Top Tier Gas Stations

[Uncle Fester]

I guess I am lucky, I have a On-Cue gas station about 5 miles from my house that offers both 10% and non-ethanol fuel, in non blender pumps !
The non-ethanol fuel runs ABOUT $0.10 a gallon more, but at that price, we are talking a whole $0.50 or so a tank full, so I run non-ethanol most always.

[kchunt]

About 2 years ago. I noticed that when I put Shell gas in my car/motorcycle, the mileage was about 6 mpg less then when I put in Exxon gas. Up until that time I was a regular Shell user. Has anyone else noticed this or am I the only one?

[bikommuter]

Different brands of gas use different additive packages at different times of year. Here in the northeast the blend changes seasonally to account for different operating temperatures. I have had best results with Mobil and Sunoco. Try to stay away from "no-name" gas as they will pump whatever is on the tanker and you're never sure what you're getting. The only people who will notice are the ones that actually track their mileage, and not just guess. " I get about 160 miles per tankful" is not awfully acurate. I can tell you what mileage each of my vehicles is getting to within 1 mile per gallon on every fillup. My GL1100 gets 39 mpg plus or minus 1/2, my CM400T gets 55, and my Suzuki SX4 gets 31 (during the summer when it's warm).

[minimac]

You're lucky! The price difference between E-10 and real regular here is closer to thirty cents/gallon. Premium good stuff is a dime more. I've noticed no difference between the regular and premium, but my bike and scooters seem to run better (smoother) and the mileage is increased across the board. Even at the 30-40 cents a gallon more, it's worth it to me not to run E-10.

[Uncle Fester]

I completely agree, with only a 6 ish gallon tank, at 0.30/gallon more, we are only talking $1.80 more a tank full. So if the bike runs best of "pure" fuel , do it.

[Old Wing Man]

My 88' GL1500 does not like 87 octane. After the second fill up it started knocking. I downloaded the owner's manual and it indicates 91 octane. It took two more fill ups to get rid of the knock.
The Shell down the street does not put ethanol in the 91 octane but the extra cost is appreciable. BP has 93 octane for the same cost but, has ethanol.

Are there any 88' GL1500 owners that run regular?

I only had one car that knocked on regular. It was a 71 Plymouth Fury with a 383 cu. in. I but a half tank of premium in every third fill up to keep it running quite.

I have a 2000 model GL1500 and have ran premium and regular no ethanol and cant tell any difference in performance between them. I also started running regular with ethanol and it seems the same. I get 40 MPG with regular 15% ethanol. I think it must be how your bike is tuned that is the problem. I had a GL1200 that specified 87 octane also so I don't think any Goldwings have ever spec'd 91 octane. I know most Harley owners run premium fuel in their bikes but I don't know if it is required by Harley Davidson as I have never owned one and never read their manual. But then Harley riders need all the help they can get just to keep up with a Goldwing.

[dingdong]

Here in Oklahoma City there are almost as many stations that offer ethanol free gas as there are e10 only stations. Price difference ranges between .20 and .40. That said, I don't notice any difference at all in performance or mpg in either of my bikes so why pay the difference????

Tom

[suvcw04]

Here in Oklahoma City there are almost as many stations that offer ethanol free gas as there are e10 only stations. Price difference ranges between .20 and .40. That said, I don't notice any difference at all in performance or mpg in either of my bikes so why pay the difference????

Tom

My bike cost me THOUSANDS, so I think I'll recoup my expenses by saving a $1 on each fill up. Yeah, yeah, that'll work.

[bikommuter]

My bike also cost me thousands (about 2 ). I have been running Sunoco 93 the last few fill-ups, with Startron. Maybe it won't last forever, but with a little care it should last me a long time and by "seat of the pants" measurements, it does seem to run a little better, start a little easier. So, even though it costs a little more, I think I am going to keep running the Sunoco 93.

[Uncle Fester]

My 88' GL1500 does not like 87 octane. After the second fill up it started knocking. I downloaded the owner's manual and it indicates 91 octane. It took two more fill ups to get rid of the knock.
The Shell down the street does not put ethanol in the 91 octane but the extra cost is appreciable. BP has 93 octane for the same cost but, has ethanol.

Are there any 88' GL1500 owners that run regular?

I only had one car that knocked on regular. It was a 71 Plymouth Fury with a 383 cu. in. I but a half tank of premium in every third fill up to keep it running quite.

