OUCH

[ManDownUnder]

Fuelled up the bike the other day... usually runs 96... not available any more... now only 91 or 98 and I know she doen't like the 91 too much (not as much as the 96 anyways)....

So I poured it in, and while doing so looked at the PRICE!!!!!!!!

1.41/litre!

owch

What happened to 96 (coz it was cheaper) and can I detune my bike (RF900) to drink 91?

MDU

[bungbung]

You should be able to hop round and find a station that sells 96. Not BP or Mobil though.

[ManDownUnder]

You should be able to hop round and find a station that sells 96. Not BP or Mobil though.
Yeah I would but the BP Fuel card doesn't work anywhere else (it's a company thing so not just a case of changing it for another... part of a bigger plan..)

MDU

[WRT]

Yeah I would but the BP Fuel card doesn't work anywhere else (it's a company thing so not just a case of changing it for another... part of a bigger plan..)

MDU

Hang on . . . Company fuel card? Just curious, why are you worried about the price if the company is paying? Unless its your own company, in which case change stations :blink:

[White trash]

Know what ya mean MDU. I've just ordered a Turbine Y2K, at least Diesel's only 90 odd cents a litre.

Actually, a mate of mine converted an AX100 to LPG about 10 years ago. Wonder what happened to that thing?

[ManDownUnder]

Hang on . . . Company fuel card? Just curious, why are you worried about the price if the company is paying? Unless its your own company, in which case change stations :blink:

Coz it's the principle of the thing, and I'd prefer to have the bike running on lower octane fuel if opiss (I understand it actually more powerfuo... and cheaper too? that's a good thing yeah?)

MDU

[White trash]

Coz it's the principle of the thing, and I'd prefer to have the bike running on lower octane fuel if opiss (I understand it actually more powerfuo... and cheaper too? that's a good thing yeah?)

MDU

My bike runs box of fluffys on 91. What's wrong with yours?

[Lou Girardin]

My RF ran fine on 91. Bandit ditto.

[WRT]

Agree on the "principle of the thing" - especially for those of us not lucky enough to have that card!

But more powerful on lower octane? Would suspect that would only be the case if the bike was tuned for it. I tend to run 98 and find it more powerful, or 96 if its not available. Not to mention that at the end of the day over a tankfull you arent talking a huge price diffence over 91. I think 96 hovers around 5c/l more expensive than 91, over 15-20 litres thats not too much?

However, the premium for running 96/98 is not the issue, its the price of any fuel in general! I have lived in a location where its $2.00 per litre for 91 tho . . . with no choice of 96.

[ManDownUnder]

My RF ran fine on 91. Bandit ditto.

From memory she grumbles a bit (occasional miss.. generally sounding rough) betwee 2500 and 5500 rpm or so... otherwise ok... but that range is where I usual toodle along so I really felt it.

Maybe a service is in order then huh?

[Slingshot]

Why not just half fill it with 91 then top it up with 98...it'll end up at about 96ish and it'll be cheaper than paying for 98.

I don't know if this is a good idea or not though so please don't take my word for it.

[Ghost Lemur]

Fuelled up the bike the other day... usually runs 96... not available any more... now only 91 or 98 and I know she doen't like the 91 too much (not as much as the 96 anyways)....

So I poured it in, and while doing so looked at the PRICE!!!!!!!!

1.41/litre!

owch

What happened to 96 (coz it was cheaper) and can I detune my bike (RF900) to drink 91?

MDU


Bahahahaha :killingme

You think that's bad. We went to Kaikora for the weekend, $1.41 for 91 there and $1.46 for 96. :mad:

Almost bloody died. I just keep reminding myself what the poms have to pay. It helps... not much though.

And don't even get me started on the fact that oil company's are still not being prosecuted for collusion and price fixing etc.

[ManDownUnder]

Bahahahaha :killingme

You think that's bad. We went to Kaikora for the weekend, $1.41 for 91 there and $1.46 for 96. :mad:

Almost bloody died. I just keep reminding myself what the poms have to pay. It helps... not much though.

And don't even get me started on the fact that oil company's are still not being prosecuted for collusion and price fixing etc.

