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TECHNICAL MOTOBRICK WRENCHING In Remembrance of Inge K. => The Motobrick Workshop => Topic started by: kightboy on February 15, 2013, 02:43:48 PM

Title: ROOKIE Question
Post by: kightboy on February 15, 2013, 02:43:48 PM
hi
please pardon me for a rookie question
i had a k75 20 years ago and then a series of R1100 and R1150RTs and always used premium fuel.
now, back to the Kbike and it's amazing smoothness.
for this 1994 k75 - what fuel grade?
i assume the highest octane possible but, then, assuming anything frequently gets me in trouble (with my redheaded wife) !
Chris
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: frankenduck on February 15, 2013, 04:06:46 PM
K75 rider manual says: "... middle or premium grade."
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: TimTyler on February 15, 2013, 05:13:02 PM
The recommendations from Germany say 91 octane RON which translates  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating)to 86 octane here in the States. That's Regular grade; usually the least expensive at your local pump. Lift up your seat and read the black label there for your bike's fuel recommendation.

I did 7000 miles coast-to-coast and back last summer in a short period of time and I kept a mental log of the mpg and performance of my K75 during the trip using all different grades, brands, and ethanol content. The only gains I recognized were experienced using ethanol-free fuel. Octane didn't seem to matter at all.

My local pump offers 89 octane ethanol-free so that's what I usually use.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: motodude on February 15, 2013, 06:48:56 PM
I have about 122,000 miles on K75's and have always used, "Regular".  Which around here is 87 octane as measured the way they measure it here.  Or something.

Tom
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: argent brick on February 15, 2013, 07:13:36 PM
It does not seem to make any difference what I burn here around San Fran and the Bay Area counties. The State of California its own idea about what it calls fuel. 91 or 87 octane, I can't tell a big difference. It's all junk.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: Chaos on February 15, 2013, 07:21:49 PM
Mine's always had regular, 185k.  I'd stay away from any ethanol blends though, or burn it out as soon as passible.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: argent brick on February 16, 2013, 12:53:07 AM
I would too, if I could. I would love to find real gasoline around here somewhere.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: Qdude on February 16, 2013, 05:14:45 AM

between the Ethanol and regular blends, I have found no taste difference at all.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: motodude on February 16, 2013, 10:36:40 AM
Let me amend my previous statement. 

I have run what was called super when it was, "e0" (no alcohol).  But that is a recent development.  You'll notice your gas mileage increase with "e0" but that is a function of the missing alcohol not so much the octane rating.

Tom
Title: pure-gas.org
Post by: Niemand on February 17, 2013, 11:18:23 PM
In case anyone is not familiar with this website to help find ethanol free gas...  (Sorry, Lynn, only northern Cali apparently.)

http://pure-gas.org/extensions/map.html (http://pure-gas.org/extensions/map.html)
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: argent brick on February 17, 2013, 11:38:06 PM
Yeah, I just can't win. I have to drive about 4 hours to get some real fuel.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: Lawrence on February 18, 2013, 12:18:56 AM
This thread is basically addressing fuel requirements for K75s.  Can I assume the K100 bikes need the same standard of fuel?
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: TimTyler on February 18, 2013, 01:51:49 AM
Can I assume the K100 bikes need the same standard of fuel?

Yes. They just need 33% more :)
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: argent brick on February 18, 2013, 03:35:08 AM
I would have guessed 25% more.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: 2000rsv on February 18, 2013, 07:06:43 AM
I would have guessed 25% more.

Nope, the K75 would use 25% less than the K100, but the K100 would use 33% more than the K75.  :hmm:

Percentages are like that.

Where's the 'Hot for Teacher' emicon?
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: argent brick on February 18, 2013, 02:21:19 PM
It all depends upon how you crunch the numbers. It is amazing how you can get numbers to say anything you want. The politicians do it all the time.

My 25% comment was based upon the the idea that you have a four piston motor in the K100. Take one away and you now have a K75. Twenty-five percent less motor = 25% less fuel used.

Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: frankenduck on February 18, 2013, 02:51:24 PM
Factory specs are 47 MPG for a K100 and 56 MPG for a K75 at 90 KPH.

Though very similar they are also very different - compression ratio, weight, gearing, etc...
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: Lawrence on March 11, 2013, 04:11:31 PM
Okay Dr. Duck, I'll bite.  Which has the higher compression ration, K75 or K100 series?
As an aside, the mileage returned by my 1985 K100RS seems to coincide perfectly with the figure you stated.  I'm a happy rider! Doubly so due to the fact I have access to E-0 fuel in both regular and super blends. Life is good! :bmwsmile
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: wmax351 on March 12, 2013, 11:46:10 AM
K75 has higher compression.

But that's at 90kph. When do you actually ride at that speed?  :dunno

Will get about 27mpg, WFO at 120 mph. Actually pretty impressive.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: Lawrence on March 12, 2013, 02:55:48 PM
"K75 has higher compression.

But that's at 90kph. When do you actually ride at that speed?  :dunno "

90 kph would work out to about 50 mph. I reckon we do a fair bit of riding at that speed.  Second, you believe the compression ration changes according to engine speed?  Just how does that work???
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: wmax351 on March 12, 2013, 03:46:02 PM
"K75 has higher compression.

But that's at 90kph. When do you actually ride at that speed?  :dunno "

90 kph would work out to about 50 mph. I reckon we do a fair bit of riding at that speed.  Second, you believe the compression ration changes according to engine speed?  Just how does that work???

The compression is a fixed quantity. The Cam profile has an effect on the effective compression ratio.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: pdg on March 12, 2013, 05:16:04 PM
90kph = 55.92mph (might as well be pedantic about it :neener: ) Given the spread of speed limits in Europe, 90kph is a convenient middle ground for manufacturers to aim for maximum MPG.

As said, the published compression ratio is a fixed quantity, simply calculated with the combustion chamber size at TDC compared to BDC. That's the static compression ratio.

Dynamic compression ratios are where the cam profiles come into play (amongst a few other things) - the less valve overlap there is the higher the dynamic compression (etc.)

I think wmax351's comment was split - stating that the K75 engine has a higher static compression ratio, then going on to say that the factory MPG figures are calculated at an average 90kph.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: latunabernie on March 12, 2013, 05:33:08 PM
Hi Chris,

I have a 1987 K-75 C
I use regular gas 87 octane.
Calif. has been getting screwed with gas prices.
Regular is 20 cents a gallon cheaper than Super.
Regular cost $4.29 in the L. A. area.
Came down frpm $4.31 last week.

Bernie in So. Cal.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: pdg on March 12, 2013, 06:24:04 PM
I so WISH we got screwed that badly with fuel prices here...

Regular unleaded is currently about £1.40/litre. That works out to about $7.90/US gallon. Super unleaded is usually £0.10p more per litre (about 56 cents/US gallon). Apparently, the price is due to go up again soon too.
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: frogy on March 12, 2013, 07:46:19 PM
I have always told my friends when they complain about fuel prices,"get on the internet and check the rest of the world".It didnt work ,they still bitch. :loco:
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: kightboy on April 30, 2013, 02:08:54 AM
Some days, bitching is all the fun I have.  I find that truly intelligent people (like the specimens that inhabit this forum) are able to turn "bitching" into a wonderful art-form.  Love you all, love what you do.
CK
Title: Re: ROOKIE Question
Post by: mac on April 30, 2013, 04:55:51 PM
FWIW I tried 87 octane recently in the K75 (generally use 93 octane). I noticed more knocking under load at very low RPMs (e.g. slipping the clutch and pulling away from a stop sign in 2nd gear). I thought I might be imagining things, but when I switched back to 93, the knocking was all but gone.

I don't like that knocking sound, so I'm going to go back to 93. Maybe I'll try 91 some day, but the price difference is so small over a few gallons that it doesn't make much of a difference.