Not wanting to start as highly technical debate on this subject, just curious what people use and if either or is preferred by a majority. Has anyone experienced a notable difference between how your bike runs, performs or economy whilst using either fuel? Ben.
As one fuel burns slower than the other, it is best to use the one that Ducati tells you to as that is what the engine is set up for. If you use the other one than what they tell you to then you will lose a minuscule amount of performance whichever way you go. Premium is a very bad name as it is no better, just different.
My 848 runs better on premium fuel no doubt about that.. Economy doesn't factor for me the more fuel I use the better the fun I am having It's directly proportional
That explains it, im surrounded by shell garages but filled up at a bp on way home, im sure it felt and sounded different after lol
The conclusion I have come to is that how the bike runs depends more upon the quality/purity of the fuel rather than the type of fuel. Ducati specifies 95 RON i.e. Standard unleaded. The issue with ethanol is that it is hygroscopic and absorbs water.
Either as you wont know how much ethanol is put into each from one year to another, changes all the time. Locally in sweden we have 95 and 98, both carry a lot of ethanol, no option. 95, the low spec, is good even for high compression engines of over 13:1, so I use that fuel and not the 'high spec'. What you put in your car that is what goes into the bike.
FWIW my diesel VW definitely runs better on V-Power Diesel, but whether it is worth the extra I am not so sure. I often put V-Power petrol in my Ducati but I am not convinced that it runs any better.
The cars that I have driven have returned better mpg with Premium unleaded - I have calculated that I get 6%+ better mpg so as long as premium fuel isn't more than 6% more expensive, it's the better choice for economy. More difficult to tell is whether I get more bang per buck with the pricier fuel. I feel that I do get better acceleration on premium but not by much. It isn't a deciding factor. As for my Ducatis, it's a no-brainer - they both run better, more smoothly, with premium fuel and they do return 5% or better mpg over what standard unleaded gives me. Premium all the way for me, unless it drops below £1 per litre ... then I may have to rethink it. Although I probably won't change even then .
I occasionally stick super in my panigale Honestly can't tell the difference. My local station is shell so it only ever gets shell really. Only fuel I avoid is supermarket fuel.
I found this response on another forum from Shell about a question asked about V-Power. Shell say it can contain anything up to 5% ethanol. 5% ethanol it is then.
Lots of subjective impressions, self-delusion, wishful thinking, psychosomatic confusion, and ingrained prejudice in this topic I fear. Not much reference to accurate scientific measurement going on.
Presumably my findings, based upon calculations made by reference to fuel used, miles travelled and such, over a long period, are exempt from your bucket-of-cold-water pronouncements? I accept that claims such as "runs better" and "accelerates better" can be characterised as subjective feelings but then I hinted as such in my post. But please, get your scorn on by all means
