N3WMAN
Well-known member
I know three people that have put over 100,000km on their ZX-9Rs.
Long term and reliable SS bikes
- Thread starter black_CG2
- Start date
Higher octane fuel burns slower. That's it. No more chemical energy. It just burns slower. This is required for some high compression engines, but unless the engine is knocking it does not need higher octane.
However, most lower octane pump gas in Ontario has 10% ethanol, ethanol actually has less energy output.
As for "unleashes additional compression", you need to look at some interweb Youtube videos about how engines work.
Also, in fast cars, the "R" on the gear changer is for "racing". Try it.
The concerns about engine reliability on modern bikes is outdated, this all changed with better oils, better designs, better alloys, EFI, solid state electricals, and water cooling. Even modern chains now last forever.
The real wear concerns are now suspension.
My 118,000 km Ninja 750 still had the original rear shock when sold. Forks were garbage by modern standards and they were the same garbage at 118,000 km as they were when new. (oil changed a couple times and a fork seal or two along the way) That bike dated from a very short era where all the Japanese manufacturers thought it was a good idea to implement "anti-dive" when the brakes were applied, by causing extremely excessive compression damping when the front brake was on. Baaaad idea.
My 118,000 km ZX9R still had original forks, original rear shock when sold and there was still damping at both ends. That bike was a stunning sport-tourer.
My ZX10 still has original forks, original rear shock although the forks were gone through after a blown fork seal at the beginning of last year.
Of course, suspension won't *always* last that long. Seen enough rear shocks become pogo sticks before their time.
Brakes, on the other hand ... The 750 and ZX9R both needed the brake rotors replaced due to having worn thinner than the wear limit and both needed the brake calipers replaced at some point because brake dust and accumulated mung in the calipers was beyond repair.
My 118,000 km ZX9R still had original forks, original rear shock when sold and there was still damping at both ends. That bike was a stunning sport-tourer.
My ZX10 still has original forks, original rear shock although the forks were gone through after a blown fork seal at the beginning of last year.
Of course, suspension won't *always* last that long. Seen enough rear shocks become pogo sticks before their time.
Brakes, on the other hand ... The 750 and ZX9R both needed the brake rotors replaced due to having worn thinner than the wear limit and both needed the brake calipers replaced at some point because brake dust and accumulated mung in the calipers was beyond repair.
If by forever you mean around 20k, then you are right
I had a chain last me 60k. That felt like forever
daught
Well-known member
These new ball bearing chains last for ever.
Sent from the future using my GOLDEN iPhone 30 SS
Turn2 at Mosport finally finished off my zx9 at 105,000kms
He's right. I only use 94 octane in my SV650 and its just as fast as my CBR 1100 when I run 87 octane in that.
AL3RT
Well-known member
N3WMAN
Well-known member
Make that four ZX-9Rs over 100k.
Thanks to Red Zeder we can change engines in a ZX-9 faster than your average NASCAR pit crew.
Last edited:
Super cars have higher compression than 600 SS bikes?
U mightveant to check on the real reason they need high octane.
Read again. No one was comparing the compression of bikes versus cars.
Ask this guy:
I assume he was making a general comparison of, say, a Corvette versus a plain jane grocery getter.
I'll rephrase, hope it's more clear:
I will let him answer.
Most fast cars have lower compression than SS 600s but need high octane where the bike does not......more factors at work than just compresion.
Would it have to do with increasingly complicated emissions gear?
The need for high octane fuel isn't dependent on emission control equipment - the high compression engines of the 1960s needed high octane fuel, too. If anything, modern electronic controls have reduced octane requirements by detecting the knock and counteracting it when needed, and modern combustion chamber designs have reduced the tendency to knock.
Factors that make knocking worse: High compression ratio, high intake and coolant temperature, mild cam timing, low engine revs, large cylinder bore, too much ignition advance, low turbulence in the cylinder ("slow burn").
Mild cam timing makes knock worse at low revs by acting like higher compression -think of it the converse way, wild cam timing makes for less knock at low revs by letting some of the intake charge back out thus acting like lower compression ...
Car engines compared to bike engines generally have lower revs, bigger cylinder bore, and milder cam timing, all of which mean they can't handle as much compression for a given octane rating.
Direct injection, on many car engines nowadays, is a game changer.
Factors that make knocking worse: High compression ratio, high intake and coolant temperature, mild cam timing, low engine revs, large cylinder bore, too much ignition advance, low turbulence in the cylinder ("slow burn").
Mild cam timing makes knock worse at low revs by acting like higher compression -think of it the converse way, wild cam timing makes for less knock at low revs by letting some of the intake charge back out thus acting like lower compression ...
Car engines compared to bike engines generally have lower revs, bigger cylinder bore, and milder cam timing, all of which mean they can't handle as much compression for a given octane rating.
Direct injection, on many car engines nowadays, is a game changer.
