Milage and tank range.

[klaviator]

The dino kind.
I have tried mid grade and it will work, but I hear more valve clicking with it (I swear I do).
I alternate tank fulls between the highest octane and the mid grade.
Regular just seems like a no-no for motorbikes, but it will work in a pinch.

I have owned over 20 motorcycles & scooters.  Only 3 required high octane gas.  I ran all the rest on regular with no problems.  

There is no way a different octane gas will cause valve clicking. If your valves are clicking your valve clearances are too loose.

In some cases an engine designed for regular will need premium gas but that means that there is something wrong with it.

An example would be that sometimes high mileage engines develope carbon deposits which cause pre-ignition and therefore reguire higher octane.

Possibly if an engine is running really lean it might run hot enough to cause pre-ignition or detonation.

[JustWantToRide]

The dino kind.
I have tried mid grade and it will work, but I hear more valve clicking with it (I swear I do).
I alternate tank fulls between the highest octane and the mid grade.
Regular just seems like a no-no for motorbikes, but it will work in a pinch.

I could understand hearing more valve clicking if you used a lighter or cheaper oil - but I can't understand why a lower grade gas would make you hear it.  Have you tried using the regular from a different brand or a different station?  Sometimes a gas station will have a problem with contaminants in one (or all) of their tanks, and that can play all sorts of games with you.  The engine compression and timing determine what octane fuel will work best in a motorbike, and Kymco lists the octane they recommend in the users manual.  They list the RON numbers - so if your gas pump lists "(R+M)/2" then it is not the same number.  RON 91 comes out to just under 87.  There are a lot of things that have contributed to us thinking higher octane fuel is better for our engines - starting with the way they call it "Premium".  You may be getting something useful out of the premium, but it isn't the octane. 

[klaviator]

I am amazed by how many people think the higher octane is automatically better.  Diesel fuel has a far higher octane rating (I don't think they actually rate it) than gasoline. It also has a higher energy content.   Just try running your scooter on it. 

[Portland Steve]

If the Super 8 is ok running 87 octane, then that is what I should do.  The valves are likely unrelated and I need to get my facts straight.
As fate would have it, the gas station gal pushed the "regular" button on the fuel pump and I didn't notice until I filled it.  It ran great this morning with no engine knocking or pings.
Maybe I will get that fabled 75 mpg now...

[klaviator]

Something else to consider if you run premium gas.  When you go to a gas station where all three grades use the same hose, the first 1/4 to 1/2 gal that comes out will be whatever was pumped last.  So there is a good chance that when you pump, and pay for premium, and only put in a gallon or less, you really aren't getting premium anyway. 

[Portland Steve]

That works the other way too.  You may be paying for regular and getting 1/4 to 1/2 gal of premium.
So, I guess you are better off paying less and potentially getting higher octane.  You could always add octane booster if you so desired.
My owners manual recommends a research octane of 91 for the Super 8 150.  I have been running on half a tank of 87 without much trouble.  Is pump octane different from research octane?

[JustWantToRide]

That works the other way too.  You may be paying for regular and getting 1/4 to 1/2 gal of premium.
So, I guess you are better off paying less and potentially getting higher octane.  You could always add octane booster if you so desired.
My owners manual recommends a research octane of 91 for the Super 8 150.  I have been running on half a tank of 87 without much trouble.  Is pump octane different from research octane?

In Portland you are probably using (M+R)/2 - of 87 which comes out to 91 RON.  The RON is the R in the formula.  91 RON is "regular".

[klaviator]

That works the other way too.  You may be paying for regular and getting 1/4 to 1/2 gal of premium.
So, I guess you are better off paying less and potentially getting higher octane.  You could always add octane booster if you so desired.
My owners manual recommends a research octane of 91 for the Super 8 150.  I have been running on half a tank of 87 without much trouble.  Is pump octane different from research octane?

If you wanted to, you could sit at a gas station and wait for someone to pump premium, then use the pump right after them and then you would that first 1/4 to 1/2 gal of premium. 

 Or you could just get regular and not worry about it since your scooter is unlikley to run any better on premium.

[JKLz17]

Hey, i just got a new S8, and its showing empty after 34 miles. This isn't normal...right?

[klaviator]

Mine shows empty after about 70 - 80 miles and I can then put a little over a gallon in it.

[Portland Steve]

Super 8 150 has been running on 87 pump octane for a few months without knocking or any problems.