[th2]

Hello,

I had a question for large capacity BMW bike owners here. The technical specifications for these bikes, on the BMW website, mentions RON 95 fuel as a minimum recommendation.

How do you guys manage long trips? RON 95 or even the premium grade fuels are not available outside of major cities. Or does the fuel sold in Indian bunks equate to RON 95? Does regular fuel have a negative impact on the bike?

Would help to know before plonking big bucks for one of the BMW motarrad machines.

Thanks.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by th2

How do you guys manage long trips? RON 95 or even the premium grade fuels are not available outside of major cities.

Not a BMW bike owner but the availability of RON 95 is changing for the good very fast. IOC is steadily rolling out XP95 across their network, and already many of their bunks on highways and Tier 2/3 locations are stocking it. Use the IOC website or app to track the availability.

[tanayr]

I can't really find a mention of RON 95 on the website (haven't looked hard enough though) but the adventure side of things should have no problem in normal petrol. I've been filling normal petrol from the past ~4 years now in my 1200GS and the service center specifically recommended normal petrol only.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Finding 95 octane petrol is not a major concern nowadays IMHO!

IndianOil claims to have made XP95 available to ~40% of their network. The price difference between XP95 and regular petrol is rather minimal too. Could even spot bunks with XP95 in hill stations like Coonoor and Ooty. In my small city of Trivandrum- I have a choice of 7-8 bunks available for XP95.

If you have concerns around the availability of 95 octane fuel in any specific area - use https://associates.indianoil.co.in/PumpLocator/ to find the list of bunks in the area, where it also shows which all bunks have XP95 available.

[th2]

Originally Posted by tanayr

I can't really find a mention of RON 95 on the website (haven't looked hard enough though) but the adventure side of things should have no problem in normal petrol. I've been filling normal petrol from the past ~4 years now in my 1200GS and the service center specifically recommended normal petrol only.

Thanks. Good to know. I was specifically looking at the F900XR and the webpage (https://www.bmw-motorrad.in/en/model...technical-data) says - "Fuel type Unleaded super, minimum octane number 95 (RON) ".

Best to confirm with the dealership I guess.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Not a BMW bike owner but the availability of RON 95 is changing for the good very fast.....

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Finding 95 octane petrol is not a major concern nowadays IMHO!
......

My personal experience in Karnataka has been a bit different. Travelling outside Bangalore, the XP95/Premium pumps will typically be empty. Upon asking I am usually told - "Illi yaaru adana kellala", meaning the locals don't ask for RON 95 and hence the station does not carry it.

Hopefully the situation improves in the coming years.

[praruaaa4]

Originally Posted by th2

How do you guys manage long trips? RON 95 or even the premium grade fuels are not available outside of major cities. Or does the fuel sold in Indian bunks equate to RON 95? Does regular fuel have a negative impact on the bike?

Would help to know before plonking big bucks for one of the BMW motarrad machines.

I had the same doubt and I'm also in the process of picking up a BMW. Attaching the screenshot from manual for your reference. So even RON 91 also should not be an issue.

[th2]

Originally Posted by praruaaa4

I had the same doubt and I'm also in the process of picking up a BMW. Attaching the screenshot from manual for your reference. So even RON 91 also should not be an issue.

Awesome! Thanks. With Gadkari pushing for more ethanol blending, it is good to know that E15 fuels are also OK.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by th2

I had a question for large capacity BMW bike owners here. The technical specifications for these bikes, on the BMW website, mentions RON 95 fuel as a minimum recommendation.

Usually all Bikes and most cars are detuned for our market. It's a touchy and conflicting subject, some of the newer electronics allow use of regular fuel without any detunes as well. BMW bikes can run easily on the regular fuels but if you can manage these sound and run very differently (better) on XP100 of IOC

[condor]

Do a Quick check at any IOCL bunk for a pink colored dispensing pump. That's XP95.


Btw, isnt Shell Premium unleaded similar ?

[killjoy]

Originally Posted by condor

Do a Quick check at any IOCL bunk for a pink colored dispensing pump. That's XP95.


Btw, isnt Shell Premium unleaded similar ?

Shell Premium is just regular fuel (91) with some additives claimed to help improve engine parameters....This is not a higher octane fuel

[ninjax]

I ride a multistrada 1260 pikes peak which is “supposed” to run on RON95. Have done multiple trips on regular fuel when travelling out into rural Tamil Nadu. It’s not been much of an issue till date as my technician just told me run on back on RON95 once I was back in town.

[tanayr]

So @RohanDheman has picked up an S1000RR with a compression ratio of 13.3:1 recently and the service center told him to fill normal petrol again.
I think the F900XR with a compression ratio of 13.1:1 should be just fine with normal petrol too.

I think BMW detunes their India-market bikes or something. All of them run fine on regular petrol.

EDIT: NOTE that my bike did not like 95-octane much when I gave it a tankful recently and so I am back to regular petrol.

[Alka panwar]

Most engines now come equipped with knock sensors placed on combustion chamber, they detect knocking associated with lower than required fuel grade and adjust ignition timing. Most bikes will feel fine with 91ron but will not make advertised horsepower ( because of ecu pulling back ignition advance).

[praruaaa4]

Originally Posted by tanayr

S1000RR with a compression ratio of 13.3:1 recently and the service center told him to fill normal petrol again.
I think the F900XR with a compression ratio of 13.1:1 should be just fine with normal petrol too.

I think BMW detunes their India-market bikes or something. All of them run fine on regular petrol.

EDIT: NOTE that my bike did not like 95-octane much when I gave it a tankful recently and so I am back to regular petrol.

This thread got started on the right time. Though the manual says normal petrol is fine, a fellow rider advised mo to fill only 100 octane petrol so was in confused state. Finally am confident to fill normal petrol after taking delivery .

[bigron]

Originally Posted by praruaaa4

This thread got started on the right time. Though the manual says normal petrol is fine, a fellow rider advised mo to fill only 100 octane petrol so was in confused state. Finally am confident to fill normal petrol after taking delivery .

As long as you getting quality fuel from a reputed bunk, you will be fine with normal octane.
Also, avoid octane boosters if suggested, they will eventually clog your injectors.