Gas.... Super or Regular in my XS...???

[uknowme2goog]

What type of gas do you use in your XS650? I have 1980 XS with after market carbs and i dont see any differance with how the bike operates/handles, if i use super or regular gas. So to save a few dollars i use regular....should i see a differance?

 

[mouser]

I've tried premium but found my xs's like regular ...My engine top end seemed to be noisier with premium...perhaps running hotter or something. I'm going to test that theory with a digital laser thermometer I just bought..

 

[uknowme2goog]

I have not felt a differeance in temp or heard any noises...but i would think since the bikes are 30+ years old that they would run better on regular gas...

 

[Tomterrific]

There is one reason to use premium and that is detonation. Every year old bikes hole pistons on the highway and 100% are using 87 octane. It is my opinion that by using premium gas, the holed piston that happened to the guy using 87 will not happen to you.

For 20 cents do you want to try? This is the cheapest motor insurance you can find.

Tom

 

[retiredgentleman]

I have used both regular and high test, and I can't detect any difference as to how the engine runs or sounds.

 

[uknowme2goog]

Really its not about the money.....it's about if the bike really runs better???

 

[I am Carbon]

I use 92 octane the sticker on the bike from 1980 states use regular(leaded) 91 octane min.

 

[Goldy]

Always used high test, but earlier this year switched to regular just to see if it made any difference...it didn't. Still starts great, runs great and doesn't ping, even under heavy loads.

 

[oldbiker]

hi guys,,, i run 98% unleaded in australia in my falcon wagon,,,, my xs650 and my gs1000e ,,, and they all run sweet and cleaner regards oldbiker

 

[CDNTX650]

Shell v-power here. Only because of no ethanol. My Ducati only gets that too. Stalls on Petro Canada premium all the time at lights. KLR gets what ever is close by thats not ethanol heavy. Same with the Versys.

 

[Grinder]

I always use premium because it doesn't have ethanol in it around here.

 

[Ghetto]

Lucky ^^^ I use Premium as well for detonation as well as gas was better back in the day so regular from the 80's is like premium now.

 

[nj1639]

Highest octane that I can get.....just because.

 

[bdholsin]

I happened to glance at the label inside one of my decorative side covers on my '83 Special this past summer. I noticed that the original specification label mentioned "leaded" gas. At that time (in the 80's) the lead in the gas was used as a way to combat pre-detonation. Now that leaded gas is no longer available we have various octanes (87, 89 and 91/93). Each locale has it's own high octane so there is no need to specify what you have in your area.

Personally, I burn 91 octane in my bike as it is probably the closest modern equivalent to leaded gas from the 80's.

Just my two cents. No need to provide change.

 

[ReycleBill]

Shell v-power here. Only because of no ethanol. My Ducati only gets that too. Stalls on Petro Canada premium all the time at lights. KLR gets what ever is close by thats not ethanol heavy. Same with the Versys.

I run Shell v-power as well. Sadly, because of US Federal mandates, v-power now contains 10% Ethanol where I live. A year ago I could get Ethanol free v-power but now there is no locally available Ethanol free gasoline of any brand except for aviation and racing fuels. And they ain't easy to come by or easy on the wallet.

Hopefully it will be a long time before it happens to you.

 

[azman857]

I run mid grade and my engine is quieter for it.

 

[uknowme2goog]

so far its a mix bag of results..i dont see anything with proof that super is better then regular gas...

 

[xjwmx]

super is less prone to pinging, provided the engine isn't prone to pinging. I set my timing back so that I could use regular without problems.

We used to time the ignition on old auto engines by just advancing the timing until they would ping, and then backing it off a little. Same idea. You can get more advance with super, theoretically. Thus there's super.

 

[ProSimex]

cleaner higher quality gas, less additives, that why you use premium.

 

[Splexin]

I am a daily rider and I use super premium.....it makes my bike run noticeably smoother....likely because the octane is closest to original spec. Yamaha manual says 91 min. It costs me less than $10 to fill up the tank, so why wouldn't I pay a little extra for a little better quality gas?

Guess it's just a matter of preference.