It's your bike, put tha crap in it if you want. Your not saving much money$$$$!
just saying

 

Heck i run all 3 in mine, no issues here..

 

The higher the altitude and the lower the ambient temperature the low the octane required, I have had to run 87 quite a few times due to unavailability of 91 and saw no performance or fuel mileage difference, but then again My V-Rod has a Ion sensing knock system

 

It is around $1.75 on a 5 gallon fill up for me, and with 8.9 compression on my Twin Cam 88 and 5500 red line, it just don't make sense to have to use 91. I switched over to 87 when fuel prices started going outa sight, and I have not heard one ping or noticed any loss of performance the last 2,000 miles. I average 15,000 miles a year, so that translates into quite a savings, with more money in my pocket to ride even more miles.

 

Yep, it's my bike and my money and I ride over 15,000 mile a year and have logged over 750,000 miles. Using hight test when not necessary is crap. Do some fuel research. Just saying....

 

Always high octane whether it be 92 or 93. Seems to be no shortage in the Pacific NW as long as your willing to pay for it.

 

When it comes down to what octane to run, it comes down to "requirements" your motor needs. If it is a stock compression and cam motor it should run on 87 with no problems. My wife and I have 4 motorcycles. Two Harleys, a 2004 FXSTBI Night Train and 2007 883 Sportster Custom, two Moto Guzzis, a 2007 Breva 1100, and 2004 Breva 750. We switched to 87 the last few thousand miles. I've noticed no pinging and I've taken spark plug readings after every tank the first couple thousand miles. No change in plugs, still run nice light to medium gray color. We put on a combined 30,000 miles a year, and at .30-.35 cents a gallon difference between 92 and 87, that adds up to quite a bit of change, especially when I am retired and on a fixed income. Some of the later EVO Harleys with 96, 103, and 110 motors might be another story, or if you up the compression and add cam timing. Also in triple digit temps, higher octane would be less prone to pinging. If you notice pinging, drop a gear, and don't lug the motor. If you have a unlimited budget and want to spend the extra bucks when you don't need to, thats everyones prerogative. Thats my .35 cents a gallon worth. Ride safe.

 

I run 89 in all my bikes. I have fuel programmers in them that run a proper AFR so that the fuels burns more fully and the engine runs cooler and is aided by an oil cooler.

My 10 Ultra has been through the US and Canadian Rockies several times. It has been through Death Valley in the afternoon in the summer. Try that once. Never pinged never went into the rear cylinder shut off mode. Been down to Key West in a tropical 105 degree heat wave in 2010. Again without problems even in a hour hold up for a traffic accident on the Interstate.

89 is the cheapest around here and is $.30 less per gallon. Every year that I tour long distances, I save about $80 in fuel. That works for me.

I have two 1200cc motors, four TC96 motors and one 103. I put many miles on them each year and again have never had a fuel related problem on the bikes.

When you understand that the higher the octane the slower it burns so more goes out the exhaust. The leaner the AFR the harder to ignite also and slower burning. Gasoline burns best at 12.1 to one. Runs the coolest. That was the standard for about 100 years until EPA meddled with it.

I think that some of the higher mile motors ping because they have carbon build up that needs attention.

Get your engine running cooler, get the correct AFR ( none of HD's downloads will change the AFR to anything that is not EPA compliant) Keep the carbon out and enjoy riding and getting higher mpg while doing it.

But don't listen to me. My wife of 43 years will tell you that I am an idiot.

 

omg it not that big of a foking deal. i know people with 96in ultras that put almost 15k on a year and have over 50k on there bikes and have never ran anything more than the cheap ****. some
people crack me up so much.

 

my 85 evo has been running 87 octane since it was new in 85. the motor has never been apart.