I have a 2000 model GL1500 and have ran premium and regular no ethanol and cant tell any difference in performance between them. I also started running regular with ethanol and it seems the same. I get 40 MPG with regular 15% ethanol. I think it must be how your bike is tuned that is the problem. I had a GL1200 that specified 87 octane also so I don't think any Goldwings have ever spec'd 91 octane. I know most Harley owners run premium fuel in their bikes but I don't know if it is required by Harley Davidson as I have never owned one and never read their manual. But then Harley riders need all the help they can get just to keep up with a Goldwing.

You run E-15 in your bike ? That, as I under stand it, is a big NO NO ! Read here and also research it your self. . . .PLEASE ! Ethanol in general is hard on rubber parts, fuel lines, diaphrams, ect. . . .

http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/07/05/ev ... otorcycle/

[dingdong]

Here in Oklahoma City there are almost as many stations that offer ethanol free gas as there are e10 only stations. Price difference ranges between .20 and .40. That said, I don't notice any difference at all in performance or mpg in either of my bikes so why pay the difference????

Tom

My bike cost me THOUSANDS, so I think I'll recoup my expenses by saving a $1 on each fill up. Yeah, yeah, that'll work.

I don't get the comparison????? I don't throw money down the drain or in the tank.

Tom

[suvcw04]

Here in Oklahoma City there are almost as many stations that offer ethanol free gas as there are e10 only stations. Price difference ranges between .20 and .40. That said, I don't notice any difference at all in performance or mpg in either of my bikes so why pay the difference????

Tom

My bike cost me THOUSANDS, so I think I'll recoup my expenses by saving a $1 on each fill up. Yeah, yeah, that'll work.

I don't get the comparison????? I don't throw money down the drain or in the tank.

Tom

Penney wise and pound foolish. Google it.

[dingdong]

My bike cost me THOUSANDS, so I think I'll recoup my expenses by saving a $1 on each fill up. Yeah, yeah, that'll work.[/quote]


I don't get the comparison????? I don't throw money down the drain or in the tank.

Tom[/quote]

Penney wise and pound foolish. Google it.[/quote]

Okay then!!! Thanks for the advice.

Tom

[julimike54]

I get 40 MPG with regular 15% ethanol.

Did you know that filling a bike with 15% ethanol is a federal crime. Do some research. Do you look out for the corn police or is it the FBI?

[RFW&LMW]

My 88' GL1500 does not like 87 octane. After the second fill up it started knocking. I downloaded the owner's manual and it indicates 91 octane. It took two more fill ups to get rid of the knock.
The Shell down the street does not put ethanol in the 91 octane but the extra cost is appreciable. BP has 93 octane for the same cost but, has ethanol.

Are there any 88' GL1500 owners that run regular?

Interesting...I had a look, and the 88 and 89 owner's manuals definitely recommend 91 octane or higher. My 2000 owner's manual specifies 86 octane or higher.

I don't have GL1500 owners manuals for any other years - so GL1500 owners, what octane does your manual recommend? I wonder at what model year it changed back from 91 to 86?

I'm a little late on the response, but my 1995 Wing SE manual calls for 86 octane or up.

Ride Safe:

Roy

[Rednaxs60]

Interesting thread. Made me look at the owner's manual. My '85 LTD is to use gas with a pump octane of 86 or higher, or a research octane number (RON) of 91 or higher. The manual further recommends that if "knocking" or "pinging" occurs, try a different brand of gasoline or a higher octane grade.

Looked further regarding this issue because of the RON aspect, never heard of it before.

The higher the octane number, the more compression the fuel can withstand before detonating (igniting). Had many discussions with my snowmobile friends when I lived in Ontario. Most used premium, I never did unless it got quite warm out, and only to prevent any possibility of "knocking" or "pinging". When I traveled to Palm Springs last spring, I used premium in my '08 1800 specifically because it was extremely hot down there. Switched back to regular as I headed back north.

Good explanation on wiki at this site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating.

Enjoy this forum, has made me do quite a bit of research. Learning quite a bit from the collective.

Cheers

Ernest

[OldZX11Rider]

Was surprised to see the '88 & '89 required the 91 octane fuel. My 1994 1500 owners manual specifies an 87 octane fuel.
I too don't like running corn in my fuel. Some pumps don't advertise any ethanol but where I stopped today, I had to buy 91 octane fuel to avoid the ethanol mix.

