Pandora's box subject I know
According to the owners manual it states 91 octane fuel (RON ) is fine
BUT page 14 of the workshop manual supplemental states 95 Octane or Higher is recommended
And since my bike had sat for a while and needed some love and a heap of servicing despite being serviced by a Dealer just before I bought it I have been using 98 BP Ultimate for the last 3 tanks and the bike seems to be getting smoother and generally more willing to run harder and seems just happier if that makes sense
Now I have worked in the fuel industry as a Tanker Driver for quite a few years and have seen what does and does not go into different fuels here in New Zealand
Mostly Here in NZ all the base fuel is exactly the same product I.E 91,95 ,Diesel for the main four players BP, Z(Shell), Mobil, Challenge with the main exception being Gull fuels with a different supply
The biggest difference in the fuels is their own additive which gets injected into the fuel at the supply point when being loaded from the base product tanks being either 91 or 95
BP 98 is imported into NZ and distributed from a couple of supply depots based around the country
So which is correct the owners manual or the workshop supplemental
Usually a cleaner type of fuel will take 2 tanks to see any type of difference
Generally use Gull 91, but when I feel like it I treat it to a drink of 98.
From what I understand, it's a low compression engine and does not require 95 or 98.
However, I too throw the odd tank of 95 (or 100 even) through it if it's been nice or I'm feeling generous.
Quote from: Kiwifruit on Friday, 12 March 2021, 11:33 AM
Generally use Gull 91, but when I feel like it I treat it to a drink of 98.
Just out of interest what sort of range do you get from Gull
I am curious if you get more or less to a tank on Gull due it being ethanol blend fuel
In my car/cage I get nearly 700 kms out of a tank of BP 98 and struggle to get 600km's on BP 95 octane which is the minimum you can put in the car
On Gull 98 I can only get 550 to a tank same driving same driver
Car is a Dinosaur 2005 Subaru Legacy with a 3.0 ltr 6 cylinder 5speed Auto
Currently getting 280 ish km's to a tank on the 1400 with BP 98
Generally I use 98 or 99 , but sometimes when I can't find 98 or 99, I have to take a drop of 95 to get forward :stir:
@Kiwifruit That's what the odd behaviour your has occasionally, it'll be the Gull Ethanol blend, betcha. Would be a real eyeopener if it was eh!?
As has been said 95 (that being the minimum in the U.K.) is fine. However I used to run my 14 exclusively on 98 octane fuel and - as you have already said
@Grumpy old man it does run smoother and is a little more crisper. I used it more for the additives to keep the inside of the engine cleaner and it did seem to work for doing that.
I now run all my vehicles on the higher octane fuel exactly for the detergents and other cleaners added to the fuels whether they need the higher octane as standard or not.
Not at all sure i do correct thing but my way is, 91 most of the time. A tank of 95 or 98 every so often. Both have cleaners. I dose twice a year with Wynns cleaner, only available at workshops, brilliant product. My other trick is 5 litres of E10, use it all in one ride. Ethanol mixes with any water in tank, just burnt thru motor. My tank is spotless inside. Thats my way. I always fill with premium after E10.
I avoid E10 as my 14 runs slower, rougher & uses a lot more fuel on it. I can feel if I've put the wrong stuff in when abroad every time. I don't bother with premium 98/99 though, so having never tried I can't say if it runs better on it.
Of course just to muddy the waters further, if you've got an ignition advancer it might be worth using premium to prevent pre-ignition as you'll be running 4 degrees advance over the design setting in higher gears.
Only the first 4 with Healtech Hooli.
True, I was thinking of the mechanical ones that do all six gears.
@Grumpy. With spike modded 24lt tank am happy to run to 330-340. Be interesting to run it right out. Use Gull as they are at the bottom of the road and they send me a bit of work. Don't know anything about fuel brands. Was told BP98 was the best fuel but l cannot tell the difference.
Don't think its the issue Col as l can park it up overnight after having a sense of humour failure and it will start and run faultless on the same tank of gas the next morning.
Mine was on 98 when I got it...did that for a couple of tanks
Now back to 91... no loss of power...slightly better economy
My concern is the gauge...I don't know when to panic
When the symbol flashes?...or does the last bar flash ? (haven't driven far enough to know)
Mate, think bar flashing is around 100ks, both flashing gets me to work. 18k. Have done that a few times.
Quote from: 1AW022 on Friday, 12 March 2021, 08:07 PM
Mine was on 98 when I got it...did that for a couple of tanks
Now back to 91... no loss of power...slightly better economy
My concern is the gauge...I don't know when to panic
When the symbol flashes?...or does the last bar flash ? (haven't driven far enough to know)
Symbol flashing is 1 1/2 gallon left.
Symbol & bar flashing is 1/2 gallon left.
Book figures, I've managed 40-50mile with both flashing once as every petrol station had gone into hiding.
First bar flashing
Peterhead to aberdeen(bridge of don on the northern outskirts )
34 miles
Everything flashing ellon to aberdeen (same petrol station in bridge of don) 15 miles and was sputtering for the last few if the throttle was opened more than a touch.
:cheers:
Two petrol stations where I live , Esso and BP. Bp serves 95/97 ron and Esso serves 95/98 ron so I use Esso fuel , 3 tanks 95,1 tank 98 and I get approx 180 miles before the first bar begins to flash. If I'm heading to mate in Cornwall that's my house to the last services on the M5.
For the metric among us, the last fuel bar will start flashing / blinking when 6L remain in the tank. The fuel symbol will come on (and flash) as well as the last bar, when you're down to 1.75L remaining. Your range at that point (1.75L) is dependant on your right wrist.
Generally, I'd say you safely have a distance remaining (at the both blinking stage) of 25km - 31km, possibly stretch it to 35km, but who'd want to completely empty their tank & suck in any crud at the bottom?
Out on a ride last Tuesday, everything flashing and 30 kms to get home....A quick stop to dump in 10 bucks !
I was thinking I ain't pushing this big mother !!!! :rofl2: :hat:
That was my thought....I don' t want to push !!
The symbol started flashing the other night on the way home from work (285KM ON ODO)
But I haven't seen the last bar flash yet...so wasn't sure if it did
My old VFR just flashed the last bar at around 3L to go
Not sure I need to go back to 98 every tank or so
But I do use a little of this now and then
https://www.ictproducts.com/f-10-fuel-treatment.html
Quote from: Roo on Saturday, 13 March 2021, 08:44 AM
Out on a ride last Tuesday, everything flashing and 30 kms to get home....A quick stop to dump in 10 bucks !
I was thinking I ain't pushing this big mother !!!! :rofl2: :hat:
I have Roo, don't want to do it again.
Must have got close just out of Wellington when heading south and showing 340km....... everything had lit up and spouting profanities from the pillion seat fuel gauge :wife:
You haven't lived till you've pushed a Pan Euro uphill after running out of fuel. Not only are they a lot heavier than a 14 but they are a lot wider that makes it worse too.
My only excuse is it has a random low fuel light, one day it'd do 60 miles on it, the next week it run out after 15 mile.
Many years ago, mate riding, me pillion. Norton Atlas, took a rhs photo of us heading out of town at magical 160 kph. Still have photo. Problem was, few minutes later chain to magneto broke. Dampier, Nth West Australia is way over 40 degrees in January. We pushed that mongrel over 5ks back to living quarters. Couldnt leave it as the indigenous people would have had it if left. That was real hard work.