Regular fuel vs Premium fuel?

[BlueSky]

Hi everyone. I am a relative newbee to this forum as I am to my newly acquired 2013 Gen 3 FJR. Any opinions on the bike running regular vs premium fuel? Bike calls for regular; will premium have better performance; any adverse affects with premium; a waste of money? Comments?

 

[its just rain]

Oh shit!

 

[FJRay]

Break out the popcorn, here we go. Run regular and send me the difference. I'll put it to good use . You can actually cause excess carbon build up with premium because it burns slower and the engine isn't designed for it. In before neprt.

 

[fjrob1300]

Believe it or not... while in the states I run premium because regular makes my bike ping. In Canada I run regular. True story.

 

[Pterodactyl]

If you use premium your FJR will accelerate much quicker, add 20 MPH to its top end, handle like a MotoGP bike and get 75 miles per gallon. Your acne will also clear up and that all too often sexual impotence just may go away.

 

[Geezer]

I have always used the least expensive grade of gasoline as long as it is not more than 10 percent alcohol and never had a problem. I do not believe that higher octane has any benefit in a machine designed for regular.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Welcome BlueSky. As you can see this question should be in NEPRT. And way back on dog pile Friday's this would be open free for all on the question. But we've gotten old and mellowed a bit.

Back to your question, I run the cheapest junk that doesn't ping. Regular.

 

[Geezer]

Believe it or not... while in the states I run premium because regular makes my bike ping. In Canada I run regular. True story.

Interesting. I thought that modern fuel injected engines all have a knock sensor which tells the ECU to adjust ignition timing to prevent ping.

 

[RossKean]

No knock sensor in FJR. No value in running anything other than regular. No more than 10% ethanol as someone already mentioned.

 

[Powerman]

I guess that's because fjrrob has the more powerful 2003.

 

[fjrob1300]

Bluesky.... don't take anything personnel around here.

 

[Pterodactyl]

I have normally gotten better miles per gallon while traveling in Canada on multiple bikes and in two pick-ups.

 

[Bugnatr]

Dino or Synthetic?

 

[Pterodactyl]

Hallucinogenic

 

[Bugnatr]

Hallucinogenic

What a trip, man.

 

[SacramentoMike]

But seriously, is regular gas OK?

 

[hppants]

Coincidence or not, last night I had leftover hamburger steaks for dinner, originally cooked Sunday for lunch. Normally, I prepare these with ground top round, mixed with a smidge of ground pork for some flavor and fat. But in haste at the grocery, I bought the standard 93/7 ground beef instead.

Consequently, my gas this morning seems to be rather "regular". Disappointed, really. I was hoping for "premium", but alas, one gets what he gets.....

Of course, your mileage may vary....

To the O/P, welcome to our group. Of course, you are most assuredly welcome, as you are now our brother in the FJR family. Like all siblings, a little playful ribbing is to be expected.

As to your question, we have motto around here: "Ride more, stress less". Truthfully, it's worth knowing. You have acquired quite possibly one of the most dead nuts reliable motorcycles in the history of the internal combustion engine-powered machine. If you have the owners manual, glance it over and follow what Yamaha tells you. Don't worry about reading into it, interpreting it, second guessing it, or anything of the like. Trust me - you will have to work VERY hard to break this bike, or to make it mechanically any better than it already is. Many who are likely far more creative than you are have tried and failed. There is a reason that the FJR sits proudly at and all around the top of the Iron Butt Association Rally winners for the past 15 years. It's because no matter how tough the rider is, he/she can't win a 10,000 mile event in 10 days without one dead nuts reliable motorcycle beneath them. No way. No how.

I hope you enjoy your motorcycle.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

BlueSky, welcome to the world of NEPRT. Believe it or not, this is a kinder and gentler version of this forum. It was meaner in the Old Days.

My advice would be for you to experiment for yourself. Run a tank of regular then a tank of premium and see if YOU notice any difference. You may get surprised, you may see no difference.

It is worth noting that gasoline is like any other product, it varies in quality and substance from area to area. I compare it to Bourbon Whiskey, all Bourbons have to be distilled and aged within certain guidelines yet they all taste different and unique.

In some places the additive package in the premium fuel is supposed to be better, keep the engine cleaner or whatever. There are some very high mileage FJRs on this forum that have run regular since new. I say run what makes you happy.

Also, @hppants did you have anyone else judge the quality of the gas emitted? You are aware that a personal sample of one's own gas is seldom accurate.

 

[philter]

I run regular, regularly. Now and then, {especially now that I have the RSV

gearing} I "almost" stall my FJR pulling away from a stop sign on a hill,

{uphill, not downhill} and when it almost stalls, it "rattles".

I do NOT like to hear that rattle, I assume that it is not good for my FJR to rattle, and

when it happens, [after I mentally kick myself in the butt], I always think, "I wonder if I

was running "high test" if it would still rattle".

Any comments?

FWIW, NO, I am NOT going buy a tank of high test and then purposefully "bog" my FJR to see

if it rattles", though I appreciate the "thoughtful" suggestion.