• Has your topic been discussed? Check this quick video for search tips. You answer/info might already be waiting!

Fuel quality.

Nithesh

MotoGP
Apr 5, 2014
India
Hi guys, my query is to the 650R owners here. What does your owner's manual specify on fuel octane numbers?
I know the 650F had no problems with 91 Octane fuel and was even mentioned in the owner's manual but for some reason, Honda has detuned the 94hp 650R to 87hp in India and I am assuming its because of not so readily available high octane fuel pumps in the country.
For comparison, The ZX6R(the only 600 ss sold in the country) is not detuned but has half a dozen stickers on the bike warning users to use high octane fuel only. Curious to know what the international owner's handbook specifies on fuel octane #.
 

Nithesh

MotoGP
Apr 5, 2014
India
yeah premium here is 97 octane and its like one in every 10 gas station has them and they're spread far out. Regular gas is 91 octane which the F had no problem running. Its so weird that the R loses 7hp for some inexplicable reason.
 

Enrico

2018
CB650F ABS
Mar 28, 2019
Is the octane rating of petrol related to the horsepower of the engine anyway ? Just use regular octane petrol in CB650F here. Never used high octane petrol in any car or motorbike.
 

fnation25

2019
CBR650R ABS
Dec 17, 2018
In my CBR650R it came with a sticker to either use E5 OR E10 Petrol. I've been using E10.
 

AlexS

2019
CBR650R ABS
Apr 3, 2019
Hi guys, my query is to the 650R owners here. What does your owner's manual specify on fuel octane numbers?
I know the 650F had no problems with 91 Octane fuel and was even mentioned in the owner's manual but for some reason, Honda has detuned the 94hp 650R to 87hp in India and I am assuming its because of not so readily available high octane fuel pumps in the country.
For comparison, The ZX6R(the only 600 ss sold in the country) is not detuned but has half a dozen stickers on the bike warning users to use high octane fuel only. Curious to know what the international owner's handbook specifies on fuel octane #.
Hi, In Canada the highest octane we have is 91. The user manual for us says 87 and up. I am putting 91.
 

Road Hog

2014
CBR650F ABS
May 4, 2017
Thailand
Hi guys, in thailand we have 91 and 95 octane fuels.The 91 is very dirty and would not use it as alot of my friends have fuel problems with it.The 95 gasohol is ok,nothing great

but if you want to feel true power and hit those higher speeds use the 95 benzene which gives you much better mileage as well.That's if you can get it.
 

Nithesh

MotoGP
Apr 5, 2014
India
Is the octane rating of petrol related to the horsepower of the engine anyway ? Just use regular octane petrol in CB650F here. Never used high octane petrol in any car or motorbike.
A few years ago Triumph detuned their bikes in India massively without letting owners know their specification was different from the international models. The whole saga was infamously termed Detuna scandal in the bikers circle. Triumph claimed it was a combination of unable to meet noise limits(stringent) and also lack of high octane fuel for the detuned release. They updated the specs on website later, let owners sell back bikes to them at market value or get free uprade to Arrow exhausts after signing some sort of an indemnity bond saying Triump wont be held responsible if owner is busted riding illegal upgrade.


I wonder if the new bike goes beyond the 94dB limit even with stock setup. The old bike was criticized for being too silent. Might be a reason for restriction.
 

Mike P

2018
CB650F ABS
May 7, 2019
So I'm reading the post scratching my head. I just got a new CBR650F. I asked the guy when I picked it up what octane does it need figuring it would need at least mid grade which is 89. He said 87 is fine. The compression ratio though would say at least 89 if not higher. They have to mail the owners manual to me because they lost it. So what should I put in the bike? My common choices are 87, 89, and 93 here in VA. I will put whatever in it, but it would be good to know from guys who actually have the same engine. Thanks in advance.
 

GPJake

2014
CBR650F
650 Alumnus
Staff
Mar 8, 2015
United States / Northern KY
Riding Since
2004
So I'm reading the post scratching my head. I just got a new CBR650F. I asked the guy when I picked it up what octane does it need figuring it would need at least mid grade which is 89. He said 87 is fine. The compression ratio though would say at least 89 if not higher. They have to mail the owners manual to me because they lost it. So what should I put in the bike? My common choices are 87, 89, and 93 here in VA. I will put whatever in it, but it would be good to know from guys who actually have the same engine. Thanks in advance.
https://650f.bike/resources/2014-cbr650f-owners-manual.30/
  • Fuel: Page 38

This is for 2014, but I wouldn't expect drastic differences?
 

FogDucker

2018
CB650F ABS
Apr 3, 2019
Canada
Hi guys, my query is to the 650R owners here. What does your owner's manual specify on fuel octane numbers?
I know the 650F had no problems with 91 Octane fuel and was even mentioned in the owner's manual but for some reason, Honda has detuned the 94hp 650R to 87hp in India and I am assuming its because of not so readily available high octane fuel pumps in the country.
For comparison, The ZX6R(the only 600 ss sold in the country) is not detuned but has half a dozen stickers on the bike warning users to use high octane fuel only. Curious to know what the international owner's handbook specifies on fuel octane #.
Recommended PON for 2018 Honda CB650F and CBR650F is 86 + (North America) > Your Honda Owner's Manual > Page 37 | REFUELING > ANYTHING MORE THAN 87/89 IS WASTE OF MONEY and PERFORMANCE
 
Last edited:

Thomas

2015
CBR650F ABS
650 Alumnus
Apr 8, 2017
Germany
Recommended PON for 2018 Honda CB650F and CBR650F is 86 + > Your Honda Owner's Manual > Page 37 | REFUELING > ANYTHING MORE THAN 87/89 IS WASTE OF MONEY and PERFORMANCE

As I saw the other replies in a different thread, also quoting my post, I´ll just answer this one here. The fuel numbers you find in Europe are different than those in America and Canada.
I´ll cut it short, they calculate it in a different way.
That means 87 PON (America/Canada) equals 91RON (Europe) and 89PON equals 95 RON here.
I am pretty sure, my manual said at least 95 RON+ as the CBR650F was realeased 2015 and at that point 91 RON was no longer avaiable in Germany. My current CB1000R sais at least 91 RON as it was realeased in 2008 - at that point we still had the option for 91 RON here.
Hope that clears up potential misunderstanding regarding my post.
 

FogDucker

2018
CB650F ABS
Apr 3, 2019
Canada
Ow. Good to know. Thanks for clarification - multiple posts btw was a technical issue. Tried to clean up a little. not sure id I was successful
 
Top Bottom