Your octane in Europe really isn't higher than in the US, it's simply measured on a different scale. Europe uses RON, while the North America uses (R+M)/2.

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Thanks for that cHarley,sounds complicated, and we still have to pay a lot more for it, most of it seems to be tax.

 

The stuff attacks a lot of the rubber compounds found in the EFI & fuel pumps on those new bikes that's why pay attention to it .

 

Octane is not power. It is just a measure of resistance to ignition.

Unless you have high compression, hot cams and a tune for advance spark it is a total waste.

Even in a typical HD with SE stage one it will waste fuel by not burning completely and if you go to higher elevations it will bog down.

I run 5 HD's on 89 and they run great. Never any pinging. I do have SE stage I intake, fuel processor and less restrictive exhaust.

The 07 FXSTC and the 010 Dyna will do in the mid 12's in the 1/4. All on 89 octane with burns more fully and starts great.

 

Well, ive go almost 200 ccp, so if thats not High compression, i dont know what is!

I picked up a 5 gal barrel of VP 105 "red" fuel 65$ out the door, i plan on adding 1 qt. to a full tank of Mobil 91 tomorrow and see what happens.

on the can it DOSE say to drain your carb after you race, and empty your fuel cell too.

kinda scary, but with a light mix i might be OK,

Octane is not power per say, but i will keep your pistons where they belong!

 

Also, extended use of leaded fuel in a bike with 02 sensors will foul them. The lead gets deposited in the sensor. You can melt it out with a torch, though.

 

I put in some StarTron from time to time, especially in the summer, to counteract the high ethanol content in modern gas.

 

Pinging, detonation, pre-ignition is why octane should be raised, and then only enough to prevent those issues. +1 on how octane is measured dependent on what country you buy your fuel (RON, MON, and AKI) An average of RON and MON is used to come up with the AKI formula used in the US.

 

Been so long since I even thought about leaded fuel , you are right .

 

i just use the highest octane available at the pump. I've got a stock bike, so i've never needed anything else.