SuzukiSavage.com /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> What kind of gas do you use for your bike? /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1246241530 Message started by seb481 on 06/28/09 at 19:12:09

Title: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by seb481 on 06/28/09 at 19:12:09 The guy who sold me the bike told me he would switch between the 3 main types of gas you get at the pump. He said he usually used the cheapest gas, but sometimes would "treat" the bike with the most expensive one (I don't know the numbers). I'm not really into switching gas as I don't think it's good for the engine. What do you think? Which gas do you usually use? The cheapest or the most expensive one? Thanks

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by Tanner on 06/28/09 at 19:23:10 I've always used 91 in all my bikes. That's the highest here in Ca.

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by Skid Mark on 06/28/09 at 19:26:53 Cheapo regular. Works just fine for me.

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by Stimpy on 06/28/09 at 19:34:56 at sea level (lots of oxygen) regular 87 works fine.

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/29/09 at 07:33:17 I JUST found a place that has signs on the pumps saying       "No Ethanol" Thats where Ill be going for mine. Their El Cheapo is only about 2 cents more than the Ethanol crap..

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by Rocco on 06/29/09 at 08:12:59 mine runs on mountain dew hahahahaha seriously though i use 87....i try to stay away from crap brands, i like sunoco or citgo or hess...not "joes gas and lotto" lol

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by seb481 on 06/29/09 at 08:17:24 Well it seems that most of you run on cheapo. Good to know. I shall do that too from now on. Thank you

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by alcoa on 06/29/09 at 08:21:55 all it needs is 87

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by Gort on 06/29/09 at 08:22:04 Although Suzuki calls for regular, in the past some members have said they use premium because of the need for higher octane due to pre-ignition.  The Suzuki is an air cooled engine which runs hot in heavy traffic conditions or prolonged idling, especially in SoCal, where you live.  This causes the internal cylinder temp to rise, which can cause pre-ignition.  As long as you do not have mechanical issues, Hi-Octane gas takes care of that problem, in the Suzuki.  I lived in SoCal myself and had the problem on hot days, and in the desert, until I switched to premium. Also, the difference in costs from one brand to another is largely determined by its additive package.  Considering how cheap it is to gas up your bike, why not spend the few extra pennies to buy gas with a really good additive package?

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by serowbot on 06/29/09 at 09:55:29 Regular

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by PTRider on 06/29/09 at 10:21:00 High octane gasoline is not "better" than low octane.  It is better at preventing detonation, pre-ignition, ping, spark knock, whatever you want to call the explosion inside the combustion chamber instead of the controlled burn we should have. As Gort said, use 87 when cool and 91 or 92 when very hot.  There is no point using mid-octane gasoline. Stimpy kind'a has things backwards.  Lower octane is OK at high altitude in engines without knock sensors, thus the availability of 85 octane in the Rocky Mountain areas with less dense air containing less oxygen.  (For more advanced engines than our Suzukis, use the octane level recommended in your owner's manual.  All automobile engines after 1986 are more advanced than our bike engines!) Better brands of gasoline do have better additive packages for competitive reasons.  The EPA establishes minimums, but some gasoline marketers exceed these minimum standards. http://www.toptiergas.com/.   Here on the West Coast BP's ARCO brand has the worst gas I've found.  The gas mileage in my car & truck with ARCO are noticeably worse than with any other brand including no-name supermarket gasoline (Which is often Tesoro here).

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by PhilM on 06/29/09 at 15:00:34 The UK Savage model isn't gas powered. We use petrol over here. Does the gas cylinder not affect stability?

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by Stimpy on 06/29/09 at 15:18:31 I have it backwards, really?  (thanx 4 clearing it up for me). It's just that my bike ran beautifully at sea level w/regular and not so much here at 6,500 feet. ------ Ummm, no. "Petrol" is just the brit word for gasoline, cause the stuff is made from "petroleum" you know, that nasty black shi* that our lords and masters pump up from the ground

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by Toymaker on 06/29/09 at 19:32:26 Remember our savage/s-40 motors are relatively low compression...don't need the higher octane stuff. T

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by David M Smith on 07/01/09 at 07:04:13  I generally use the higher octane because my father has always told me too. However I have realized over the years that father isn't always right hehe. Old school dies hard. I have been having issues with my bike and I may switch to the 87 to see how it goes for a while.  I'm curious how some of you decide which stations or fuel producers to use and which not to use. Do you just look up the companies online and see what additives they use or do you generally just go from personal experience with each tank or series of tank fill ups?  Also I love in Indiana where it's not generally too hot or too cold. I also realize some states have different additive packages. Anyone out there live in Indiana that has a preference for a particular brand and the reasons you use it? Thanks

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by Targett3997 on 07/01/09 at 08:27:52 I fluctuate between the gas that I use.  I am a jobber for wholesale gasoline.  I will use two sometime three tanks of Regular or 87 octane gas, then one tank of a higher octane.  You guys have it right for the most part without getting super technical into the properties of the octane ratings.  The biggest difference in the types of fuels are the additives.  A high octane 93 fuel is going to have many difference additives that prevent the engine knock and sorts like that.  The higher octane’s also clean the engine better than lower octane’s.  The studies done by my suppliers show split block engines that run an 87 octane gas on one side and a premium 93 on the other.  The difference can truly be seen using a borascope (spelling?) to look at the valve heads and inner engine parts.  But this is really just food for thought.  Everything that I have done with my bike says it runs just fine on 87 octane.  I am like many others and "treat" her every few tanks to a nice dinner.  The single cylinder seems to have no problems with lower octane fuels.   John Middle GA Ethanol is a different story... Check out the ethanol post   http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1240360601

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by tcreeley on 07/01/09 at 19:20:05 I use 91 on my '87 Savage. I wondered about the backfiring- almost never does- the higher octane stopping it? -- 160' above sea level in Maine. I always figured that octane and timing were connected - lower octane - more knock. TC

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by PTRider on 07/02/09 at 07:04:22 BORESCOPE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borescope Octane relates to preignition...the fuel and air charge inside the combustion chamber firing before the spark fires, or being started by the spark but burning too fast causing spark knock.  Yes, the speed the gasoline & air mixture burns is important.  Backfire or afterfire has different causes.

Title: Re: What kind of gas do you use for your bike? Post by Toymaker on 07/02/09 at 07:39:17 What kind of gas do I use??? hmmm well I supose the *BURNING* type... ;) ;D mostly midgrade

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