The Correct Octane Of Gasonline To Put In Your Motorcycle By: Chris Miller
The majority of owners manuals will not tell you what octane to use, they simply say: unleaded gasoline. If this is all that your owners manual tells you, or if you don't have one, read on. But if it mentions a certain octane of gasoline to go with, use that, your motorcycle may require a higher octane because of high compression. If your motorcycle has a turbocharger, a supercharger, or nitrous oxide injection, then this article does not apply to you. You should know all about fuel mapping by now (if you don't... learn!)
If your engine is heavily modified, with high-compression pistons etc, you will need to run a higher octane as well.
Ok, so, if your motorcycle owners manual does not say what to run, you do not have a turbo, supercharger, nitrous, or really high compression in your motorcycle, then:
There is a big misconception that you should run the highest octane you can. This is not true.
Octane: the amount of resistance to detonation
Higher Octane Gas: More resistance to detonation
Lower Octane Gas: Ignites more easily and makes more horsepower, assuming no detonation is present.
Detonation: when the air/fuel mixture ignites too early and causes a tremendous increase in pressure in the cylinders. If it continues for a long period of time, it can permanently destroy the engine.
However, most motorcycles are manufactured to run 87 octane gas, and will not experience any detonation, but will actually LOSE power by running a higher octane, plus it will make it run hotter as well.
Check the tank: If it says: 90 ((RON+MON)/2) - Use 90 octane or betterIf it "knocks" or "pings" at all, increase the octane until it stops.
Knocking and pinging: During detonation, when the explosion occurs it creates a shockwave that reverberates inside combustion chamber and raises the pressure immensely, creating a metallic "pinging" sound. If you experience this, stop the motorcycle immediately, turn it off, put a higher octane gas in your motorcycle.
More Motorcycle Resources: motorcycle articles | custom motorcycle forum | build a custom motorcycle
If your engine is heavily modified, with high-compression pistons etc, you will need to run a higher octane as well.
Ok, so, if your motorcycle owners manual does not say what to run, you do not have a turbo, supercharger, nitrous, or really high compression in your motorcycle, then:
There is a big misconception that you should run the highest octane you can. This is not true.
Octane: the amount of resistance to detonation
Higher Octane Gas: More resistance to detonation
Lower Octane Gas: Ignites more easily and makes more horsepower, assuming no detonation is present.
Detonation: when the air/fuel mixture ignites too early and causes a tremendous increase in pressure in the cylinders. If it continues for a long period of time, it can permanently destroy the engine.
However, most motorcycles are manufactured to run 87 octane gas, and will not experience any detonation, but will actually LOSE power by running a higher octane, plus it will make it run hotter as well.
Check the tank: If it says: 90 ((RON+MON)/2) - Use 90 octane or betterIf it "knocks" or "pings" at all, increase the octane until it stops.
Knocking and pinging: During detonation, when the explosion occurs it creates a shockwave that reverberates inside combustion chamber and raises the pressure immensely, creating a metallic "pinging" sound. If you experience this, stop the motorcycle immediately, turn it off, put a higher octane gas in your motorcycle.
More Motorcycle Resources: motorcycle articles | custom motorcycle forum | build a custom motorcycle
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