Race Gas or Octane Boost?

[GrahamO]

What are you guys doing to meet the 95 octane minimum... or are you ignoring it?

[ogrebelle]

Do yourself a favor, just buy quality premium unleaded at a local gas station. You don't need race gas for these bikes unless they're highly modified. Jet it right and ride. If it's not pinging then theres no need to buy race gas/octane booster, it's just a waste of money. If it is pinging then figure out why and fix it 'cuz it shouldn't be, they're designed better than that.

A note on race gas:

Race gas can give you a consistency of fuel due to additional quality controls but most of us would never notice unless you just like the smell of it. If you're worried buy premium unleaded from a newer gas station (new, clean tanks) that has a lot of traffic (fresher gas due to frequency of delivery) and don't buy immediately following a fuel dump as what crud/water there is in the tank will be stirred up.

Doug

[holeshot426]

I have heard of some guys splitting their gas 50/50 with pump gas and low lead Av Gas from the airport ($4.00/gal). Av Gas is about 110 octane so this puts them around 100 octane. Im not sure its a good idea over time. I split mine with Unocal 76 race gas (110 octane) and 91 pump gas from 76 with no MTBE. Your bike will like it. Way easier to start and more throttle response.

[holeshot426]

California pump gas sucks!! ?

[GrahamO]

I only ask because the service manual recommends 95 octane...

[xr600r]

I tried some 110 octane torco race gas, and to be honest , i didnt think it ran any better than the 93 octane i usually use. So at 3.20 a gallon.. why bother ? ?

[Rip Wheeler]

I only ask because the service manual recommends 95 octane...

And so does that sticker on the front fender! What the heck you guys do to get those off without leaving and gum behind? Oh, the question, yeah, right. I buy 92 octane pump gas, never had a ping or problem at all.

[dominator426]

A minumum 95 RON (Research Octane Number) is recommended...US pump octane number (PON) ratings are an average of RON and MON (Motor Octane Number; typically 10 numbers lower than RON), so a 90+ octane pump gas meets the 95 recommendation. However, a 93 or 94 PON rated (98/99 RON) gas may rid of any pinging, and improve response and performance in our high compression powerplants...

Check out this explanation and OCTANE chart.

[GrahamO]

Useful info, Dom. Thanks.

[holeshot426]

And so does that sticker on the front fender! What the heck you guys do to get those off without leaving and gum behind?

Goof Off, it works great on your white plastic too. Makes it look brand new again.

[oldbones]

Or use 3M adhesive remover, great stuff.

By the way, good article on the uselessness of race gas or octane boosters in the new MXA, get one at you favorite newsstand today! This article includes extensive dyno testing, check it out.

[dominator426]

Correction: MON is typically 8 numbers lower than RON so a minimum of 91 PON is recommended...

[teallen3]

It is a good article but I love the smell of the race gas!

[dubious]

I've used vp ultimate 4 race fuel and had great results. Felt like 5 hp and absolutely no pinging and real clean burn. It contains more oxygen (9% i think). Anyways I don't beleive the octane rating at most pumps, so I use octane boost (104 + ) is the brand name I prefer.Have had great results with no pinging ,compared to the same fuel that was pinging. As for the stickers, I used a heat gun and rubbed the glue off while it was hot. Happy trails.... ?