What do you do when only 87 octane is available?

[gunslinger_006]

I ride through a lot of super rural areas where only 87 octane is available. I try to plan my rides so that i can gas up in a big town where i can find 91/93 octane.

Do yall just use 87 when you have to? The manual calls for 91.

Anyone had problems running 87? Pinging/detonation is bad for any engine.

Thanks in advance.


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[whisperquiet]

Fill up with 87 and ride……..I’ve done it many times as there some rural areas with minimal choice in fuel. It has never been a problem for me.

 

[RCinNC]

I've used it plenty of times and never experienced any pinging or other side effects. If you're worried, you can always keep a bottle of octane booster in your pannier and add it to a tank of 87 when you're stuck in one of those areas that don't carry premium.

 

[Saint rob]

You don’t really have much choice if 87 is all you can get, I wouldn’t want to push mine very far. I would however look for where the next location is that you can get premium fuel from and buy enough to get you there and no more

 

[gunslinger_006]

I forgot to mention my bike has been tuned. Not sure how much that would affect this.


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[WJBertrand]

Just had this scenario last week whilst on tour. I just went ahead and used it. I rode it normally and didn’t notice any problems or differences. Ameliorating factors were that there was at least a gallon and a half of premium still in the tank and most of my riding at the time was at 3000-5000 ft elevation, which reduces octane sensitivity.


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[Madhatter]

gas and go .... just ride nice and all will be good.

 

[Cycledude]

I use regular 87 when premium isn’t available , as far as how the bike runs on regular 87 I haven’t ever noticed any difference, seems like wasted money burning premium but since that’s what Yamaha recommends that’s what I use when it’s available which in my case must be about 99% of the time.

 

[Sierra1]

I forgot to mention my bike has been tuned. . . .

Tuned or flashed? And I "think" that as long as the compression is the same, it won't matter. To answer your question, I'd use the 87 without hesitation. The only time that she grumbled was during one of our summers (fan was on), bumper to bumper traffic, and with a passenger. She rattled a little until she cooled off. I had been experimenting with 87 at the time and was not seeing any issues. After that day, she only gets 91. And like Cycledude, 91 is never far off.

 

[gunslinger_006]

Tuned or flashed. And I "think" that as long as the compression is the same, it won't matter. To answer your question, I'd use the 87 without hesitation. The only time that she grumbled was during one of our summers (fan was on), bumper to bumper traffic, and with a passenger. She rattled a little until she cooled off. I had been experimenting with 87 at the time and was not seeing any issues. After that day, she only gets 91. And like Cycledude, 91 is never far off.

Sorry, flashed at two wheel dyno works in seattle wa.


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[Sierra1]

Sorry, flashed at two wheel dyno works in seattle wa.

I haven't had mine flashed, so I don't know for certain. But "they" have said that the HP stays the same. Which would lead me to believe that the compression ratio would remain the same. The flash is supposed to be all about the throttle speed.

 

[jeckyll]

Sorry, flashed at two wheel dyno works in seattle wa.


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It still has knock sensors, so should be fine.

Like everyone has said, sometimes you have no choice (like in the Yukon / Alaska) and you run what they got

 

[lund]

You worry too much, put what ever is available at the time on your travels. Run 91 when its there. The S10 engine is no high performance motor, it tolerates a lower grade fuel. I always say run in touring mode when using less then 91 as timing is retarded slightly compared to sport mode.
Your unlikely to notice much of a difference, I ran 87 many times for many miles and never had an issue. But I generally run 91 if its there.

 

[pooh and xtine]

My understanding is that the S10 doesn’t have knock sensors and there is only one spark map for both S and T modes, but the timing is quite lazy (most remappers leave as is) and compression ratio ok for any fuel you can get. After all, Yamaha sell the bike pretty much worldwide and it’s an “adventure” bike!

 

[WJBertrand]

I haven't had mine flashed, so I don't know for certain. But "they" have said that the HP stays the same. Which would lead me to believe that the compression ratio would remain the same.

The compression ratio cannot be changed with a flash. You must change/modify mechanical parts such as the pistons, rods or cylinder head to change the compression ratio.


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[lund]

I haven't had mine flashed, so I don't know for certain. But "they" have said that the HP stays the same. Which would lead me to believe that the compression ratio would remain the same. The flash is supposed to be all about the throttle speed.

Ya the HP and torque remain the same from T vs S. Compression ratio cannot be changed with tunes or switching the modes. Compression is a mechanical measurement and can only be changed mechanically.

 

[jeckyll]

The compression ratio cannot be changed with a flash. You must change/modify mechanical parts such as the pistons, rods or cylinder head to change the compression ratio.


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In fairness, advancing timing _could_ be done with a flash and would definitely make higher octane more important

It's not _just_ about the compression ratio.

 

[WJBertrand]

In fairness, advancing timing _could_ be done with a flash and would definitely make higher octane more important

It's not _just_ about the compression ratio.

Of course, this is understood. I was not addressing throttle maps, timing air/fuel ratio or any of the things that can be changed by a flash. The poster I was replying to seemed to be unsure whether the compression ratio had been or could be changed by re-flashing, hence my reassurance that the compression ratio can not changed that way.

 

[Mal]

87 is all you can find around here when you get away from the large towns and interstates. I think it hurts my mileage (could be the alcohol) but it runs fine on it.

 

[Sierra1]

So, what do people do if they have a car that actually demands it?