Triumphrat

TB-T100

Does anybody know of any good reason to use "performance fuel"?

One of the British car-programmes on TV did a test of "normal" fuels vs performance fuels. Using different cars the conclusion was that only finely tuned cars benefit from the performance fuels. The other cars show no measurable difference. With no difference the higher price is not justified.

At the moment I use what is marketed as 95 octane unleaded (here in Norway).

__________________
'04 T100 Black and White (because that is the only colour to wear with a Dinner Jacket)
AI removed, TORS
engine dresser bars, grab rail, flyscreen, Triumph leather panniers and tank bag

lovin' ev'ry minute of it

lindsayt

95 octane (Europe - RON) should be fine. That's roughly equivalent to US 90-91 octane ((RON+MON)/2), which is what the manual recommends, I believe. These engines are too high compression for the regular fuel (87 octane by US standards, 92 octane in Europe IIRC), but certainly shouldn't be high enough compression to demand the top grade 98 octane (US 92 or 93 octane).

I run 92 anyway just because it's only like 8¢ more expensive per gallon than 90, and when you're spending $10 on a fillup, the difference between $10.00 and $10.25 isn't enough to care about. But of course it's really wasted money to buy an octane higher than the vehicle needs.

[ This message was edited by: lindsayt on 2007-06-11 15:12 ]

__________________
38% rocker, 30% mod.

mecscc

Unless you mod to increase your compression, run what the Manual calls for. Here that is 89. Over there I believe it is, indeed, 95.

I run 89. Only caution I have about running higher octane than that is a long term issue. The higher the octane the more narrow the combustion window. Unless your bike is highly tuned, like a race bike, you will, over time, cause a buildup of carbon on the valves and the piston head. Over enough time that buildup will increase the compression of the engine and you will, then, actually NEED the octane that you never needed in the first place.

Im talking over 20K miles or so and since it is a long time down the road most people don't care.

But, as was already said, it is just a waste of money, so why do it when you know it will cause carbon buildup if you do?

Monte

__________________
Monte

"The Old Ohio Preacher Man"

TB-T100

Thanks for your quick and informative reply. I will save the price-difference (and trouble of wrong fuel) and stay with the 95 unleaded.

__________________
'04 T100 Black and White (because that is the only colour to wear with a Dinner Jacket)
AI removed, TORS
engine dresser bars, grab rail, flyscreen, Triumph leather panniers and tank bag

lovin' ev'ry minute of it

SpeedyPete

Good posts here you guys.

I didn't really participate but I certainly did benefit!!!!!

Thanks.

P

__________________
I have heard the song of the Sausage Creature!

Big_Rick

Actually 87 octane (north america) should burn OK up to about 9.5:1 compression and the Bonnie is only 9.2:1, so technically it should work but it's close enough that you might as well use 89.
The only other factor to consider around here (I can only speak for Ontario) is ethanol content. Generally, 87 octane has up to 10%, 89 has up to 5%, and 91 and above is usually ethanol free. At least at the major suppliers that is.
All I know is that ethanol is not supposed to be good for motorcycles but I still don't know exactly why that is. Perhaps someone can enlighten us (or at least me anyway ) why ethanol is bad and then there will be an actual reason to use the higher grades of gas.

__________________
Some people are a lot like Slinkys.
Not really good for anything, but bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

mecscc

The Owner's Manual is pretty clear on which oxygenated fuels can be used:
Ethanol up to 10% blend
MTBE up to 15% blend
NO methenol of any concentration since it can actually damage fuel system components. (I have no idea which components, or why.)

The issue is that these fuels are more volatile than gasoline and can, -- not must, can -- cause problems with starting, response and fuel mileage. IF any of those occur Triumph recommeds to not use them. In Ohio it is strictly optional to use the blended gas, but I don't know what the situation is in other states. I personally have never used a blended gas, even when touring, because you can always run a tank or two of high octane fuel which seldom has any blended products in it, if you have to, and I don't want to use my bike as an 'experiment."

Monte

__________________
Monte

"The Old Ohio Preacher Man"

sweatmachine

Monte, I *think* that the methanol can damage the rubber fuel lines, I believe it will corrode the rubber somehow. I've been wrong before.

__________________
alright alright alright

Bonnie cafefighter!

mlc

a timely post TB - a straw pole of a group of bonnie riders on the weekend saw all still opting for the 98RON as advised by our dealers when purchased new.

its may just be psychological, but most (including myself) notice the dip in power when we use the 96. Again - its proabably all in the head esp. considering how hard all the triumph dealers push the top stuff around here. none of us have thought for a second that using the top stuff could be counterproductive as suggested

I dont know enough about the intricacies of what the RON levels mean mechanically to make an informed decision - but seems its definitely another thing to go on the to do/learn list!!

monkeyboy

Yup. Alky will eat the rubber lines and seals.

__________________
2006 Thruxton