The fuel learning curve

[Srengam]

I've been riding for 3 months now, commuting 30 miles a day, it's certainly been a learning curve regarding which fuel to use.

My experiences:

Shell V-Power:
Runs great but sounds "raspy".

Shell FuelSave:
Runs terrible, stalls when idling, and acceleration is poor.

Tesco regular unleaded:
Runs awful, stalls when idling and "chokes" at 6000-7000 rpms, bike actually judders at this range.

BP regular.
Bike runs greats and sounds great too, the only problem is the garage isn't 24 hours, so if I'm on nights I can't fuel up there.

Esso regular:
Unfair test really, was tried after the Tesco tank full. Bike didn't stall when idling anymore but bike still juddered a little at 6000-7000rpm, but, as mentioned it was contaminated with Tescos fuel from previous fill. I'll try 2 full tanks of this next (garage is also 24 hours).

There ya go, my experiences so far with different fuels.
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Suzuki GSX600F Katana (1997)

[MarJay]

Dafuq?

I've never seen any difference between different fuels, least not the sound the bike makes.

Your bike is older and has carbs, and as such shouldn't even have a knock sensor. It should be set up to run on 95 RON octane fuel. This should mean all UK pump petrol should work in your bike. If it doesn't I'd be concerned there is something wrong. It hasn't been tuned has it?
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[P.addy]

inb4 its placebo.

Fuel save is normal fuel, regardless of marketing.

V power...overpriced and used by probably 2% of cars on UK roads.

You seem to think petrol is different... maybe you have a faulty bike as all petrol stations listed have never caused any problems with any bike.

In fact I ran 7 fill ups in one day a week ago... in probably 5 different "branded" garages.

No difference.

Are you using diesel.

[Walloper]

Have you tried Utterboulderd-ash?

It is better by far than the others.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[WannaBeDude]

I'd say many inc me, report better ' performance ' with dedicated fuel stations like shell bp and texaco ...
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Jogging on, destination living.

[Alpha-9]

It's a placeb-

Dammit paddy.
It's the same as cleaning your bike, you'll convince yourself its faster
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Fzr-600 1999

[hellkat]

Here's a good tip:

DON'T USE DIESEL
(unless you have a diesel powered bike, o'course)
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Irn-Bru]

I have never noticed any differences with the fuel I've used. One lad I went out with would only fill up with Shell's premium petrol though, so he planned the route out with regards to Shell petrol stations I've tried premium a few times and I can never tell the difference apart from it costing a lot more.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[MarJay]

[Blau Zedong]

[pinkyfloyd]

My little red light comes on I find the closest station regardless of brand and fill the bike up and it makes bugger all difference to the way the bike works.

Top tip on the diesel though.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[map]

[doggone]

There's some evidence the supermarket stations sometimes get batches with borderline quality, because they are all about lowest price possible.
You might just get less power/running hot using it.
Some engines are more vulnerable and it depends how they are tuned.

I do remember once filling with petrol in Germany that my Bandit really ran bad on, got very hot and if working hard it started pinking.
I think it was sold mainly for lawnmowers or something.
Usually just like here you just grab the petrol nozzle with lowest price on it.

[WannaBeDude]

[Llama-Farmer]

Hornet rode fine on Tesco regular unleaded when I first rode it back at start of August. Haven't ridden it since due to having my elbow operation.

Can't see it running worse on Momentum 99 or V-Power or anything higher. It might work better due to the detergents in premium fuel which clean the fuel lines, engine internals (particularly injectors, but they don't have them on a carb'd bike lol) and valves.


With my car it does make a difference in the feel and response, and over 20,000 miles I worked out costs me around 0.5p less per mile, which equates to around 5%. Gets slightly more power (RR proven) and higher mpg though with further range. I suspect that is less directly down to the fuel and more the fact the injectors and valves should now be nice and clean.


With my old diesel it made a significant difference, V-Power diesel was far and away better and gave it a good 3bhp more after the first tank, and a further 9bhp more after a few thousand miles on the stuff. Not to mention increased mpg, but actually cost a fraction more (several per thousand miles) because of the cost difference between regular and super diesel.

[Walloper]

So long as the knobend in at the till doesn't force me to remove helmet I'll use any fuel.
EXCEPT OF COURSE DIESEL in my bikes.

Thanks for reiterating that point hellcat. I almost forgot .
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[P.addy]

[Dazbo666]

I've run two different bikes on branded and supermarket petrol for thousands of miles each, and never noticed any appreciable difference in performance...
although I'd be more than happy to be proved wrong - for Now I'll just keep going to the nearest convenient pump
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Llama-Farmer]

[Bendy]

Apart from a brief period where filling up at the BP in Shepherd's Bush would make my CBR pop and burble more than normal, I've never noticed any difference whatsoever between fuels.

I don't work out my fuel consumption because I don't care. And frankly it could make the thing put out an extra 20bhp and I'd be none the wiser.

[Im-a-Ridah]

It wouldn't be the first time people have complained about Tesco's fuel

[Walloper]

[ajag]

The most likely reason for your issues OP could external pollutants in the fuel (like water).

Did you try several different stations of each brand or you only went to one of each? My bet is on the fuel being contaminated with something else.
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Street Triple

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[nowhere.elysium]

Never had a problem with Tesco's cheap (sic) fuel. Or any other fuel, for that matter.

Methinks the OP is looking for problem where there aren't any.
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'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project