Back to "High test" gas?

[MickeyNew]

What is the real question here? The owner's manual says run 91 octane. It is not worth the risk for me to challenge this. There are storys on other boards of folks that have damaged their valves doing so in Vulcans. Mine will always get premium fuel, synthetic oil and a genuine Kawasaki oil filter.

Like others, I also look for gas with no ethanol. Ethanol in gasoline is a huge joke on the American public, but that is another story.

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by MickeyNew

What is the real question here? The owner's manual says run 91 octane. It is not worth the risk for me to challenge this. There are storys on other boards of folks that have damaged their valves doing so in Vulcans. Mine will always get premium fuel, synthetic oil and a genuine Kawasaki oil filter.

Like others, I also look for gas with no ethanol. Ethanol in gasoline is a huge joke on the American public, but that is another story.

I agree on all your points...

[crazygene49]

Originally Posted by MickeyNew

What is the real question here? The owner's manual says run 91 octane. It is not worth the risk for me to challenge this. There are storys on other boards of folks that have damaged their valves doing so in Vulcans. Mine will always get premium fuel, synthetic oil and a genuine Kawasaki oil filter.

Like others, I also look for gas with no ethanol. Ethanol in gasoline is a huge joke on the American public, but that is another story.

[blowndodge]

Originally Posted by MickeyNew

What is the real question here? The owner's manual says run 91 octane. It is not worth the risk for me to challenge this. There are storys on other boards of folks that have damaged their valves doing so in Vulcans. Mine will always get premium fuel, synthetic oil and a genuine Kawasaki oil filter.

You'd do well with the Harley crowd here!

[Yellow Jacket]

The owner's manual also says:

TAMPERING WITH NOISE CONTROL SYSTEM PROHIBITED:

Federal law prohibits the following acts or the causing thereof: (1) the removal or rendering inopoerative by any person other than for purposes of maintenance, repair, or replacement, of any device or element of design incorporated into any new vehicle for the purpose of noise control prior to its sale or delivery to the ultimate purchaser or while it is in use, or (2) the use of the vehicle after such device or element of design has been removed or rendered inoperative by any person.

Among those acts presumed to constitute tampering are the acts listed below:

- Replacement of the original exhaust system or muffler with a component not in compliance with Federal regulatins.

- Removal of the muffler(s) or any internal portion of the muffler(s).

- Removal of the air box or air box cover.

- Modifications to the muffler(s) or air intake system by cutting, drilling, or other means if such modifications result in increased noise levels.


So, that pretty well eliminates all aftermarket exhaust system, removing the baffles from the stock mufflers, adding any kind of air intake system such as the Big Air Kit, HyperCharges, Chucksters intake kits or the Caddman intake conversion. Heaven Forbid!

[macmac]

Originally Posted by Yellow Jacket

The owner's manual also says:

TAMPERING WITH NOISE CONTROL SYSTEM PROHIBITED:

Federal law prohibits the following acts or the causing thereof: (1) the removal or rendering inopoerative by any person other than for purposes of maintenance, repair, or replacement, of any device or element of design incorporated into any new vehicle for the purpose of noise control prior to its sale or delivery to the ultimate purchaser or while it is in use, or (2) the use of the vehicle after such device or element of design has been removed or rendered inoperative by any person.

Among those acts presumed to constitute tampering are the acts listed below:

- Replacement of the original exhaust system or muffler with a component not in compliance with Federal regulatins.

- Removal of the muffler(s) or any internal portion of the muffler(s).

- Removal of the air box or air box cover.

- Modifications to the muffler(s) or air intake system by cutting, drilling, or other means if such modifications result in increased noise levels.


So, that pretty well eliminates all aftermarket exhaust system, removing the baffles from the stock mufflers, adding any kind of air intake system such as the Big Air Kit, HyperCharges, Chucksters intake kits or the Caddman intake conversion. Heaven Forbid!

The EPA would ban farting, except they are all in the family.... Just look at the wind bags...

[Sin City Stan]

Originally Posted by MickeyNew

Ethanol in gasoline is a huge joke on the American public, but that is another story.

I agree. It just took the place of the Land Bank.

[BobaLloydBiker]

I am an licenced aircraft mechanic and would not recommend running 100LL. Even though it says its low lead "LL" it isn't. You should see the lead deposits I get on my spark plugs in my aircraft with only 25-30 hours a year. Unless you want to change your plugs every 2 month I would not recommend.

I'm running 87 in my 1600 for the first time but I have just finished doing the "big 3" mods and read on a post here that the bike would run better on 87 then 90+ once completed.

[macmac]

Originally Posted by MickeyNew

What is the real question here? The owner's manual says run 91 octane. It is not worth the risk for me to challenge this. There are storys on other boards of folks that have damaged their valves doing so in Vulcans. Mine will always get premium fuel, synthetic oil and a genuine Kawasaki oil filter.

Like others, I also look for gas with no ethanol. Ethanol in gasoline is a huge joke on the American public, but that is another story.

In fact the book is a basket of BS..... The comp ratio calls what spec Octane a engine will run and 9:1 calls for 87 regular.

The reason the book say to run hi test is due to EPA regs and their BS.

These engines run too lean from the factory, and there is no way to adjust factory mix on a stock bike.
This isn't recent news either....

The fix and cure is to install a fuel module and enrichen mix in 2 phases..

Idle and low to mid RPM and hard acceleration.

This with a BAK a TFI with an after market exhaust will get you apx 10% cooler engine with 10% more power, and up to 10% more MPG's.

If that isn't proof I don't know what would be, and that is with 10% ethanol.

That's right, I added to the fuel mix and got better MPG's. That was quite a shock the first time, but not the times i did that on my 2nd Nomad, and other peoples Nomads.

This was a first time in better MPG's adding more fuel to assorted other engines over 28 years always lost under MPG's. before adding fuel for more power always cost MPG's.

Get real gas and you will get better MPG's at about 10%.


We are simply being robbed.... What the factory and the EPA did to us should be illegal.

I agree on the full syn oil but you can buy a better oil filter, from WIX. I don't know of a better oil filter on the market.

Anyone who allows their engines to ping is doing damage to the engine(s) cars and trucks do this too...