Also Puregas.org, another app for smartphones for non ethynol fuel by state

 

If you downshift to the correct gear, it will not "ping". You simply opened the throttle in too high of a gear.

 

Never really gave that a thought, but that is a good tip!

 

This has happened to me, on fumes, find a gas station in middle of nothing and all they have is 87. I put 2 gallons in and rode on to next town. HD used to sell (not on website anymore) some snake oil that they advertised as "when higher grade fuel is not available or for older engines" however they did not call it "Octane Boost". Whenever I travel out west and know good gas is scarce, I used to carry it with me and put in the tank with the 87 octane and never had issues. it may have been snake oil but it had the H-D stamp on it so if there were engine problems as a result, the mo-co couldn't blame me.

 

This is actually a "good" thread about octane variances. Usually, the OP is a cheap *** and wants to run cheap fuel then wants everyone to chime in and agree with him.

So to the OP, your question will help others answer their own questions, and as Martha says "that's a good thing".