High octane fuel - worth the extra for the LC?

[Sprintgull]

Just thought I'd open up an old perennial....  Anyone found any direct benefit from using the high octane fuels rather than the bog standard unleaded?  Got to say I've not really noticed any real difference from the few times I've used it.  Cheers.

[richardbd]

nope...

[guest2360]

nope...

+1. Just a waste of money.

[Steve F]

No, but I try and fill up every other tankful or so with Super Unleaded in a (perhaps misguided??) attempt to give the engine a little bit of TLC...

[LAF]

If you got to BMW website, pull up the RT and specs it explicitly states Premium fuel. 

This can be worse than a oil thread. 

It calls for 91 and you can use 89 IF the 91 is not available, but the preferred fuel is 91.

[pwbike]

...specs it explicitly states Premium fuel. 
It calls for 91 and you can use 89 IF the 91 is not available, but the preferred fuel is 91.

Are those RON ratings?
In Australia our standard ULP is 91 RON, then we have PULP at 95 RON and PULP at 98 RON.
The R1200RT LC manual and dealer advise it must have at least 95 RON (premium as you note above).

[LAF]

Yes the differences in how and what octane fuel is in your part of the world is always a issue.

Those are AKI which has a formula to convert.  The bikes manual calls for 91 AKI and 89 AKI. 

Here in USA, PA  we have 87,89,91,93 octane available.  I use 93 as that is what my Shell Station has.  If I get into a Sunoco station I can get either 91 or 93 and I run the 93 there also. 

The reason I use the 93 is my bike is dyno tuned for 93 octane.  If not I would use 91.  However if it meant getting home I would use 87 with no issue.  I just do not think you want to run a high revving higher compression motor on a steady diet of 87 or 89 fuel.  Cost to me is not an issue as grade to grade is about 20 cents a US gallon.  I normally like to get fuel early so I usually get about 5 US gallons.  It amounts to one dollar more a tank so from 89 to 91 cost you a buck more a tank.

Your Mileage May Vary

[timminator]

Where I live the state mandates that all gasoline contains 10% ethanol.  If I don't want to put E10 in the tank, I have to spring for what's called "Clear" fuel, which is ethanol-free premium unleaded, 92 octane.  They sell it mainly at marina's for boats, but you can also get it at a few select inland stations.


I usually put Clear in the tank, unless I am too far from a station and in danger of running out of fuel.  It's spendy too, last I paid $4.75/gal, about $2/gal more than E10 premium at the same octane rating.  I know, probably a waste of money, but I'm concerned about what the ethanol will do to the rubber hoses in the fuel system over the long term.

[guest2360]

Where I live the state mandates that all gasoline contains 10% ethanol.  If I don't want to put E10 in the tank, I have to spring for what's called "Clear" fuel, which is ethanol-free premium unleaded, 92 octane.  They sell it mainly at marina's for boats, but you can also get it at a few select inland stations.


I usually put Clear in the tank, unless I am too far from a station and in danger of running out of fuel.  It's spendy too, last I paid $4.75/gal, about $2/gal more than E10 premium at the same octane rating.  I know, probably a waste of money, but I'm concerned about what the ethanol will do to the rubber hoses in the fuel system over the long term.

My handbook, page 159, states recommended fuel to be Super unleaded (max 10% ethanol, E10) so can't see what the problem is.  That's in the LC and I bet it's the same in all of them. Can't see them telling us its OK if it's going to damage anything.

[David.]

The recommended fuel grade for an LC is, Super unleaded (max. 10 % ethanol, E10) 95 RON.

Alternative fuel grade

Regular unleaded (Power- and consumption-related restrictions. If e.g. the engine is to be operated in countries with low fuel grades at 91 research octane number, then the motorcycle must first be programmed appropriately at your authorised BMW motorcycle dealer.) (max. 10 % ethanol, E10) 91 RON.

[David.]

Looks like in the UK & AUS, 95 RON is recommend, in the US, the AKI equivalent is 89.

[Sprintgull]

Thanks for all the input guys. 


So here in sunny(?) UK, where standard Shell unleaded is 95 RON and the expensive stuff is 99 RON I shall only use the posh stuff if I need to feel like I'm going faster.  In reality I've not noticed a fat lot of difference either in performance or consumption, just wondered if I'd missed something


Cheers.

[guest3074]

Had we been talking about the previous model it would of been a different answer as BMW recommended RON98 and RON95 at reduced power. As it's no longer in the manual I very much doubt the bike is configured to take advantage of the higher rating.

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[blokeonthemove]

I normally use Tesco 99 octane 'Momentum' but over the last weekend on trip out with 6 others I used BP 97, I thought the bike was smoother on tick over, but it maybe an illusion!

[David.]

I normally use Tesco 99 octane 'Momentum' but over the last weekend on trip out with 6 others I used BP 97, I thought the bike was smoother on tick over, but it maybe an illusion!

BP must be better, BMW recommend it.