Couplea Questions... - Page 2

blaine · 03-09-2010, 10:49 PM

I use sea-foam twice a year,and no stronger than directions.If mixed to strong,will destroy rubber parts.

alantf · 03-10-2010, 05:24 AM

Over here, we can't get carb cleaner or fuel stabilizer, so I use "fuel additive". Note:- there are 2 types - for carb & for FI. I use about 75ml to a tankful of petrol, whenever the bike starts to feel a little rough. I remember the first time I used it - It was like riding a different bike, with a smoother engine. :2tup:

dannylightning · 03-10-2010, 09:39 AM

stabilizer is great if the bike is gonna set for a long time, it just keeps your gas from going stale, now if they have ethanol in the gas where you live and they probably do, the stabilizer's claim it will reverse the effect's of that or something along those lines, dose it really do that, i don't really know if it does i could see adding a little bit in each tank but than again is it going to be good for the bike to constantly add chemicals to the gas??

as burk builds said in his post any thing that comes in a metal bottle could be in there cus it can eat plastic and rubber, that sta bil is what i use and it came in plastic bottle so its probably not all that harmful to rubber or any thing along those lines but i do not know that for sure.

my suggestion is only use the stuff when you need it. it would also get expensive using that all the time. gas is expensive enough. i use high octane gas in my bike witch does help keep your engine clean but high octane gas is not recommended for the gz, some say it will run crappy if you use the high octane so i never tried it.

my theory is to use stabilizer once right before winter when the bike is going to set for a few months and some time during the spring ill put some b5 chem tool in there to clean the fuel system but only after i go threw a 4 or 5 tanks of gas to make sure all the stabilizer is out of the fuel system.

Easy Rider · 03-10-2010, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burkbuilds

Personally, I never even thought about the possibility that sea foam might damage the seals. Anybody had a problem with that?

Most of those solvents will damage rubber.....but.....

It is not a problem in a modern fuel system, however, because there are no real rubber parts in there anymore. For the last 40 years or so, all the seals and hoses etc. are synthetic rubber or neoprene or fiber gasket material.

That's why if you are replacing a gas line, you be sure the replacement hose is for GAS use and not vacume or water.

mrlmd1 · 03-10-2010, 04:27 PM

Danny - your bike does not need high octane gas, it was designed for regular and that's what the manufacturer recommends. High octane gas does not keep your engine any cleaner than does regular, and besides wasting money, it is less powerful in your engine..

alanmcorcoran · 03-10-2010, 06:33 PM

SC,

I ride year round and never used stabilizer. I have used carb cleaner, but it's hard to know whether you really need it until it's too late. Seems like overall, it doesn't hurt and the carb being pretty susceptible to gunking up, is probably a good idea if you don't ride regularly. If you ride everyday, I wouldn't waste the money.

Re weight and wind. I have the GZ and the Strat (300 vs 850 pounds.) Both have windshields. The Strat is significantly more stable in the wind. (It's more stable period.) We get some high cross-winds out here and it took me a while to get the right mix of over/understeer to "correct" for it, without over - correcting. The gusts can be tiring as you have to be very vigilant and the tension really kind of ruins the ride.

There is a lot of debate on here on big vs small, but I think most that have both will agree that heavier bikes are much more enjoyable to ride at high speeds on multilane highways. The GZ is good up to 50-55 on "back roads" but it can be tiring to ride above that, especially if the road is not smoothly paved. If you have hills the speed issue is compounded. Most of us with two bikes use the GZ for around town and the bigger bike for highway travel. One thing the GZ is superior at is splitting lanes, but I still usually take the Strat on the freeway.

patrick_777 · 03-10-2010, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

Danny - your bike does not need high octane gas, it was designed for regular and that's what the manufacturer recommends. High octane gas does not keep your engine any cleaner than does regular, and besides wasting money, it is less powerful in your engine..

:plus1:

It also lowers your mileage.

alantf · 03-11-2010, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

I have used carb cleaner, but it's hard to know whether you really need it until it's too late.

Not carb cleaner, but fuel additive .......... I can generally tell when it needs it. I find that when I'm going round traffic roundabouts at low speed & the bike is slightly less responsive/smooth, then it's time for the additive.

dannylightning · 03-11-2010, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

Danny - your bike does not need high octane gas, it was designed for regular and that's what the manufacturer recommends. High octane gas does not keep your engine any cleaner than does regular, and besides wasting money, it is less powerful in your engine..

i know many many people that swear that high octain is better for your engine. including my automobile mechanic, and many motorcycle riders that also use the high octain in their bikes.

after doing a search on the internet and reading several articles i see that you are correct. unless you have a vehicle with a high preformance engine that has a high compression rate, a engine that is turbo charged or you have a car that knocks you do not need the high octain gas. it says that in most cars except for what i have listd, high octain gasoline will not out preform the regular gas.

that is kind of suprizing to read after being told over and over again that high octain is much better for a vehicle.

mrlmd1 · 03-11-2010, 09:51 AM

People who swear those things are misinformed, mislead, and uneducated about what octane is. That's the assumption people have, that more of a thing has to be better. It's not true with octane rating, higher is not necessarily better. The higher octane gas has additives to retard ignition, necessary in the types of engines you mentioned, and those engine's design would dictate the use of that type of gas. Your engine does not need high octane fuel, and actually doesn't particularly like it, it's of no benefit if everything else is in tune. Like has been said, you are wasting your money, you are getting less power, you are getting less fuel mileage, for nothing, not even an ego boost when you find that out.
If your bike is running well, you use what the manufacturer recommends, Do you think you know better than the Suzuki engineers who designed and made your bike? If it is knocking or pinging or not performing well, you find out what is wrong - something is not up to specs- you don't switch to a higher octane gas to try and solve the problem. That could be like giving aspirin to someone with a high fever secondary to pneumonia. You may get rid of the fever, but you still have pneumonia (ie, problem not solved). There is no benefit to you from anything other than regular unleaded gas. Except maybe a few ounces of Seafoam or Berryman's in the tank every 4-6 fillups to keep the carbs clean so you don't screw with them.

