Is premium gasoline in a motorcycle worth it or a waste of money? – Jalopnik

Recently, a myth has been circulating that filling a motorcycle’s tank with premium gasoline in the hope of better performance and range. At most gas stations, premium fuel is usually an octane blend with an Anti-Knock Index (AKI) of 91 or 93, higher than the regular 87 AKI. However, the higher rating does not represent more energy. Instead, it is a measure of the fuel’s ability to handle engine knock, which is a type of uncontrolled internal combustion that can damage pistons in high-compression engines.

Premium automatically gives the impression of superior quality, which in turn equates to better engine performance. Extensive research and testing does not support this view. For example, Yamaha recommends using standard unleaded fuel for most motorcycles. Premium fuel doesn’t harm your motorcycle, but it doesn’t make it faster or more efficient either. With fuel costs rising exorbitantly, it no longer makes sense for anyone to pay extra money for the premium fuel when it doesn’t make any difference.

This is true even for larger vehicles with high-performance engines, such as the BMW M5 or the Ford F-150, both of which showed marginal power gains or slightly better operation under extreme loads when tested by Car and driver. In short, unless your motorcycle’s manual calls for high-quality fuel for compression ratio or adjustment, you’re not paying for more performance. You just pay more.

Not all motorcycles can do well on regular fuel alone. Some have special requirements for high-octane fuel, specifically imposed by their manufacturers to prevent knocking. These motorcycles are equipped with high-compression engines, normally found in sport or performance models, and get very hot because they put more pressure on the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder. This type of pressure can cause the fuel to explode prematurely, causing the sharp pinging or knocking sound you sometimes hear.

Using regular gas in those engines can cause power loss, poor mileage, and even trigger the check engine light or limp mode. That’s why some modern engines really need premium gasoline. If your owner’s manual says Premium Unleaded Required, then it is no longer a choice between premium and regular gasoline. Choosing regular fuel in this case may reduce performance and make the engine susceptible to long-term damage. In some cases, you may even lose any warranty claims due to negligence on your part.

So while there’s no downside to using premium fuel other than the higher price, there aren’t many obvious benefits to using it if you don’t really need it. Just stick to what your manufacturer recommends and you’ll be fine.