys with fellow riders. Your 1200RT uses a special key with an anti-theft pellet so if you happen to lose your key you will not ride the bike home without having BMW order you a new key & you have to prove to BMW that you own that bike.   

[boxerguy]

Good Morning D.R.

I am very glad that I brought up the fuel filter and Toolkit points in my last reply!  It triggered your most informative
and greatly appreciated reply.  I just assumed that my 09 had a filter as my 96 had one!  I had that one replaced once
throughout the ownership of that bike.
My last reply didn't quite go into all the items that I do pack, but now that you brought it up I do always carry (2) spare
H7 bulbs, (haven't had to change one yet), a tire plug kit with small Slime 12V pump(which I've tested). I also do carry
Various sized Zip Ties and Elec tape. 

We also own a German designed Smart Fortwo car and I have acquired  a very descriptive vocabulary of Expletives
associated with changing out the Headlight bulbs on it...Come to think of it, that car also likes to eat bulbs!
Must be a German thing!  I've logged a little over 4000 mi on this bike so far with no issue on the H7's...(touch wood).

What I did find very useful from your reply was the suggestion of the long tow strap and (Cheap) Multimeter!!  Here's
where I was on that Issue...I own a very large Robust Fluke (Super Nice, accurate and highly functional) Multimeter
that has saved my bacon when working on our cars, Semi, bikes etc...But I agonized when piecing together an emergency
toolkit for this bike, and opted to leave this great meter out of the equation for the sake of space!  

Your point is well-taken as just a cheap foreign made(chinese) (very small) unit that really only does continuity and DC Voltage should suffice for a roadside catastrophe situation!  Also the suggestion of a headlamp and spare key location
is well taken and I will adjust my emergency kit accordingly...

One question!  How long a Tow Strap do you suggest?  What length jumper cables? and Gauge? 
Also I have pretty much only been doing fair weather riding down here in the desert southwest.  If I wanted to bring
along something for a quick unexpected shower, what would you suggest?  Possibly a rain poncho? 
If we have plenty of advance forewarning of the weather and it looks like major rain, we are just going to not ride that day!

[dirtrider]

2 hours ago, boxerguy said:

Good Morning D.R.

One question!  How long a Tow Strap do you suggest?  What length jumper cables? and Gauge? 
Also I have pretty much only been doing fair weather riding down here in the desert southwest.  If I wanted to bring
along something for a quick unexpected shower, what would you suggest?  Possibly a rain poncho? 
If we have plenty of advance forewarning of the weather and it looks like major rain, we are just going to not ride that day!

 

 

Afternoon Boxerguy

 

Good question on the jumper cable length, I'm not sure as I have a number of bikes with each having it's own set of jumper cables. I haven't measured the length on any of them & they are all homemade. I have some made from #6 wire & some made with #8 wire with medium sized alligator clips on the ends. I would guess about 8 -10 feet long. (it just needs to be long enough to get from your bike's battery to another bike's battery plus a little extra).  If the length goes up then so must the wire gauge go down so if too long the wire size will get large & significantly stiffer/heavier.

 

On my 1200RT I roll the jumper cable into about a 9"-10" circle then squish  it to an oval, then place it in a double zip lock bag then carry it under the seat on top of the battery & rear shock  shock mount area.

 

Same on the tow strap, I use a 1" wide lightweight but very strong (like very heavy duty seat belt material) probably about 25'-30' long with a loop on one end. I hook the front (loop end) to the rear of the tow bike then do a double wrap around the L/H foot peg of the towed bike. Then the rider on the towed bike keeps his foot on the strap on the foot peg. At any sign of trouble, or if a problem crops up, the towed bike rider just lifts his foot & the strap pulls free.

 

This does require an off-set of the towing bike to the towed bike  but actually works pretty smoothly.

 

When off-road on very narrow trails the offset won't work  so I attach to the fork area on the towed bike with a double wrap then run the strap from the double wrap to the handlebar grip (towed rider just lets go of the strap & it pulls free).

 

On my 1200RT I wrap the 1" strap starting with a tight center to as large of a circle as it needs, then squish it oval & place in a double zip lock bag then store under the seat just rearward of the rear  shock upper mount. (strap is softish so will squish in there)

 

So basically on both the jumper cables & the tow strap just pick as long of length as possible  that will still allow easy storing under the seat.

