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What fuel to use in a 2013 V7

D

Das

Just got it firing!
GT Famiglia
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
Messages
18
Location
Nowra
Just wondering what fuel others use in their V7's. I have a 2013 Stone. The dealer told me they run happiest on 98 octane. I have been using this without problem. The other day I went for 95 octane just to see what if any difference it made and could not feel any significant change in performance. I am curious to know what others use and any effects positive or negative.

Das
 
I say use the lowest octane you can, without getting knocking.

I run super premium, which in my part of the country (northeast USA) is 93 octane. I've got aftermarket pistons and cylinders, and have problems with pinging under hard acceleration.
 
Motorcycle engines are considered "high performance" by most internal combustion standards, so running premium fuel is always best. Unless you are strictly using the bike as a commuter and are trying to save money, I'd always run premium. The $ savings per tankful is minimal, and the bike is much more effective with a higher octane.
 
I run Shell V-power in my 2011 V7R wherever possible. In Ontario, Shell does not add ethanol to its V-power grade. The primary reason I run a super premium grade of gas is so that my plastic tank does not suffer the detrimental effects of ethanol; not for performance reasons.
 
I agree with rbm that non-ethanol gasoline is always, ALWAYS, the best.

Here is a link that can help you find ethanol-free fuel in your area:

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp

I agree with sign216 that using the lowest octane in your area that does not produce detonation (pinging, knocking) is the best. Sign216 uses highest possible octane because his custom engine is higher compression than most.

Higher octane burns slower which is why it does not knock. Higher octane may also still be burning by the time the exhaust valve opens, thereby decreasing both power and fuel economy. Best power and economy occurs with the lowest octane that does not produce detonation.

The higher the altitude where you live, the lower the octane necessary. I live near Denver at 5,200 feet and have run 85 octane (of various brands) in my 2004 Breva 750cc for the last 12,000 miles with no problems at all. Every so often I put some Chevron Techron fuel system cleaner in the tank to keep the injectors clean.

'Geezer
 
I have a couple Fitch fuel catalyzers in my tank which is supposed to keep everything clean and keep the evil ethanol from performing it's terrible deeds,and allows you to lower your octane ratings. Supposed to preserve the gas in the tank for years instead of months. The only part of the deal that I have tested is the lower octane rating and I'm running mid grade 91 octane gas with no problems. I don't leave gas in the tank for more than a week or two so I can't really say what the long term effects are, but if it dows half the stuff it's supposed to, It'll be great. OTOH, it certainly hasn't caused any problems!
Bare
 
Thanks for the feedback. Here in Oz ethanol is not an issue. There are still plenty of options other than petrol/ethanol mixes. I will probably alternate between 98 and 95 octane and end up with a unique blend of around 96.5 octane since I tend to top up the tank every 200km or so! Peculiar I know but somehow I notice I am given to the odd aberration like that. I do the same with my Enfield but with it I alternate between 91 and 95.
I live in a town with a population of around 50,000 and have not seen any other Moto Guzzi's or Enfields inhabiting these parts. It's good to know what others are doing fuel wise so thanks again for the feedback.

Das
 
Das be aware that some oz outlets have a 95ron that is an ethanol blend and one even has a 100ron ethanol . Usually there is a green sticker near the pump handle. Recently I accidently put half a tank of 100% ethanol :blush: :blush: in my 8V Griso!! Well it ran well enough to get me 150km home where I syphoned it out and ran it down and diluted it . With no apparent long term effects....yet :whistle:
Also I believe the American rating is slightly different to whats here in Australia by a few points,
ie 87 in the states is = to Oz 91


From Wikipedia
Anti-Knock Index (AKI)

In most countries, including Australia, New Zealand and all of those in Europe,[citation needed] the "headline" octane rating shown on the pump is the RON, but in Canada, the United States, Brazil, and some other countries, the headline number is the average of the RON and the MON, called the Anti-Knock Index (AKI, and often written on pumps as (R+M)/2). It may also sometimes be called the Pump Octane Number (PON).

Difference between RON and AKI
Because of the 8 to 10 point difference noted above, the octane rating shown in Canada and the United States is 4 to 5 points lower than the rating shown elsewhere in the world for the same fuel. This difference is known as the fuel's sensitivity,[4] and is not typically published for those countries that use the Anti-Knock Index labelling system.
Click to expand...
 
Regarding fuel,I agree with our member from Toronto,the real issue being not octane rating but presence of ethanol and the problems it creates.

Out here in British Columbia,most all motor fuels are 10% alcohol except for premium grade Chevron 94 or premium
Shell V Power. I have had trouble over the years with quickly degrading fuel/ethanol blends."Green" carbs,and a foul smelling chalky residue that plugs pilot jets is very common even after only a few weeks of bikes sitting idle.

My EFI Ducati Sport 1000 did not run smoothly on any brand of fuel with 10% ethanol,when I switched to Chevron 94 on a hunch that the alcohol was the problem,the surging disappeared. I also think that more- octane- equals- more- power is simply not true. I would try 87 or 91 if it did not contain alcohol-sadly, out here,it is not available. .

Lastly, if anybody has a two stroke something laying around the garage,do not let any blended fuel get into the fuel tank as premix for chain saws,weed wackers ,etc. It will cause the oil and fuel to separate very quickly if there is the slightest bit of condensation possible.

