Probably already covered, but....

[Fishbein]

I was wondering if anyone thinks that higher octane gas improves the performance of your Rocket III Touring. It says to use 87 octane, I believe, and that's all I've used. If it improved performance or was advantageous in some other way I might try a higher octane, but I assume it won't make much difference. Any thoughts?

 

[TxRIIIRider]

Octane doesn't improve performance, it only slows the burn rate of gasoline to prevent premature detonation (This isn't what happens to some when sheep are mentioned around here..) in engines with high compression ratios. Our Rockets have a pretty low compression ratio, so 87 octane should be just fine. I've been running it in mine for most of it's 40,000 miles now..

Now if you increase cylinder pressure, via turbo, supercharger, or higher compression pistons, then you will definitely need the higher octane stuff..

 

[CrazyTed]

If you don't have any pinging or detonation issues, you'll only be wasting money with hgiher octane fuel.

 

[scot in exile]

Sheep who said Sheep me and TonyMac like Sheep

 

[TonyMac]

Sheep who said Sheep me and TonyMac like Sheep

No Dave I told you I like doing it whilst on a sheepskin rug!

When you were recently revealing your Lochgelly shagging exploits I assumed you were talking about women.....................not sheep!!..............it definitely conjures up some bizarre images now!

See you in Maggie Valley to clarify this mix up............ whilst blowing the froth off a couple of cold ones!

 

[xhdskip]

Ran the high octane, high price stuff for awhile.
I figured anything with this much power, has to need more octane.
Then messed up and put Regular in it one day, no difference.
Been running Regular in it ever since.

 

[billz]

I think I get 10-20 miles more out of a tank with the high $ stuff, hard to prove.

Also maybe a little less popping and farting (out of the bike that is).

 

[Baggage1]

I ran the recommended octane on, "find a flat I", and got 35 mpg ave. Since gas got crazy I went to regular on,"FAF II" and now have the sissy bar, 2up, dark rubber, which by the way creates a guilt less pathway to torque experimentation and have lost my average to 34 or sometimes less, lets be honest here, mostly less.

 

[MikeM]

Putting high octane gas in a low compression engine is a waste of $$$.

 

[RocketDaryl]

I've been running every other tank with mid-grade. Frankly, I don't notice any difference from one tank to another. I'm inclined to agree that it's probably been a waste of my money.

FWIW - I'm getting 38 mpg. That seems to be in line with what most folks (that ride normal) are getting. I wonder (probably because I'm an anal retentive, tight wad, penny counting, accountant), however, how compact cars (Civics, Corollas, etc...) can get the same mileage, but weigh 3 or 4 times as much. There's not that much difference in engine size. OTOH, my Harleys, which have all had 1400 or 1600 cc (rounding here) only get 40-45. I suppose 38 isn't so bad for a 2300 cc bike when you look at it that way.