again the reference is RON 91 or higher which is PON 86 or higher

(R+M)/2=Pump octane..


here in america we use pump octane ratings but elsewhere in the world they use research octane ratings

it does state in the manual to use regular gas with a research octane number of 91 or higher which is equal to 86 or higher pump octane...

if you stay in the US and Canada the octane ratings at the pump are 86 etc

The most common type of octane rating worldwide is the Research Octane Number (RON). RON is determined by running the fuel through a specific test engine with a variable compression ratio under controlled conditions, and comparing these results with those for mixtures of isooctane and n-heptane.

There is another type of octane rating, called Motor Octane Number (MON) or the aviation lean octane rating, which is a better measure of how the fuel behaves when under load. MON testing uses a similar test engine to that used in RON testing, but with a preheated fuel mixture, a higher engine speed, and variable ignition timing to further stress the fuel's knock resistance. Depending on the composition of the fuel, the MON of a modern gasoline will be about 8 to 10 points lower than the RON. Normally fuel specifications require both a minimum RON and a minimum MON.

In most countries (including all of Europe and Australia) the "headline" octane that would be shown on the pump is the RON, but in the United States, Canada and some other countries the headline number is the average of the RON and the MON, sometimes called the Anti-Knock Index (AKI), Road Octane Number (RdON), Pump Octane Number (PON), or (R+M)/2. Because of the 8 to 10 point difference noted above, this means that the octane in the United States will be about 4 to 5 points lower than the same fuel elsewhere: 87 octane fuel, the "regular" gasoline in the US and Canada, would be 91-92 in Europe. However most European pumps deliver 95 (RON) as "regular", equivalent to 90-91 US (R+M)/2, and even deliver 98 (RON) or 100 (RON).

I switched to 93 U.S. about 2 months ago. Usually Texaco. No pinging in the engine, smoother ride and better mpg. I top it off with 2 oz of Seafoam every couple of tanks.

from this months consumer reports: Paying for premium gas can be a waste of money
Many people use premium gasoline in the belief that it's better for engines than regular. That can be a costly mistake, especially during times of high fuel prices. Octane grades don't represent a “good, better, best” choice; they simply measure the resistance of fuel to knocking or pinging, a condition in which gasoline burns uncontrollably in the engine's combustion chambers. Knocking and pinging can damage an engine.

While high-octane formulations resist knocking better than lower octanes, most engines are designed to take regular gas, which has an octane rating of about 87. Engines requiring premium gas are typically the more powerful ones found in sports and luxury vehicles. Those engines use a very high compression ratio, making them more vulnerable to knocking, so recommended fuels have octane ratings of 91 or higher. Using premium gas in an engine designed to run on regular doesn't improve performance.

Some engines for which premium gasoline is recommended can run on regular without problems. That's because the engine's knock-sensor system detects the presence of uncontrolled burning in the chambers. When it does, the engine's computer-control system retards engine timing, eliminating the knock but slightly reducing power. If you don't mind giving up some performance, you can run these engines on less-expensive regular gasoline. To check whether your engine is capable of running on regular gas, read your owner's manual or ask your dealership's service department.

crwood wrote:
I switched to 93 U.S. about 2 months ago. Usually Texaco. No pinging in the engine, smoother ride and better mpg. I top it off with 2 oz of Seafoam every couple of tanks.



ya better keep the seafoam in her...cause yer flirting with SVS

Numerous strings on this issue and the octane rating explanation is much appreciated. As for running 93 octane in a STOCK Roadie, from the experience of many on this site is not a good idea. The Roadie is a low compression engine and the high octane fuel will not fully burn, leading to an overall loss of performance and carbon build up. As the 1700 in particular is prone to SVS keeping carbon to a minimum is very important.
I have found a placebo affect in many cases where the rider switches to premium and feels that the scoot is running better when in fact it is not. Not saying this is the case here, but in all probability premium fuel is a waste of money.

Crusierbob wrote:
Numerous strings on this issue and the octane rating explanation is much appreciated. As for running 93 octane in a STOCK Roadie, from the experience of many on this site is not a good idea. The Roadie is a low compression engine and the high octane fuel will not fully burn, leading to an overall loss of performance and carbon build up. As the 1700 in particular is prone to SVS keeping carbon to a minimum is very important.
I have found a placebo affect in many cases where the rider switches to premium and feels that the scoot is running better when in fact it is not. Not saying this is the case here, but in all probability premium fuel is a waste of money.

Yes to call a gas premium is suggestive to the mind that it burns better
...when premium just refers to the price ..you pay a "premium" price for an inferior gas period....it is less explosive than regular... we know that for a fact...so how is it possible to get better performance from an engine designed to run on regular...from a less volatile fuel...thats beyond me

Gotta love the search engine I found pretty much all I needed here...

Which gas stations do you guys find provides the best regular unleaded fuels. I've read alot about Chevron's gas with that Techron. Their gas is always at least 10 cents more per gallon (sometimes even more) then the local Race Trac though.

Is it really worth the extra change for their stuff vs. lets say Race Trac or other off brand stations? Or is regular gas just regular gas?

Is it really worth the extra change for their stuff vs. lets say Race Trac or other off brand stations? Or is regular gas just regular gas?

Don't just think of price. Try different brands. These bikes can be particular about which gas they like. Mine likes Shell and Holiday.

I'll shop around. I have, however, been stopping by various gas stations while running errands to see if I could locate any that don't have the "may have up to 10% ethanol" signs on their pumps and so far no luck Although Mobil is the last stop on my checklist, so far I don't think ethanol free gas exists in Dallas,TX.