Cheers, Jon
 
contractor20 said:
Das be aware that some oz outlets have a 95ron that is an ethanol blend and one even has a 100ron ethanol . <snip> Recently I accidently put half a tank of 100% ethanol in my 8V Griso!! Well it ran well enough to get me 150km home where I syphoned it out and ran it down and diluted it .
Click to expand...

Woah - they sell 100% ethanol at the pumps? That would be drinkable... party time in Oz!!

'Geezer
 
Around here (the Baltimore/Washington area) we have been using ethanol fuels for something over 20 years. I am not going to say that there are no issues from putting ethanol in gasoline, nor do I want to debate the merits of putting ethanol in fuel. But, as mentioned, we have been using fuels with up to 10% ethanol in them for quite sometime with little actual issues. I have seen plastic gas tank distortion on the wife's V11, the tank actually got bigger. It also developed pimples under the tank bag attachment straps. I have also seen the cheap (I mean stupidly cheap, so cheap that the company selling it that way should have been embarrassed) fuel line on a snow blower turn to goo. Calling that rubber hose "fuel line" is probably not fair.
But as far as running issues, where the motor does not run right on ethanol? That I have not seen. All my internal combustion motors run just fine on fuel with ethanol in it. Even the aforementioned snow blower, once I replaced the rubber hose they used for fuel line with actual fuel line, runs fine on it.
Ethanol could be making some motors run like crap. But it could just as easily be crap gas or something else causing it. Mine run fine on E10. And have for years.
 
We do have E10 here in Oz however I avoid it like the plague. I will keep an eye open for any indication that what I believe to be pure petrol is in fact such a product. The only thing I noticed with the brief switch to 95 vs 98 was that my fuel usage was more excessive with the 95. Then again it could just as easily have been the riding terrain and riding style which varied.
It would require a longer trial to be sure. The weather here in my neck of the woods is ideal for riding - apologies to all Northern Hemisphere inhabiters! Hills and curvy roads are in easy reach. The call of the wild sounds strong at times. Riding for economy becomes irrelevant!.
 
Hi everyone,

I'd like to get your thoughts on two questions:

What is the recommendation regarding fuel additives for keeping the injectors clean?

With my v7 stone I was told to never use premium gas due to how long it sits in the tanks at the station. Therefore I use 89 octane. We do not have non-ethanol gal available to us in the NE Ohio area. Is 89 octane sufficient?

Joe
 
Joe,

I generally don't use fuel additives, except for once or twice a year when something catches my eye at the auto store. However, I do use only Top Tier Fuels. They are brands of gasoline that have higher levels of fuel additives.

See: http://www.toptiergas.com/



And, I don't understand why they said not to use premium because the bike sits for a while. No sense there.
 
I think the reference to Premium fuel sitting was how long it sits in the tank at the gas station. Since they tend to sell less premium fuel many people tend to assume that it sits in the tank and goes bad or gets contaminated with water. I still don't agree with that and use premium fuel in all my bikes.
I am also am tired of hearing the bit about premium fuel burning slower.
 
jevincent said:
Hi everyone,

I'd like to get your thoughts on two questions:

What is the recommendation regarding fuel additives for keeping the injectors clean?

With my v7 stone I was told to never use premium gas due to how long it sits in the tanks at the station. Therefore I use 89 octane. We do not have non-ethanol gal available to us in the NE Ohio area. Is 89 octane sufficient?

Joe
Click to expand...

In the US you don't need fuel additives. The EPA regulates minimum standards for such things and even crap fuel should be fine.

And unless you live in an area with particularly poor fuel sales I wouldn't worry about how old the premium is.

I.E. unless you get a bad tankful (and that has literally NEVER happened to me in my LIFETIME), I wouldn't worry about it.

Wait, I might, might, might, have gotten some bad gas (maybe some water in the line) ONCE - on my V7 Stone as a matter of fact. Because I pulled out of the station and the bike died, and had trouble starting, then ran rough for AT LEAST A WHOLE MILE... but then was fine.

Seriously, much ado about nothing.
 
The reason I was told about the premium gas sitting in the tanks at the station was that when guzzi bikes come in with problems, they were almost always due to gummed up injectors tied to premium gas that has been sitting too long, so I should never, ever, use premium gas.

Joe
 
jevincent said:
The reason I was told about the premium gas sitting in the tanks at the station was that when guzzi bikes come in with problems, they were almost always due to gummed up injectors tied to premium gas that has been sitting too long, so I should never, ever, use premium gas.

Joe
Click to expand...

Again, it doesn't work that way.

When fuel evaporates it leaves behind gum/varnish sure.

But it LEAVES IT BEHIND, so IF that happened (and it can't in sealed tanks with vapor recovery systems etc.), so IF IT DID happen, the GUM/VARNISH would be left behind, not pumped into your Guzzi.

Ok, so enter Ethanol, it can make gum/varnish soluble again. But IF that happens, it is going to clog the Gas Station's fuel filters before it gets to your tank,.

Or IF it gets to your tank (or maybe forms in your own tank, due to multiple years of storage with untreated fuels and an unsealed tank allowing it to evaporate, and form varnish, and ethanol making it soluble again), then the FUEL FILTER on your bike should clog before the injectors.

Really, honestly, injectors get clogged so infrequently it's not funny. But I guess if a bike is abused long enough, or run without a filter (ohh, did you know I'm told that BMW cycles have started to run from the OEM without a filter, see how much BMW believes that injector clogging is going to happen) then I GUESS it's possible.

Or it's WAY more possible that someone who knows jack about modern fuel systems is blaming things on parts that weren't actually bad....
 
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