I live at 5000' altitude and run 91 e10 as that is all that's sold here. I know also that octane needs decreases with altitude.
Well, a new gas station opened up and one of the fuel options is "87 pure gas - no ethanol".
It is about the same price as 89 e10.
Which would you pick?
If temp makes a difference, it has been in the 30's-40's lately. Sometimes I'll take a ride to nearby Lake Tahoe, hit alt of 8,000'.

What does your manual say about gasoline and ratings?  Personally I'd only put 91 or better in it.

From memory, I think it simply recommend premium fuel.
However, the octane can vary for what is sold as "premium".
In WA, premium is 92 octane, in CO, premium can be just 90 octane.

I'd run whatever goes for premium where you live.

I live at sea level and use 87 octane but then again, I like to live right on the edge.

Kawasaki claims the bike requires 90 octane (which is not one of the choices at any pump I have seen), and you cannot go wrong following instructions with something like this IMO. But the price difference between 87 and 91 has become pretty significant, at least around here (northeast US).

Brian

I live at 5000' altitude and run 91 e10 as that is all that's sold here. I know also that octane needs decreases with altitude.
Well, a new gas station opened up and one of the fuel options is "87 pure gas - no ethanol".
It is about the same price as 89 e10.
Which would you pick?
If temp makes a difference, it has been in the 30's-40's lately. Sometimes I'll take a ride to nearby Lake Tahoe, hit alt of 8,000'.

 

What does your manual say about gasoline and ratings?  Personally I'd only put 91 or better in it.

+1

I would run what the manual says (90) or the closest you can get above it.  At high altitude, you can probably use 89 safely, but I think sometimes they change the pump rating to already compensate?

Octane is octane, doesn't mater how much nasty ethanol is in it... doesn't change what octane rating should be used.

I wouldn't run 87 at sea level.  But that is me.  They call for 90 minimum for a good reason.  The price difference at most stations is totally unreasonable, yes (mid-Atlantic).  But at Costco or Sam's, it is reasonable.  Even when unreasonable, it is not like we get only 8MPG, so it still isn't all that bad (maybe an extra $1 per fill-up).  If you think it is a lot, price out motorcycle tires and divide that out into cost-per-mile 

I live at sea level and use 87 octane but then again, I like to live right on the edge.

Kawasaki claims the bike requires 90 octane (which is not one of the choices at any pump I have seen), and you cannot go wrong following instructions with something like this IMO. But the price difference between 87 and 91 has become pretty significant, at least around here (northeast US).

Brian

Citgo still the major player in the east coast fuel market?

Not sure but I do not think so. We have a lot of "Cumberland Farms" convenience / fuel stations around here which is coupled (Easy Boys!) with Gulf and in fact, owns the rights to distrubute Gulf gasoline over the entire US.

Valero is a common 'off' brand here but the usual players are Exxon, Mobile (yeah, I know), the occasional Amco, BP and a few others. I really do not notice brands of fuel stations until I travel and then all the common names are mostly replaced with other brands and it surprises me.

Brian

Citgo still the major player in the east coast fuel market?

Relax Jim, I have only been doing it in the C-14 since '07 and for 100K miles so I might not have suffered the myriad of problems other, more serious and dedicated, riders may have. Remember that guy in San Diego who had something like 185K on his bike.... a bunch of years ago?

Brian

Citgo still the major player in the east coast fuel market?

Here (VA): Citgo, Exxon, BP, Shell, Sunoco, Raceway, Wawa, and others
And all the discounts:  Costco, BJ's, Sam's

I might not have suffered the myriad of problems other, more serious and dedicated, riders may have.

You bought the extra-super protection field.  Mine carries the standard Murphy's Law type field.

I've had to buy 87 without the added sugar when out in the willywags.  No harm, no foul.   

Secondary roads sometimes mean decreased speeds, 70-80mph indicated.   

I was surprised at the range the fuel yielded.   

I do, however, always fill with the highest grade.     Seems recently, within the past year, I found hi octane no ethanol and Dirty Grrrl enjoyed it.   

Ethanol fuel has less *energy* than straight gasoline.

Don't get me started on hydrogen fuel, unless you wanna.   

Relax Jim, I have only been doing it in the C-14 since '07 and for 100K miles so I might not have suffered the myriad of problems other, more serious and dedicated, riders may have. Remember that guy in San Diego who had something like 185K on his bike.... a bunch of years ago?

Brian

Relax?  How can any right minded person be so wrong?  Just  and  !!   

I've had to buy 87 without the added sugar when out in the willywags.  No harm, no foul.   

Secondary roads sometimes mean decreased speeds, 70-80mph indicated.   

I was surprised at the range the fuel yielded.   

I do, however, always fill with the highest grade.     Seems recently, within the past year, I found hi octane no ethanol and Dirty Grrrl enjoyed it.   

Ethanol fuel has less *energy* than straight gasoline.

Don't get me started on hydrogen fuel, unless you wanna.   

Ok, so who is using Hydrogen in their bikes now?  I know that's not in the manual....

We have a Citgo down the road from me.  Believe it or not, I get better gas mileage from them.  Don't use them very much, though.

Hey, maybe this could turn into a tire / oil thread but for gasoline: which brand is better, which really burns cleaner, which one my great- grandfather used for 2,000 years and never had any trouble, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum. Good stuff!

Now that said, I have never noticed any difference in gasoline. I do not mean after using any particular one for 40 years, just tankful to tankful. One thing I did notice when traveling in the west, where pure gasoline is apparently still available (going by the lack of 'Fuel contains 10% Ethanol' tags on the pumps), I got more range on a tankful. Not all that much but still enough to be noticeable. Here in RI, all our fuel is laced with 10% ethanol... and I am not on a crusade against that either. For all the noise I have heard about how horrible the stuff is, I run it in everything I own from a string trimmers on up in engine size without any problems I am aware of. And I am not careful to drain fuel either; I just use whatever was in use last year; or in the case of the generator, several years ago when last test- ran. Now if possible, I do run carburetors dry on all small engines if they are equipped with a fuel shut- off but otherwise, no special attention to fuel age. And I never use any products like Dri- Gas (which is alcohol put into gasoline to make water miscible with gasoline..... exactly like the 10% ethanol already in our fuel).

We have a Citgo down the road from me.  Believe it or not, I get better gas mileage from them.  Don't use them very much, though.

Ok, so who is using Hydrogen in their bikes now?  I know that's not in the manual....

   Got me there, Twitchy.    

I was referring to the CARB mandate demanding manufacturers build hydrogen fueled cars.
IIRC, the only way to separate hydrogen from whatever it's bound to, and it's always stuck to something, is by heating it.
The result.
CO2

plant food...what's not to like?

Hey, maybe this could turn into a tire / oil thread but for gasoline: which brand is better, which really burns cleaner, which one my great- grandfather used for 2,000 years and never had any trouble, etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum. Good stuff!

Gas thread!!!

Now that said, I have never noticed any difference in gasoline. I do not mean after using any particular one for 40 years, just tankful to tankful.

I have, but it is pretty rare.

Here in RI, all our fuel is laced with 10% ethanol.

Same here

and I am not on a crusade against that either. For all the noise I have heard about how horrible the stuff is, I run it in everything I own from[...]

It destroyed the carbs on my last bike.  Absolutely sure of it.  But it wasn't designed to handle it either.  Seems every engine after that, including carbs (although just in small engines) has no problem with it now.  Just helps to corrode away my gas tank cap, though.

or in the case of the generator, several years ago when last test- ran.

LOL!  I thought I was the only one who did that!  I end up throwing any misc old gas in the generator.  Although I do try to test it 3 to 4 times a year.