Try VP's U4.4 and see if you don't like that. I pay $75.00 for 5 gal pails. My RSV4 LOVES U4.4!! :wheel:
That's exactly what this gas is--110 leaded. The majority of the purchases are made by local oval car racers. I was given to understand that the O2 sensors have been eliminated from my bikes. The exhaust cans on both bikes have a grey coating inside them rather than black like my street bike. My mechanic tells me this is fine and the engines are running properly. I'm looking for advice here. As I said, I'm no expert in any area of this sport. Thanks in advance.
Absolutely. Or whatever the manual calls for. Some 600's call for 87 octane, i can't remember what the R6 calls for. As stated earlier in the thread, octane simply defines resistance to combustion. Since your motor is still stock, you haven't altered any of that. Running higher octane will not yield any results. The lowest octane you can run while avoided pre-detonation is what you should run. Higher octane doesn't = more power. A motor build/tune is where the power comes from, and sometimes higher octane fuel is necessary due to the motor build. Higher octane fuel isn't better, it is just different. Like i said before, one of the biggest marketing schemes ever was when they labeled 93 octane fuel "Premium". It has led to millions of people wasting money on running a higher octane fuel when their bike/car isn't designed for it and doesn't require it. FWIW - MR12, widely known as one of the best race fuels you can purchase, is only 89 octane IIRC.
Time to split hairs. MR-12 is 87 , but only MON rating. That would translate into 93 (R+M)/2 that pump gas is sold to us. -X
Hence the "IIRC". Knocked my head a few times since i first looked it up. I was just trying to point out that MR12 is the same octane as pump gas, to prove that octane doesnt necessarily = power. Some people believe all race fuels are 100-110 octane or something like that. I was just pointing out that isnt the case.
This could actually be pretty advantageous. E85 has a very high octane rating, which could allow for an aggressive CR not feasible on 87 or 89 pump gas. Naturally, the whole fuel system would have to be modified, but I could certainly see some value in this for a track only bike. It would be far less expensive than race gas, or premium. The only downside would be the low energy content of E85. While it would allow you to make more power, courtesy of the presumed increase in compression ratio due to tuning for E85, you would see a significant increase in fuel consumption. That minor downside is likely outweighed by the sheer cost of race fuel alternatives presently available. Of course, this assumes the modifications necessary to utilize and leverage the advantages of E85 aren't financially prohibitive or disallowed by organizations in which one may compete.
Thanks for the reply. Might try a mix 50/50 (89 non-eth/u4.4). Saw some claim that it shouldn't hurt orings and gaskets like other race fuels. So do you drain your tank after every event or let it sit if useing U4.4?
Per VP's motorcycle techs you can leave U4.4 in your gas tank for up to 4 weeks. After that it should be drained or burned.
it was always my understanding that u4.4 should be removed after use, hell now i'll leave that sweet explosive nectar in there for longer if i have an event after that :thumb:
It depends on how long between events. If it is only a week or so, I will leave it in. Longer than that, I drain it. With that being said, U4.4 got left in the 675 for 8 months by accident (had a getoff at the WERA opener in 2013 and didn't ride again for 8 months) and it was perfectly fine.
Great thread. I have a 1997 Ducati that began its life before ethanol was added to fuel. I used to think that the old Duc was losing power due to age but I now think it might be the ethanol from the local pump. Does anyone know where to get pump gas that is free of ethanol near the Illinois/Indiana or Illinois/Wisconsin borders? Any other fuel suggestions to make the Duc happy at the track? Manual says 91 octane but I can only find pumps that have ethanol.
Most of the issues with ethanol comes from when it is left in the tank. It usually doesn't cause problems when the bike is ridden regularly. Do a Google search for the gas station. There is a website that will let you look up gas stations that sell E0. I have ran across it before but can't remember the name of it.