Im just wonder where you all go when you need gas and if diffents companys gas don't go well with our bikes? I know you have to put premium gas in our bikes alright. So far I am useing Marathon gas because it's close to my work and we use it at work and I think they have good gas.

I run regular in the White Owl. It's mostly Sunoco or Chevron. But I think the regular is even called for in the manual...I think. I just love the little GS and this forum.

C.......

I think it says "regular" in the book, two-star it used to be called. I always use it. The town Iive in has four B.P. stations, one Total and one Esso (Exon) I use whichever is nearest when I think about it.

you can use whatever grade you wish, I personally use 93 octane, just because I ride 2000 miles a month and feel a cleaner burning fuel will benefit me more.
I use (in order) either Chevron, Amoco(BP),or Mobil. The reason for that is a lab analyst for GM that once told me about a study they did for fuel types in regards to engine performance and maintenance. He wasn't allowed to say which fuels were the best, but when I asked what fuels he buys, he named those three products. I figured he was probably picky about what went into his corvette, and decided to follow suit.

The 04F manual recommends 93 octane.

The cheap stuff (87 octane?) from whatever gas station i'm closest to or is cheapest, usually shitgo....  err Citgo

Quote from: HazmatThe 04F manual recommends 93 octane.

Are you sure that's not the Research Octane Number recommendation?  Note that the "RON" octane number, printed under the seat (on my '92) is not the same scale as the octane number printed on the pump in the US.  See http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=102757#102757 for explanation.

That said, I think the original question was "what brand of gas do you buy".

I use the cheap 87 octane regular at wherever it's cheapest and closest when I need it.  No pinging or dinging here and I got 59 mpg last fillup.

I like the gas stations that don't use those rubber insulator things on the hose.  Sometimes jovially known as pump condoms or pump foreskins :lol:

I usually use mid-grade.  It's worked best for me in terms of gas mileage/apparent performance.

I use 87 octane in mine, whatever station is closest is where I go.  I would buy middle grade but it is an ethanol blend.

Cheap stuff. High octane does nothing for low compresion N/A motors. All it does is resist detonation from heat/compresion.

I used to use cheap stuff (Sheetz) in my GS.  The GS is so tough and frumpy that it probably doesn't care what you give it (or at least it is hard to tell when its acting up because of the fuel).

I put Sheetz 92 in my R6 two times (different stations in different states hundreds of miles apart) and both times the bike coughed, backfired, and stammered so badly that I was sure the carbs were gonna have to come apart.  After those tanks I filled up on Sonnocco 93 and a few miles later the engine ran like butter... since then I have not fueled up at Sheetz once, and I will only use cheap gas when there is no alternative.

Cheap gas is cheap for a reason... because it sucks.

my 97 GS manual recommends 87 octane by the R+M/2 method, conventionally used in the US.

I usually go to Sunoco only because I am collecting CAA points there.  The 89 Octane seems to work Ok for me.  I was using the 94 octane for a while but I was having all kinds of low idle and hesitation problems.  Higher octane is really only for high compression engines and actually burns SLOWER than lower octane.  It's used to prevent pre-ignition and knock by producing a more even flame front since it burns slower and more evenly.

Quote from: 70 Cam GuyI like the gas stations that don't use those rubber insulator things on the hose.  Sometimes jovially known as pump condoms or pump foreskins :lol:

I usually use mid-grade.  It's worked best for me in terms of gas mileage/apparent performance.

He said, "foreskin"...hehe he

My bike runs better using Chevron (formerly BP, I miss that) and I'll use 76. Exxon used to be great! More power! Don't know why.

If you put premium gas in your bike will it hurt the bike or well it help the bike run better and help the performance??

This question came up on Car Talk a while back.  The response was go with a name brand, Shell, BP, Exxon...  If you're buying if from the local stop and rob that doesn't advertise the brand, you don't know what you're getting.  Okay, I'll pay a few cents more for reliability.  

Oh and I run regular, but I RARELY see he high side of 8K

I personaly run 93 octane at the local Holiday Sation out here in Minnesota. The measure of octance is a measure the octane as well as  iso-ocatane, but gas also contains heptane.
The octane rating if I remember correctly is a measured percent of octane in the volume of gas, but I am not for sure. I could easily be wrong.

Either way the octane burns slower and has a higher activation energy(or in other words takes more heat to combust). Which isnt so great at idle or part throttle work, but when you crack the thorttle all the way and you rev to 11K then the motor see a huge spike in cylinder temps. That combined with that fact the gas is getting compressed very quickly builds heat. If you have a stock bike with stock jetting, at 11k it could be runniing lean, coupled with high cyilnder temps can cause pre-ignition.

So should you run the premium, it really depends on what kind of use your bike sees.

Hope this makes sense, and if anyone knows more about the subject and found some faults in my logic feel free to commit anc correct me.

if your bike pings, up the octane level of your gas.  if it doesn't, there's no benefit except to the oil companies.

Thank 500rider,
Alright so since our engine is such low compression the slower burn fuel such as 94 octane changes the idle speed and hurts the  low end of our bikes? performance wise dose the 94 octane do anything for our bikes? The only thing Im putting on my bike is exhaust and jet kit so would I still be able to run 89 Octane after that?