Best octane level

[Rushmix]

I was browsing the /r/motorcycles section of www.Reddit.com, and was referred to the following (very cool) website that aggregates a huge amount of ethanol-free fueling locations: http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=WA .

 

My question is this: What ethanol-free octane level would be ideal for my 2004 V11? This is a newbie question I know, and I've always heard that 92 is the way to go no matter what, but I'm trying to learn the real nuts and bolts that go into making a happy bike.

 

Thanks so much!

[Tom M]

Welcome Rushmix,

The simple answer is you need to use gas with enough octane so the engine doesn't ping/preignite/knock/detonate. Some Guzzis ping with 92 octane, some run fine on 87. If I had non-ethanol gas available I'd use it over the ethanol blended stuff. It seems that some plastic fuel tanks swell, deform or blister from ethanol blends.