Fuel requirement?

[ccemn1]

I have a 2018 X-Town 300 i. If I'm not mistaken, it says that it requires Hi Test gas.
With 2500 miles on the bike, I performed a little experiment. I ran a full tank of gas with high test and a full tank on regular. There was no pinging, or engine detonation, on the regular gas, usually the first sign of too low an octane fuel, but the really telling thing was, I got 65 MPG on regular gas, while only getting 59 MPG with the Hi Test. That is usually an indication of the engine is running at it's optimal performance.
I was very careful and accurate with both tests, making sure the volume of fuel was identical and the travels and usage were the same.
This would indicate to me, that it's perfectly safe, and even beneficial to use regular gas. Any opinions?

[Stig / Major Tom]

What country?
What were the octane numbers of your fuels?
Can you quote the fuel section of the owner's manual for us?
Thanks
Stig

[Texxan]

GT300i    unleaded RON 91 Octane.... "otherwise damage to spark plug or exhaust system"  (catalytic converter)

[john grinsel]

see my answer in downtown 300-----Rox vs Ron.   N America reg ok in my book.  Kymco needs to update their books to match the market they are selling/ deliver in.

[stuo]

I stupidly filled up my carbureted GV 250 with regular but it ran fine, no pinging. Regular unleaded here in California is 87 octane. Anyone else use regular?

[CROSSBOLT]

If you are in the US 87 (R+M/2) octane rating works fine 85 octane above 3000 feet elevation. John Grinsel is right about Kymco USA needs to be more proactive in this and other things. Stig has asked the crucial question of where are you? I have used 87 regular in all my Kymcos with no problems, pinging or harm to iridium plugs.

[Tromper]

As noted above you're fine.
The U.S. uses a different octane measuring system than the book notes.
The U.S. uses AKI.  The book notes RON.
http://www.pencilgeek.org/2009/05/octane-rating-conversions.html

These scoots often run in countries where the "Regular" is lower octane than in the U.S. as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating
Some of the countries with lower octane for "regular" may surprise you.  Notably Japan; although I gather that's changing or just changed or something.

If you are in the US 87 (R+M/2) octane rating works fine 85 octane above 3000 feet elevation. John Grinsel is right about Kymco USA needs to be more proactive in this and other things. Stig has asked the crucial question of where are you? I have used 87 regular in all my Kymcos with no problems, pinging or harm to iridium plugs.

[AlexisStarlyn]

Does this mean that the X400i will run fine on regular?
The manual claims it needs “91 octane with no ethanol”
Hey if I can save money, and it doesn’t cause any issues, lemme know!
Though I’m at nearly 7000 ft now, not sure if that changes anything?


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[CROSSBOLT]

Does this mean that the X400i will run fine on regular?
The manual claims it needs “91 octane with no ethanol”
Hey if I can save money, and it doesn’t cause any issues, lemme know!
Though I’m at nearly 7000 ft now, not sure if that changes anything?
7000 feet above mean sea level reduces the octane requirement. Actually, anything above 3000' msl you will find 85 octane works well. As far as non-ethanol is concerned it is always a good idea to use that IF YOU CAN FIND IT! There are websites to help find this and any marina will have it. For about 4 bucks a gallon!

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[AlexisStarlyn]

4$?!
Lord 91 non ethanol is only like 2.80 here


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[CROSSBOLT]

Pray tell, where is "here?" I used to live where a station sold non-ethanol for a reasonable price like that. Now I don't......

[AlexisStarlyn]

Southern Colorado


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[Texxan]

Carbureted bikes don't have catalytic converters
(hence no exhaust damage)
Recommending 91 RON is a CYA warranty issue for KYMCO
(reduces possibility of knock or ping damage)
KYMCO recommends certain gas so the engine will provide advertised HP/Torque ratings
You may never here a Fuel Injected Kymco ping or knock. The ECU may be reading the "spark" and backing off ignition timing
before it actually pre-detonates. I don't know if KYMCO has this programmed into the ECU or not. Somebody could scope and dyno this out?
I doubt if a CDI box(carbureted) has this much control.
When is the last time you heard a motorcycle engine knock or ping?

[Tromper]

The whole ethanol question is another matter, particularly if you're not running the bike all the time.
Eth has some bad habits.   If there's a real chemist out there please correct me.  This is my understanding from reading stuff, mostly, but not solely online.
It separates after a few months since it's a mixture, not a compound.
It eats at natural stuff, notably rubber so if it sits in rubber the rubber will degrade faster than ya think.  Fuel lines are notable made of rubber as are many fuel system o rings (the main problem with storage.)
It combines readily with water so your fuel can be nasty & tough to fire with a layer of water/alcohol and degraded gasoline vs. fuel if it sits too long, especially in damp enviroments (think winter in England or the PNW).

Mostly I've found I can run the eth we mostly have around here OK but I try not to let it sit, & if I need something to sit I try to fill it with non-eth, which is rare and expensive around here.
The not sit thing is especially true for my carb'd bikes.

https://www.pure-gas.org/ is a handy link.  I keep hoping I can add to it but no love so far.

[AlexisStarlyn]

I run it daily, and if not daily, within a day or two.
So not much for me to worry about?


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