 

On the H-7 failure-- it isn't a German thing it is an H-7 thing. If you look closely at the H-7 bulb you can see that the filament is very compact & tightly wound so it isn't very robust.

A number of older automobiles used the H-7 bulbs also  with high failure rates. Some ran the daylight headlights (on during daylight)  in series (during the day) as that reduced the failure rate considerably. Other cars (mostly foreign) used a special 'Long Life' H-7  (those worked but were expensive).

 

On my own 1200 bike I run the Osram 65 watt (it's an H-7 bulb with an H-9 filament) & those seem to last a LOT longer. Unfortunately they are not available any longer so once I run out of the few that I have left I will be searching again  (probably go to the more expensive H-7 Long Life). 

 

Another part of the BMW 1200RT H-7 early  failure is in how BMW brings the headlights on. They DON'T come-on a first key-on  at the static nominally  reduced  (under 12.5v) system voltage to slightly warm them  (like the 1100/1150 bikes). They stay off (& cold) until the bike is actually started so they first pop on from cold  at 14+ system volts.

 

 

 

[Green RT]

Don't waste your energy worrying about Mexican gas. Most of it comes from refineries in the US. They don't add ethanol anywhere that I have seen in Mexico. I live in Mexico and most of the kilometers on my bike have been with Mexican gas. I generally use premium (roja) but once in awhile, small towns will be out it. Regular (verde) works fine although I have never had to run straight regular.

 

As a side comment, the biggest problem with gas in Mexico is recent. The new President, AMLO, is trying to cut down on theft from the gas pipelines. People drill into the pipes and steal gas. So AMLO shut down the supply to the pipes and replaced it with gas deliveries by tanker truck. This resulted in a huge gas shortage that lasted for several weeks. It coincided with a cross country trip that I had planned so I ended up taking a bus instead of riding.

[boxerguy]

Good Morning Will and D.R,

Thanks for that input.  I had heard something about a month ago about a possible shortage due to the reason
that you describe. 
D.R. your suggestions on the cabling and Tow strap lengths and stowage is well taken. I wasn't sure how you would
stow all that stuff on a long trip and still have room for other necessities....Like a change of clothes, and more
importantly Beer!

The explanation of the H7 issue seems very plausible...Our smart car uses the 9003 bulb, I'll have to compare it
with the H7 to see if they are similarly wound...
I remember Ponch saying he switched his bike to an LED Conversion to get away from this nagging problem.
I might look at that option at some point in the future!

[gordiet]

I’ve ridden in Mexico a lot, both mainland and Baja and never had fuel problems. Just fuel up at a station that you see a fuel truck unloading. You might get a good dose of water there!

 

 GT 

[boxerguy]

Am I missing something on your post?  I don't quite understand why there would be more water in the fuel 
coinciding with a fuel delivery? 

[Luis RT12]

PEMEX premium gas has 92 octane, regular one has 89, I have a 2006 R1200RT and I always used premium with no issues whatsoever, the govt. Imposed gas shortage is gone, and on the two weeks it lasted I was forced to use a couple of full tanks with regular gas (premium was nowhere to be found at that time) I could not really feel any difference on using regular gas, bike behaved as always....problem free....let your worries be what is the choice of tequila to try that day...cheers and safe trip amigo!!

[boxerguy]

Good Day Luis.

Thanks for your reply, much appreciated!  I'm glad to hear this...It's nice to know about the Tequila....Just Curious
how did your bike run on it?

[Luis RT12]

Hi boxerguy, the first tank I used it on city driving only, the second tank I used it on  a road trip (around 300 kms or 186 miles), I could tell than on city driving the tank lasted a little less, I always reset the trip meter on every fill, and go re-fill when I hit around 300 kms on the clock, it usually takes 19 liters to fill up, on the first tank it took 20ish....not really nothing to worry, a part from that I could not feel a lose of power or acceleration...

 

Regarding my suggestion for a really good tequila is "Reserva de la familia" a must try when you are here, also do not discard trying a Mezcal which in the past few years has got a come back and you can find some very good ones,  try "400 conejos"...salud!!