sideways
Novice Class
Posts: 61
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posted May 09, 2008 05:49 PM
gas!!!!
We all know that it says 90+octane. With the gas prices the way it is...do you think it would hurt to use regular? I know for racing and power I have heard regular from some posts. Will using regular for commute hurt the engine like the sticker says? With a 16 front I get 150 or so from a tank, what do you guys think! Will I notice performance, sound, etc. if I use regular? Thanks!
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Joe
2006 Blue ZX-14
  
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mcair
Expert Class
Posts: 118
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posted May 09, 2008 06:10 PM
I wouldn't take a chance on it. Kawa put a warning sticker by the tank cap for a reason, If you were to use regular, how much are you gonna save on a fill up? A buck, buck-fifty? Forget it. Give your baby the juice she needs.
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08 ZX14 Atomic Silver
07 ZZR600 Red
92 ZX11 Black/Purple / 86 Ninja 1000R Red
79 GS850 Black / 77 CB250 Orange / 76 FS1E Burnt Red
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CrotchRocket
Moderator
Bracket Racing with Betsy
Posts: 8038
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posted May 09, 2008 08:33 PM
I used to use VP mr9 race fuel which is 87 octane...
Now I use pump gas, 87 octane and have been using 87 octane gas since I bought my 12 in 2002...No problems yet and the motor has never been opened!!!
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Jason Miller StreetBike Seminars
*****DragRacers do it better, because they dont cut Corners*****
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lietoome
Needs a job
Posts: 2033
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posted May 10, 2008 01:23 AM
@ 4000ft, I run 86 octane. I honestly think my bike runs better on the cheap"er" stuff.
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Tool man
Needs a job
Posts: 4493
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posted May 10, 2008 08:35 AM
If you DO NOT lug the motor down around 2,000 you will be fine using 89. Hot weather use 91 oct to be safer in the city.
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The banks are failing..
The banks are failing...
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
Posts: 4209
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posted May 10, 2008 09:45 AM
i ran 89 once and felt guilty, i know some guys run the cheap stuff and more power to them, but i run premium even in my lawnmower.
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2006 Black ZX-14,6 inches over,16/42, flies out,BMC Street Filter,Brock's Street Meg,Brock's Radial Mount Strap,PClll with Race map,Dynojet LCD w/Techmount, ZX-14 fender eliminator,Pilot Power2CTs,Speedohealer,Pazzo Levers,Cox Radiator Guard, Garmin Nuvi 265WT
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NOX
Needs a job
PMRA / TMRC Super Street 4022
Posts: 3745
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posted May 10, 2008 12:07 PM
Do you know the compression on a lawnmower? Its like 8 to 1 or less.......lol
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NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
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posted May 10, 2008 03:20 PM
My advice, sell the bike if you can't afford the gas.
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countersteer
Needs a job
Didn't read the owners manual
Posts: 2207
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posted May 10, 2008 11:53 PM
quote:
My advice, sell the bike if you can't afford the gas.
agreed. 87 goes in the chevy, 93 in the kawi.
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Scott
Long Island, New York
2006 ZX-14, 2003 ZX-12R
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fury
Expert Class
Posts: 427
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posted May 11, 2008 08:55 AM
Anyone try any additives?
Just to help keep our injectors clean?
I only run prem fuel. Gas is 128. some dumb ass number a litre.
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Hawkman
Zone Head
Posts: 747
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posted May 11, 2008 09:14 AM
If Brock Davidson can use 89 octane, then so can I.
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ninja14
Pro
Posts: 1136
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posted May 11, 2008 09:19 AM
I would think that at this point (someone riding a 14 should have years of bike knowledge by then) it should not be an issue. I used 87 even with adv timing and never had a problem......because it was used properly.
The octane is there to PREVENT detonation,but you only need the higher if you or the machine go into a detonation zone. REVS are you friend - esp. on a bike. If you do not NEED it then go lower...the lower fuel has more heat energy.....more power.
Water cooling is what makes the modern bike so good - near even temps allow the octane factor to be lessened.
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2006 Turbo ZX-14.
2005 V-max 20th Anniv.
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ninjaboy311
Zone Head
Posts: 940
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posted May 11, 2008 07:03 PM
I drag race with 87 all day long with no issues to date.
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creeker
Novice Class
Posts: 42
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posted May 11, 2008 07:17 PM
How does methanol affect porformance? many states mandate it
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butterthegreat
Expert Class
Posts: 329
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posted May 11, 2008 09:10 PM
Serious....it's barely even a 60c savings from a dry fill....WTF?
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted May 12, 2008 06:12 AM
"ethanol" hurts performance and mileage, on every vehicle I've ever tested, and on every fleet vehicle test done by all the various government agencies that have tested it. It's crap! The conscensious by all but the Bush adminstration is that it's nearly a one for one: for every % of ethanol, there is a corresponding drop in power and mileage.
