What fuel octane are you running?

[alke46]

What Steve said. Only thing I would add is if you know the bike will be sitting for 2 weeks or more at a time, best thing you can do for it is to drain the carb bowls.

 

[wymple]

I run ethanol in everything I own, always have. I do not let it sit for 3 months, tho. Ethanol cools the intake tracks better than a regular gas-air mix, and my lawnmower in the heat especially likes it.

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Here in Australia the fuel is RON 91, RON 95 or RON 98. As all Japanese built 4-stroke motorcycle engines since 1976 are designed to run on unleaded it depends on the price at the bowser on the day as to which fuel goes in the tank. Most times I tip in RON 95 but this week it'll be the 91 due to the price. AUD $1.62 / litre for 91 and AUD $1.86 / litre for 98.

Converting AUD $ to US $ and litres to US Gallon on fuel price today that would make RON 98 US $4.99 a gallon.

I often see here on the Forum where owners have issues with gummed up carbs or other fuel related issues after leaving the bike sit for a few weeks. I was in contact with a mate of mine here on the Forum (Mass.) recently and he has experienced fuel related carb problems. Does US fuel have additives to cope with the seasons? The reason I ask is a bike can sit for months here in Australia and as long as the battery is charged the bike with fire up on third or fourth hit of the button and run just fine. Longest I have left a bike sit was 9 months and after dropping in a new battery it fired up just fine. She was a running bit rough at first, seeing as the fuel was pretty stale by then but a quick trip to the servo and topping up the tank with fresh fuel got her purring.

Cheers.

 

[wymple]

Some of you guys might have short memories. I grew up with 50's & 60's cars, and long before ethanol there were lots of fuel related issues. There is nothing new about gummed up carbs, rotten fuel lines, bad fuel pumps, etc. Lots of rotten hoses, in particular. With modern fuel injection, especially, things are metered in increasingly small and very touchy amounts. That should lend itself to even more fuel related issues, but hasn't that I can see, so I think fuel quality is doing quite well, overall.