Collusion??? price FIXING????

Shush your mouth! That's up there with those ludicrous claims of tobacco causing cancer!

Just ask the PR people - or the lawyers. They'll put you straight!:rofl:

MDU

[myvice]

Its odd it is, bike gets about 300ks to a tank of 98 but only about 270 on 91.
Avgas is only about $2 a lt... :devil2:

[JohnBoy]

Yeah I would but the BP Fuel card doesn't work anywhere else..
MDU

try Caltex, some outlets let you use your BP card there.

[riffer]

Your bike needs a tune up MDU.

According to the service manual they'll run on anything above 85.

The choke thingamies have been known to stick in these bikes. Could be it's running a touch rich.

[Flyingpony]

Why not just half fill it with 91 then top it up with 98...it'll end up at about 96ish and it'll be cheaper than paying for 98.

I don't know if this is a good idea or not though so please don't take my word for it.
Many years ago I mixed 91 & 96 but noticed no difference.

Only trouble I can see now-a-days is you'll need to use two pumps.
A lot of fun at 2am when the pumps are off and you're trying to explain to the sleepy person behind the counter why you need two grades of fuel and hence two pumps.

Not sure why we can't pick and mix fuel at the pump. Couldn't they just telly up the results!

[Pixie]

Many years ago I mixed 91 & 96 but noticed no difference.

Only trouble I can see now-a-days is you'll need to use two pumps.
A lot of fun at 2am when the pumps are off and you're trying to explain to the sleepy person behind the counter why you need two grades of fuel and hence two pumps.

Not sure why we can't pick and mix fuel at the pump. Couldn't they just telly up the results!
Tell them it's a V-twin and the rear cylinder runs a little hot so you put the higher octane in for that.
Why can't you mix them?The time I put deisel in the bandit they charged me for the 12c worth plus the gas.

[blocker]

Hey, I've got a company BP card to (for the cage :yes: ) . Its not all the stations that have converted to 98, probably only half of them have done so.
Both the ones I use in Manukau near work are on 96 still and the one I use in Epsom near home is to. It tends to be the bigger remodelled stations that have the 98.
I don't tend to rate it for the extra 4-5c either. Just find the cruddiest BP you can and it will have 96...

[Patch]

Try weaning ya bike off 98 and onto 91, rather than a complete change. e.g. 1st tank. 3/4 98 and 1/4 91 2nd tank 1/2 98 and 1/2 91 etc.

I did this to my commie and my quacka with know problems whatsoever. A mate of mine is a chemist at Seaview (or used to be) he said there is fuck all difference between 96 and 91 so don't bother with it (96) Unless your racing you don't need the higher octane.


Try it and see how you go. Sounds like you need to change plugs and leads too.

Happy :ride: :ride:

[Ghost Lemur]

Collusion??? price FIXING????

Shush your mouth! That's up there with those ludicrous claims of tobacco causing cancer!

Just ask the PR people - or the lawyers. They'll put you straight!:rofl:

MDU

Serious it's not like they try hiding it. Hell that's the sole purpose of OPEC, is to "regulate and dictate" the flow of fuel (and therefore the price) by the large producing/controlling nations.

[bungbung]

Your bike needs a tune up MDU.

According to the service manual they'll run on anything above 85.

The choke thingamies have been known to stick in these bikes. Could be it's running a touch rich.

The manual is probably referring to MON, which is not the same as the number on the pump. The system here is closest to RON. The equivalent to 85 MON is 95 RON. This is the minimum standard for "Premium" i.e. 96 gas.

Read more here:

http://www.med.govt.nz/ers/oil_pet/fuelquality/resource/resource-10.html#P1396_141578

[thehollowmen]

I put the 98 in mine, made her seem gutless on the highway.

I'm going back to 91 and 96

[riffer]

The manual is probably referring to MON, which is not the same as the number on the pump. The system here is closest to RON. The equivalent to 85 MON is 95 RON. This is the minimum standard for "Premium" i.e. 96 gas.

Read more here:

http://www.med.govt.nz/ers/oil_pet/fuelquality/resource/resource-10.html#P1396_141578

Well I don't know Ola...

