what octane do you use
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Brisbane Australia
When I had work done to bike the Mechanic said to use 98 Premium..Do Not use ethanol It also eats the lining off the Tank..(Try to get the fuel from same Garage that way if any complaints you can go back to where you bought the fuel). So far my bike is running Fine.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,641
Likes: 26
From: Ozark Country
You don't need to run extremely high octane fuel unless you are running very high compression.
Stock 1200 Sportsters are only running 9.7:1 compression, which isn't all that high.
I'm running high compression pistons in my 1550 WideGlide, and it is set up to run a 10.25:1 compression. Friend of mine is running 10.5:1 in his Softail.
Both of us are running BP 92 octane gas (the real gas, not the blended crap), and neither of us have any problem. And that is here in the lower midwest where temperatures can be 100+ during the summer.
I could run a higher compression, but it's not worth the trouble, especially for the slight increase in horsepower you might gain.
Once you go above the 10.25 to 10.5 compression range you need to worry about the quality of fuel you might get when out on the highway, especially when you do a lot of cross country type traffic and never know for sure what you might have to put in the tank.
Stock 1200 Sportsters are only running 9.7:1 compression, which isn't all that high.
I'm running high compression pistons in my 1550 WideGlide, and it is set up to run a 10.25:1 compression. Friend of mine is running 10.5:1 in his Softail.
Both of us are running BP 92 octane gas (the real gas, not the blended crap), and neither of us have any problem. And that is here in the lower midwest where temperatures can be 100+ during the summer.
I could run a higher compression, but it's not worth the trouble, especially for the slight increase in horsepower you might gain.
Once you go above the 10.25 to 10.5 compression range you need to worry about the quality of fuel you might get when out on the highway, especially when you do a lot of cross country type traffic and never know for sure what you might have to put in the tank.
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