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junkyardog53

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Your bike is specifically rated for use with REGULAR fuel (87 R+M octane). Unless your engine knocks on regular fuel, use of any higher octane has absolutely ZERO value at all (except to the oil companies taking your money). It will NOT run smoother, you will NOT get better fuel economy, you will NOT get more power, etc. etc. etc.

 

And since your engine is rated for 87 octane fuel, it will NOT knock when using it unless there is something wrong with your bike. And in the Rocky Mountains where they sell 85 octane regular, you will find that your bike runs fine on that, too.

Goose

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Take the cost difference between premium and regular and buy some safety chrome. Your owners manual tells you to run regular 87. Mine has never had anything but regular from day one and runs great. Stop wasting :mo money:

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i have been running my 2007 on premium gas...can i down grade to regular...tring to save some cost without hurting the engine....thanks

 

There was a recent consumer test in the UK about this issue.

 

The findings were simple. There is about a 1 1/2% improvement in fuel economy, and comparative reduction in wear, for an average price premium of 5%.

 

The conclusion was simple. If you choose to run Premium gas blends when your engine doesn't need it, you will pay more for gas and get no discernible benefit .... but the next owner of the bike will thank you!

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There was a recent consumer test in the UK about this issue.

 

The findings were simple. There is about a 1 1/2% improvement in fuel economy, and comparative reduction in wear, for an average price premium of 5%.

 

The conclusion was simple. If you choose to run Premium gas blends when your engine doesn't need it, you will pay more for gas and get no discernible benefit .... but the next owner of the bike will thank you!

I have not heard of this test, nor do I believe the stated results. This oft-repeated claim is nothing but pure hokum.

 

Facts are easy to find by anyone interested in doing even minor research. Here are a couple of links:

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/transportation/consumer_tips/regular_vs_premium.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-premium-g

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2003-07-30-premiumgas_x.htm

 

Note that the ONLY references to any loss of power on regular fuel all refer to engines that are specifically designed for a higher octane. Usually this comes from an engine with knock sensors and electronic timing adjustments or variable valve timing. The reason an engine like that can loose some peak power with non-premium fuel is because the engine controls dial back the timing advance to stop the knocking.

 

But like we said above, the owners manual tells you this engine is specifically designed for 87 R+M octane fuel. So there is NO improved economy and NO reduction in engine wear if you choose to spend the extra money on premium.

Goose

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Yah!! Did a study with my cage several years ago and found by going from regular to middle premium I got slightly better MPG's but my cost per mile went waaaaaay up in comparison!! Unless you have a pronounced ping with regular, which suggests something is wrong, you are throwing your money away. In some cases with cages, you are actually doing more harm than good using premium when regular is called for...

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California models must be different. My owners manual says run premium.

I have no idea what manual you are looking at, but the actual Yamaha Owner's Manual for the 2008 XVZ13TFX© and XVZ13TFSX© (includes California models) specifically says this on page 3-11:

"Your Yamaha engine has been designed to use regular unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number [(R+M)/2] of 86 octane or higher"

Doesn't leave much room for interpretation...

Goose

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California models must be different. My owners manual says run premium.

 

Possibly because they were tuned for minimum emissions.

 

That is as lean as possible, with the ignition advanced as far as possible .... but maybe not and there is an easy way to tell.

 

Run the tank empty and add a couple of gallons of Regular.

 

Find a hill and accelerate up it in a slightly higher gear than normal. If it "pinks" you will hear it. If it doesn't, then you are good to go on Regular.

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I have no idea what manual you are looking at, but the actual Yamaha Owner's Manual for the 2008 XVZ13TFX© and XVZ13TFSX© (includes California models) specifically says this on page 3-11:

"Your Yamaha engine has been designed to use regular unleaded gasoline with a pump octane number [(R+M)/2] of 86 octane or higher"

Doesn't leave much room for interpretation...

Goose

 

I stand corrected. :o I sure thought I read it was suppose to run premium. I'll be saving a little money in the future. Thanks

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