Race Fuel

[Super Dave]

Are some guys using a better race fuel? Yes, but I will not reveal who is and who is not.  Not my job to do that.

But, Steve, at this point I don't think it's something that you need to do, as an expense or something that will necessarily make you go around someone faster.  Still much easier to set up the bike and do the right things riding.

[roadrashroeser]

2 wins 4 seconds and a 3rd at RA with 93 octane, no need for race fuel in Am club racing save your money for next year when your an expert and you need that extra hp. My thoughts and opinnion of course.

[Super Dave]

There you go...  I don't use racing fuel for more HP, I'm looking for better, faster acceleration.  That's the whole thing in this game...getting from A to B faster.

[Steviebee]

newbie opinions here .
As im new to the whole racing thing, I've been asking about race fuel.

Why, now some people on the "boards, this and other ones, say oh, you need it!,  and some say dont waste your money till your fighting for top 5"

So my goal is to fight for the top 5, heck i had a 7th my first race so i think i can get there!  

I dont have a bike 100% set up for racing, heck it was my street bike.  It came with a full yoshi exhaust system and thats all for power add ons.  So obviously i've been wondering about more power (race gas/ Power commander).  Just like Tim the Tool Man Talor !!!  ughh uughh.

But my first big "upgrade" other than what was needed to qualify for racing, was the full suspension done,  front and back.

It seems that race gas and or power adders like a powercommander would make me rely on HP instead of corner speed.  Which at this point in my learing career, i want to brake/corner/and get on the gas  as good as possible.  When i can hit the limit of braking / cornering / accelrating off the corner of the bike,  then I want more power !!!  Cause then i will be able to use the power !!

But man its just killing me thinking that if i had a few more HP i could have passed a guy on the straight.

[Super Dave]

If you go to the post about weight vs HP...  I put it pretty well there...

Larry Denning is a very fast Yamaha contingency racer.  He has an R1 and an R6.  Let's figure that there's 30HP between the two.  He can only go about one half to three quarters of a second faster on the R1 vs the R6.  

So, I can't supply you with a fuel that will give you 30HP, unless you're so far off that the fuel would get your "jettting" back into the ball park.

As for passing on the straight...  Exit speed.

Steve, most things in the motorcycle industry are based on HYPE rather than some practicality.  Oval track racing is based on something being practical.  A guy in a car has to realize an actual drop in his times to want to use a product.  The car is important.  In motorcycle road racing, the rider is very important.  

[MightyDuc Racing]

I was told by BCM to go ahead and start running race gas in my bike due to all the high perf stuff and compression.  I don't want to spend $9 a gallon, so what's everybody's take on the race gas at the track?  I know they sell it at Moroso in several different grades, all for under $5 per gallon.  What's the big difference (if anything other than oxygenation) and which octane do you recommend if coming from the track pumps?  I'm probably gonna go with 102, but they might even have 112.  Opinions?  TIA

[Super Dave]

Well, you're dealing with "pool" fuel.  It's made in huge batches, it gets transported in vehicles that have had many different chemicals in them, and it gets placed in storage at the track where the containers are exposed to varing elements.  And you don't know what was in the containers before.  

Consistency.  You can't have it with fuel like that.

Those are old 70's tech fuels that usually utilize a good amount of lead to create a higher octane level.  They burn slowly with a lot of debris, and they create heat.  At $5 a gallon, it's kind of a rip.  

A 102 fuel might be unleaded.  Watch out.  The gravity of those fuels is quite different from a leaded racing fuel.  Oxygenated?  No way for a leaded, but the 102, might be an unleaded oxygenated.  In reality, it's probably a worked over premium pump gas, which has oxygenation.  All the dyno tests that I have seen by trusted car engine builders out east and here in the Midwest seem to show that those unleadeds come out exactly the same as pump gas.  

[MightyDuc Racing]

Okay, so if you were me and couldn't really afford $9 per gallon for fuel, what would you do?

[Super Dave]

Get a second job.

 ;D

Seriously, you're limited to what you have.  And that can create problems.  Anyone sell something else down there that you can get in a container?  Not something that is shipped in a truck and then put in one, but something that is shipped from the point of "build" in a new container.  That can be a big issue too.  

I would much rather run what I use mixed down with pump gas over buying track fuel.  At least I would be stepping in the right direction.  Street gas does have to be somewhat consistent.  Huge batches, and it gets used rather quickly.  Race fuel...well, your mileage may vary on the large manufacturers.  

I think you're getting the picture on why I use what I do.  

[MightyDuc Racing]

So it would be okay to buy like 112 and mix it with 93 pump gas?  I think I can get some Nutec locally at a decent price from one of the car shops that runs some race teams.

[james-redsv]

Mightyduc what is your compression ratio? You can run 93 pump up to about 12-1 without any problems. You should be able to tell when the bike starts knocking if there isnt enough octane. I have run  race gas you get at the tracks with Ok results, 76 and Sunoco, couldnt tell any difference over 87 pump gas. I have tried Vp ult 4 and by the seat of my pants dyno the bike actually seemed to run worst than on pump 87 which I normally run. You get the best, fastest burn from the lowest octane you can get away with, which means more power. BTW you can mix race gas and pump to save some $$ if you need more octane. ;D Race gas does make the bike run super clean, no fouled plugs and a nice white powder look inside the exaust. 8)

[MightyDuc Racing]

I found some 112 octane VP for $6.05 or 116 for $7.45.  Gonna try the 116 mixed 1/2 with 93 pump gas I think at Moroso and see how it does.  Opinions?