What do you do when only 87 octane is available?

nd4spdbh

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Sep 29, 2022
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Southern CA
So, what do people do if they have a car that actually demands it?
Pray that you have a knock-sensor and the car pulls timing.
Every car built in the last 2 probably getting close to 3 decades have knock sensors and will pull timing. The super tenere does not.

That stated, 87 is fine, just fill up with 91 the next chance you get.
 

Sierra1

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Nov 7, 2016
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Joshua TX
Every car built in the last 2 probably getting close to 3 decades have knock sensors and will pull timing. . . .
I understand that. But these people spending big bucks on cars that demand premium for their performance . . . . are just wasting money?
 

Sierra1

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Joshua TX
That's my point. @Mal speaks of premium being kinda difficult to locate. Doesn't make sense nowadays with cars/trucks demanding it.
 

MattR

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Nov 16, 2019
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North Hampshire UK
If you’re having your bike flashed on a Dyno, make sure you fill up with whatever grade fuel you intend to usually use beforehand. No point having it flashed to premium if you are then going to use lower grades


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WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
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Jun 20, 2015
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Ventura, CA
Yeah its kind of funny how I got my bike "flashed" and my truck "tuned" when its exactly the same procedure....
Yeah, the jargon is different but the same thing. My Mustang GT has a “tune” installed that demands 91 octane minimum. It’d make a bit more power if I could get 93 around here. The tune came with a hand held tuner device that lets me switch octane requirements. To burn 87 though, I would have to reinstall the stock tune, which is stored in the hand held device.

In traveling extensively in the west, both by car and motorcycle, unavailability of premium is a rare occurrence in my experience, especially among the major brand stations.


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jeckyll

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May 11, 2016
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Lotusland
<snip>

In traveling extensively in the west, both by car and motorcycle, unavailability of premium is a rare occurrence in my experience, especially among the major brand stations.


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Agreed, I've generally been able to find premium even when travelling the smallest roads and little towns in WA, OR, ID, CA. I do tend to fill up early to ensure I can find gas, which probably helps.

Only in the Yukon and Alaska did I have some instances where 87 was the only option.
 
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