03-09-2010, 10:49 PM	#11
blaine Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: P.E.I. Canada Posts: 3,784	Re: Couplea Questions... I use sea-foam twice a year,and no stronger than directions.If mixed to strong,will destroy rubber parts. __________________ If at first you do succeed, try not to look surprised. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-10-2010, 05:24 AM	#12
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,715	Re: Couplea Questions... Over here, we can't get carb cleaner or fuel stabilizer, so I use "fuel additive". Note:- there are 2 types - for carb & for FI. I use about 75ml to a tankful of petrol, whenever the bike starts to feel a little rough. I remember the first time I used it - It was like riding a different bike, with a smoother engine. :2tup: __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman.
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03-10-2010, 09:39 AM	#13
dannylightning Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: akron ohio Posts: 893	Re: Couplea Questions... stabilizer is great if the bike is gonna set for a long time, it just keeps your gas from going stale, now if they have ethanol in the gas where you live and they probably do, the stabilizer's claim it will reverse the effect's of that or something along those lines, dose it really do that, i don't really know if it does i could see adding a little bit in each tank but than again is it going to be good for the bike to constantly add chemicals to the gas?? as burk builds said in his post any thing that comes in a metal bottle could be in there cus it can eat plastic and rubber, that sta bil is what i use and it came in plastic bottle so its probably not all that harmful to rubber or any thing along those lines but i do not know that for sure. my suggestion is only use the stuff when you need it. it would also get expensive using that all the time. gas is expensive enough. i use high octane gas in my bike witch does help keep your engine clean but high octane gas is not recommended for the gz, some say it will run crappy if you use the high octane so i never tried it. my theory is to use stabilizer once right before winter when the bike is going to set for a few months and some time during the spring ill put some b5 chem tool in there to clean the fuel system but only after i go threw a 4 or 5 tanks of gas to make sure all the stabilizer is out of the fuel system. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-10-2010, 04:27 PM	#15
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Couplea Questions... Danny - your bike does not need high octane gas, it was designed for regular and that's what the manufacturer recommends. High octane gas does not keep your engine any cleaner than does regular, and besides wasting money, it is less powerful in your engine.. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

03-10-2010, 06:33 PM	#16
alanmcorcoran Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 2,926	Re: Couplea Questions... SC, I ride year round and never used stabilizer. I have used carb cleaner, but it's hard to know whether you really need it until it's too late. Seems like overall, it doesn't hurt and the carb being pretty susceptible to gunking up, is probably a good idea if you don't ride regularly. If you ride everyday, I wouldn't waste the money. Re weight and wind. I have the GZ and the Strat (300 vs 850 pounds.) Both have windshields. The Strat is significantly more stable in the wind. (It's more stable period.) We get some high cross-winds out here and it took me a while to get the right mix of over/understeer to "correct" for it, without over - correcting. The gusts can be tiring as you have to be very vigilant and the tension really kind of ruins the ride. There is a lot of debate on here on big vs small, but I think most that have both will agree that heavier bikes are much more enjoyable to ride at high speeds on multilane highways. The GZ is good up to 50-55 on "back roads" but it can be tiring to ride above that, especially if the road is not smoothly paved. If you have hills the speed issue is compounded. Most of us with two bikes use the GZ for around town and the bigger bike for highway travel. One thing the GZ is superior at is splitting lanes, but I still usually take the Strat on the freeway. __________________ [hr:5yt6ldkq][/hr:5yt6ldkq] http://alanmarkcorcoran.com Motorcycles, Music, Musings and More…
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03-11-2010, 09:51 AM	#20
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Couplea Questions... People who swear those things are misinformed, mislead, and uneducated about what octane is. That's the assumption people have, that more of a thing has to be better. It's not true with octane rating, higher is not necessarily better. The higher octane gas has additives to retard ignition, necessary in the types of engines you mentioned, and those engine's design would dictate the use of that type of gas. Your engine does not need high octane fuel, and actually doesn't particularly like it, it's of no benefit if everything else is in tune. Like has been said, you are wasting your money, you are getting less power, you are getting less fuel mileage, for nothing, not even an ego boost when you find that out. If your bike is running well, you use what the manufacturer recommends, Do you think you know better than the Suzuki engineers who designed and made your bike? If it is knocking or pinging or not performing well, you find out what is wrong - something is not up to specs- you don't switch to a higher octane gas to try and solve the problem. That could be like giving aspirin to someone with a high fever secondary to pneumonia. You may get rid of the fever, but you still have pneumonia (ie, problem not solved). There is no benefit to you from anything other than regular unleaded gas. Except maybe a few ounces of Seafoam or Berryman's in the tank every 4-6 fillups to keep the carbs clean so you don't screw with them.
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