Have a look at this page.

How do you read it?

[ManDownUnder]

Well I don't know Ola...

Have a look at this page.

How do you read it?

Thanks Riffer.

I note the (R+M)/2 calc in there which means the (85+95)/2 (=90) is too low... needs 96 (rated) to go ok..

But riffer - you say you'rs runs ok on 91?

Can/could I get mine tweaked to do so, or are we talking about adjusting the compression?
MDU

[MacD]

Well I don't know Ola...

Have a look at this page.

How do you read it?

My reading of the service manual is that the RF900 requires 87 octane by the (R+M)/2 method or 91 octane by the research method.

The MED page (http://www.med.govt.nz/ers/oil_pet/fuelquality/resource/resource-10.html#P1396_141578) states that NZ petrol is rated by the Research Octane Number (RON).

Therefore NZ 91 petrol should be OK for the RF, but is at the lower limit of recommended RON.

If you read a bit further down on the MED page the (R+M)/2 value is also called the Anti-Knock Index (AKI). The AKI of NZ 91 is 86.5, which is borderline for the RF.

Anyhow, when I bought my RF I was told to run it on 95, which I have done until this winter when it began to get a bit hard to start. I'd read elsewhere on this site that 91 is meant to make for easier starting so I swapped over (given that the service manual indicated it was OK). So far so good, I haven't heard any knocking from the engine yet, and it seems to be running a bit better from cold (but that could just be wishful thinking).

I've used the Gull 98 previously and the bike ran well on that too, so I'll give the BP 98 a go as the local one has just started dispensing it.

[bungbung]

Well I don't know Ola...

Have a look at this page.

How do you read it?

You're quite right, 91 <u>should</u> be ok.

[ManDownUnder]

My reading of the service manual is that the RF900 requires 87 octane by the (R+M)/2 method or 91 octane by the research method.

The MED page (http://www.med.govt.nz/ers/oil_pet/fuelquality/resource/resource-10.html#P1396_141578)states that NZ petrol is rated by the Research Octane Number (RON).

Therefore NZ 91 petrol should be OK for the RF, but is at the lower limit of recommended RON.

If you read a bit further down on the MED page the (R+M)/2 value is also called the Anti-Knock Index (AKI). The AKI of NZ 91 is 86.5, which is borderline for the RF.

Anyhow, when I bought my RF I was told to run it on 95, which I have done until this winter when it began to get a bit hard to start. I'd read elsewhere on this site that 91 is meant to make for easier starting so I swapped over (given that the service manual indicated it was OK). So far so good, I haven't heard any knocking from the engine yet, and it seems to be running a bit better from cold (but that could just be wishful thinking).

I've used the Gull 98 previously and the bike ran well on that too, so I'll give the BP 98 a go as the local one has just started dispensing it.

Riffer, MacD - you guys also find your bike runs cold on the standard Thermostat?

[riffer]

My bikes just about run out of gas and I'll fill it up tomorrow with 96 to see what it runs like.

Could be that as I've always run it on 91 I don't know how well it could run.

It certainly doesn't pink or knock.

However, I have the E-03 model (the 120BHP horsepower US one) so it could be the different advance on it that's making up for it, but I would have thought will the 3° extra advance it would be more likely to pink.

I've heard pinking before - when I derestricted my FZR I first took the baffles out of the airbox - and made it run too lean. You should have heard the "tinkle tinkle" noise under accelearation - scary!

I'll let you know tomorrow if I notice the difference.

[riffer]

Riffer, MacD - you guys also find your bike runs cold on the standard Thermostat?

Never gets over about 1/3 of the way from C to H...

[MacD]

Riffer, MacD - you guys also find your bike runs cold on the standard Thermostat?

Yep. Do a search for this topic. F5 Dave, I think, swapped his thermostat for a hotter "car" one. As I do quite a bit of commuting on my bike, including stopped in traffic, I've left the cooler one in place.

Edit: Found them...

Here's the first thread (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=2677&highlight=thermostat+rf900).

And the results of F5 Dave's thermostat changes (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=40739#post40739).