[brettchallenger]

Here is an interesting article (produced by a UK Ford dealership) which argues that there is little or no difference in fuel brands. It goes on to discuss "Top Tier" fuel (which as far as I can tell, is not available in the UK).

https://www.jenningsforddirect.co.uk/bl ... acts/5149/

[CrystalPistol]

I generally use BP gasoline which likely has 10% ethanol blended in. Sometimes I'll slip by the Co-Op and get a fill up of 100% gasoline. Always 87 octane though, bike or trike.

I was using 1 0z per 5 gallons TC-W3 (https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbth ... l_additive) using old Sta-Bil dispenser but have slacked off lately. I do think it made a positive difference in back to back rides same roads ..... after a couple tanks of NONE and then adding a dose. But TC-W3 ain't free either.

[brettchallenger]

Isn't 87 octane a bit on the low side? Although to be honest, fuel octanes (which have different values in Europe anyway) seem to be a work of the devil and defy understanding.

[CrystalPistol]

Isn't 87 octane a bit on the low side?

A teaspoon of gasoline has the same "energy" whether it's 87 or 93 octane, the 93 is just less volatile, less susceptible to being ignited prematurely by heat of compression. If a motor is designed to run on 87, using 93 just delays maximum expansion as the air/fuel mix burns and you loose some power and efficiency because that expansion occurs later in the power stroke. Timing is set by the manufacturer to start that burn (that takes time to propagate, it's not an instant explosion) at a point where maximum force is applied through the piston to the rod to the crank shaft throw by the time that crank throw is near 90 degrees to the direction of that force .... like you do when applying maximum force to a wrench or hand crank. Using higher octane fuel when there is no indicated need like spark knock delays that and some energy is wasted after that point in the power stroke.

It's also why using 87 in a motor designed to run on 93 often results in spark knock. it succumbs to the heat of compression. I had Caprice police cars in the mid '90s with a HiPer LT-1 that was intended to make max power wit 93 .... but it also had a knock sensor that would allow use of 87 by detecting spark knock on the run and retarding timing to later to stop it ... but it hurt power noticeable. When the Dept discovered this, they stopped using the 93 in our cars, and you learned to adjust.

Higher octane fuels have no more energy in them, they just allow the designer to use a higher static compression ratio and timing variations to make more use of the energy in the fuel.

[brettchallenger]

Thanks, that's made things clearer. I only asked, as in Europe there are only two octane ratings generally available (there are no doubt specialist outlets for motorsport and aviation etc), these being 95 and 97 respectively. Looking these values up, I see they are equivalent to US octane ratings of 91 and 93.

[coolrunning]

It is quite difficult to find gasoline sold in the US anymore that does NOT contain 10% ethanol.

I don't believe it is any longer possible to buy gasoline in the US anywhere that does not contain at least 10% ethanol. I have worked in an oil refinery in Texas for the last 32 years, and we have always made gasoline the same way: boiling crude oil and distilling it over and over again until we can draw off what we call LSR or Light Straight Run gasoline. It has a very low octane, so it is not finished until we blend it with high octane products such as reformate and alkalate to make high quality gasoline. In winter, we add some butane to correct low vapor pressure. It wasn't until the 1980's we began to add ethanol to our blends, but it was seasonal, only in the winter months. The EPA had decided it was a good way to force cars to emit less pollutants by force feeding them "oxygenated fuels" during the winter months when weather related inversion areas formed over every metropolitan city creating a LA type smog. It was pioneered in California, but quickly spread throughout the nation. After a few years of air quality studies, the results were conclusive. It was working. It soon became a year round permanent mandate that all gasoline sold in the US would contain at least 10% ethanol. Automobile manufacturers were tasked with more stringent emissions targets to meet, and it continues today. The result is smaller engines making more horsepower than ever before, more efficiently and with the lowest octane fuel possible emitting less pollution. It has taken nearly 40 years of evolution, but it all started with a little ethanol in the blend. You mentioned how motorcycles have such smaller orifices to process fuel. That is true, and that is a really good reason to change out fuel filters every year. Top Tier gasolines also have additive packages that includes detergents that reduce the amount of varnish and gum residue formation inside you carbs/fuel injectors, and is known to reduce the amount of carbon buildup on exhaust valves and pistons. Most of the generic gasoline sold out there is cheaper because it has little if any additives, and it will eventually cause problems. It is hard to understand why some people will spare no expense when it comes to buying a premium vehicle with a high tech engine, but they will cheap out on the fuel they feed it! Spending a few cents per gallon more on fuel can save you thousands of dollars later in maintenance and repairs. Sometimes, you have no choice. If I must, I will put what ever is available in the gas tank along with a dose of liquid additive along with it until I can refill with a Top Tier branded gasoline.