It's a complete waste of money and resources that could be better spent on - well, anything!
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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SteddyTeddy
Pro
Posts: 1664
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posted May 12, 2008 12:45 PM
Using low octane at the track is one thing. Using it on the street is totaly another game.
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butterthegreat
Expert Class
Posts: 329
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posted May 12, 2008 01:06 PM
quote:
"ethanol" hurts performance and mileage, on every vehicle I've ever tested, and on every fleet vehicle test done by all the various government agencies that have tested it. It's crap! The conscensious by all but the Bush adminstration is that it's nearly a one for one: for every % of ethanol, there is a corresponding drop in power and mileage.
It's a complete waste of money and resources that could be better spent on - well, anything!
Ethanol does NOT hurt performance just by itself....when you try to use it like it's a gas engine it sucks.
Now....in order to get the same performance out of ethanol you have to up the mixture...it requires more ethanol in one cycle to create the same power as gasoline. So you basically have a 17% richer mixture.
But...my ethanol powered prelude makes 136whp/127wtq with a much smoother powerband than when it was gas powered....is did 127whp/124wtq while on gas....same day, same dyno, same engine....
And the biggest benefit....ethanol puts out 100% oxygen when combusted....no pollutants what-so-ever.
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stevewfl
Moderator
Posts: 27920
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posted May 12, 2008 01:38 PM
owner's manual's and bike manufacturer's web pages say ethonal at 10% is fine. even shell puts 10% in the gas nowadays.
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2010 Concours14
'08 R1 YAMAHA
ZX14 gone!
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Raptor14
Expert Class
Posts: 264
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posted May 12, 2008 01:44 PM
I think all cars and bikes sold in the U.S. have to run OK with up to 10% ethanol. Problem with going over that is ethanol is highly corrosive and will start eating metal if the components and fuel lines are made of compatible metals or coated with anti-corrosives. Ethanol also has around 80% of the energy content of gas so your mpg and power suffer.
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butterthegreat
Expert Class
Posts: 329
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posted May 12, 2008 02:25 PM
quote:
I think all cars and bikes sold in the U.S. have to run OK with up to 10% ethanol. Problem with going over that is ethanol is highly corrosive and will start eating metal if the components and fuel lines are made of compatible metals or coated with anti-corrosives. Ethanol also has around 80% of the energy content of gas so your mpg and power suffer.
Ethanol will not eat metal components...they will eat rubber components only. The only thing I switched out of my car to make it run ethanol was the rubberfuel lines and modified the injectors and anything else that used a rubber gasket that channeled fuel...
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butta4hc
Expert Class
Posts: 313
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posted May 12, 2008 03:11 PM
Gas prices are realy bad right now so what I've been doing on my RC51 is running 87 on long trips and if I'm local I do 89, sometimes 93. As for the 14, the dealership told me about a few more weeks before it's done and I'm not sure what I will be putting in it. Here in NJ we have the cheapest fuel in the country but that isn't comforting with 93 leaning hard on $4.00/gal. Something has to give. Someone needs to start adapting technology from that electric drag bike into sport bikes, lol.
http://www.killacycle.com/
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Butta
Hot Commodities MC
Paterson, NJ
2006 Black ZX-14 - Recall Frame Swap, Full Muzzy GP Exhaust, PCIII, BMC Race Filter, Flies Out, Braided Front Brake & Cutch Lines, Muzzy's Radiator Fan, Engine Ice Coolant, Frame Sliders, SubFrame Sliders, Puig Dark Smoke Windscreen, Powerbronze Hugger, Cox Radiator Guard, Unswitched Powerlet Outlet under seat, Switched Powerlet Outlet On Right Duct Panel, Intergrated Tail Light, HID lights high and low beam, Blue corner marker lights, Eclipse License Plate Blackout Kit, Black Pazzo Levers, Scorpio Alarm, Lojack Theft Recovery System, Rapid Transit Triple Tree Bag, Cortech Tank, Tail & Saddle Bags and the bragging rights for being "The Fastest 14 In The Country" for a few weeks when the 14 made it's debut here in the states.
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NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
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posted May 13, 2008 02:58 PM
Gas is $4.15/gal here for premium. It sucks, but it doesn't bother me.
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200hp_ZX14
Expert Class
Posts: 134
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posted May 13, 2008 03:30 PM
I recently set my own little record for filling up.....20 freakin bucks in one tank for the 14.
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207HP* '06 Candy Blue ZX-14
Some mods done
Best run - 10.19@137.40mph
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Ozonkiller
Expert Class
Posts: 350
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posted May 13, 2008 08:32 PM
17,000+ miles on the street, 9.92 in the 1/4 on my 14
113,000+ miles on my aircooled BMW
All on 87
BUT... I do find that I get better mileage on the 91 by about 4-5% ???
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