Is your fuel brand good enough?

[Stig / Major Tom]

I don't want to get into a brouhaha regarding premium vs. other octane gasolines we are using - but I do like that many producers have signed on to blend a fuel which qualifies as a TOP TIERâ„¢ fuel.

Check it out.... http://www.toptiergas.com/

These fuels cost no more than non-T.Tier gas stations in my area. To my surprise the most popular filling stations here, SPEEDWAY, are not offering Top Tier fuel at their pumps (per a recent email response from the company) Therefore, I now stop only at the local Top Tier filling stations for my scooters and our vehicles.

If it's the same price - why not put the good stuff in your engine? (even if you don't plan to keep your scoot for 15 yrs !)

PS: since 99.8% of us in the States have only ethanol laced fuels available - we can quit adding "Dry Gas" to our tanks in the winter. The ethanol is already taking care of any moisture in the tank. (read this in a couple of service manuals - makes sense)


 TOP TIER Licensed Retail Brands as of 3/25/2017

76
Aloha
ARCO
Beacon
BP/Amoco Ultimate
BP Regular
BP Silver
Break Time
Cenex
Chevron
CITGO
Conoco
Co-op
Costco Gasoline
CountryMark
CountryMark Plus
Diamond Shamrock
Esso
Express
Exxon
Hele
Holiday
Kwik Star
Kwik Trip
Kwik Trip Express
Mahalo
Marathon
Metro Petro
MFA
Mobil
OAAI
Ohana Fuels
Petro-Canada
Phillips 66
PUMA Energy Caribe
QT
QuikTrip
Road Ranger
Shamrock
Shell
Shell (Canada)
Shell (Puerto Rico)
Sinclair
Standard
Sunoco Ultratech
SuperAmerica
SuperFuels
Tempo
Texaco
Tri-Par Qwik Stop
Valero

Stig

[MJR]

There is a website where you can find ethanol free gas in case someone is interested.

http://www.pure-gas.org/

[klaviator]

I normally buy find the cheapest gas I can find.  I've been doing that my whole life and had very few fuel related issues except for letting a bike sit for too long. 

[Iahawk]

I'm always surprised to find that here in Iowa, home of corn and ethanol, just about every station offers an ethanol free option. Never a problem finding ethanol free gas. It is always odd to hear that others around the country don't have this option. Never made sense...but my mower, snowblowers and scooter appreciate it!

[de dee]

  All Canadian tire gas bars have non ethenal gas coast to coast  premium gas only

[AMAC1680]

I'll help fire the brouhaha.
Unless the motor will sit ethonal free fuel is waste of money.

There ya have it.

AMAC

[Mr. Paul]

I believe using a top tier gasoline is more important than non-ethanol, providing I ride regularly. I like knowing that my fuel has the correct levels of detergents and additives to keep things clean inside. BTW, my local QT station just added some ethanol-free pumps! Best of both worlds.

[klaviator]

I'll help fire the brouhaha.
Unless the motor will sit ethonal free fuel is waste of money.

There ya have it.

AMAC

I agree.  At least for modern bikes.  Really old bikes may be damaged by the ethanol.  I even run ethanol gas in my lawn mower and haven't had issues.  If it's going to sit a while I add Sea Foam.  I try to start it every month or so during the winter but even when I neglect to do that it runs fine once started. 

I have tried ethanol free gas in my bikes but couldn't tell any difference in performance or gas mileage.

[Stig / Major Tom]

I'll help fire the brouhaha.
Unless the motor will sit ethonal free fuel is waste of money.

There ya have it.

AMAC

Oh, w a y  t o  g o  AMAC ! !#%#@&* !

(FYI. ...I have a Mason jar of corn sgueezins which my late Grandpa from Knoxville gave me. He presented everyone with a jar, unbeknownst to the womenfolk, at the trunk of his car, Christmas  day, 1974. I have not seen any nasty gummbo settle into the bottom of the jar.....but a few yrs ago noticed that the glass had softened, so transplanted it to a new Mason jar from Walmart. So, guess it's true....bad stuff could  happen if you don't  drive it , or drink it, soon enough. ...
.You could go blind, or stall at a stop light!)
just say'in, Stig

[Tromper]

Eth vs. Non Eth seems to be more of an issue when sitting to a point.
Eth & gas are a mix, not a compound will separate from gasoline after ~3 months (or so I've read a couple places)
It is of note that with air-cooled beasts, both my VW's & my S200, there was noticeable difference on long runs in hot weather when the motors were pushing up towards their top temps.
The eth seemed to be a bit more prone to pinging under those circumstance, odd considering it has higher octane at normal temps, but there ya go.  Either way the answer was the same.  Back off the throttle and let it cool down a bit

Far as what's a better fuel, I have found some veracity to Shell's claim that their nitrogen compound smooths the motor out a bit, on my burgman, & even my RAV (my wife noted it without me telling her) but no difference in MPG or anything meaningful in terms of 101 running the vehicle.  The SYM, & the S200 are pretty buzzy at a visceral level so tougher to say if there's any notable difference on them.

[AMAC1680]

Not so sure about the air cooled VW Claim.
I've run my buggies, some with built motors, a few hundred miles on the slab in the Florida summer and the cylinder head temps nor the oil temps were any different Eth/eth free. This conversation came up in my VW clubs also.

I'll assume your VWs have gauges other than the stock idiot lights. Only way to tell and one would really need a head temp to be sure.

AMAC

[TroutBum]

Not so much signed on, but since many distributors buy there formulation from a handful of Top Tier producers the gas they buy comes blended with additives and detergent called for by Top Tier fuel.

I my self prefer to only use premium grade by Chevron or Union 76. I would use Valero in a pinch.