I am in the BKK area at sea level. Most of the Gas here is cut with Ethanol.. My bike takes 91 octane, and just for the hell of it, i decided to switch to straight gas no booze.  The only thing they have here is 95 straight up.

Call me crazy , but the bike feels different when i ride it now.

It has good pep, and acceleration, but it seriously has a different vibe. It literally feels different.

I am hopeful that I'll get longer range on a tankful without the hootch. Has anyone else ever noticed this kind of change with a change in fuel?

Most engines will perform better on pure hydrocarbon. However, there is a cost penalty of about 10 baht/litre.

Bear in mind if there is no 10 baht premium, you are getting 95 octane with ethanol in it.

Well,  This was 95 Orange label  from the synergy station.    It was about 8 baht more per liter.   I asked the guy 3 times "Mai ethanol"    and he nodded... "Mai Ethanol"

Depends on the bike most modern bike adjust themselves electronically and adjust to different fuels, older bikes may respond differently depends on what it's set up is.

Never seen 95 Orange label only yellow.

14 minutes ago, samuttodd said:

My bike takes 91 octane

Stick with it. You'll have to change to gasohol 95 shortly though.

It was the stuff at the bottom of this sign.   Red label,   sorry,  not orange

 

 

Moved to the Motorcycles in Thailand forum.

21 minutes ago, samuttodd said:

It was the stuff at the bottom of this sign.   Red label,   sorry,  not orange

They call it "Supreme Plus".

It is 95 octane gasohol(!) with some magic added(?).

https://www.fuels.esso.co.th/en/supreme-plus-gasohol-95

 

It is significantly more expensive then "normal" gasohol 95.

Price at PTT today 28.35 (or higher depending on location).

 

Gasoline (petrol, gas) without Ethanol costs at least 35.76 today (at PTT).

 

Your filling station has no pure gasoline on offer.

But what you describe would be good promotion for Esso

Well I'll be dipped

Changing from 91 octane to 95 (higher knocking strength) might of course make a change.

But depends on motor/motor control.

Try again with ordinary gasohol 95.

So,  based upon the gas station sign above,  the stuff I got was 95% gas and 5% Ethanol.   The bike is a 2016 F.I. CB500x and it really seriously does feel like a different machine with the new fuel.

 

I am not certain that the new air filter I put in and the new oil and Oil filter I put in the other day have factored much into it.   I got the bike this spring 2ndhand.   I ain't certain what type of oil the guy had in there,  but I wanted to start off fresh,  so I dumped 20w50 amsol Fully synth in her.   

 

When I took out the air filter,  there was an aftermarket one in there that looked legit and clean.    The guy who had the bike before me really took good care of it.  

 

Was a happy moment in my day.

12 minutes ago, samuttodd said:

he stuff I got was 95% gas and 5% Ethanol.

No, misunderstanding.

95 is the knocking strength of the fuel. Not the gas content. Not a percentage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_knocking

 

And gasohol usually has 10% ethanol.

 

9 minutes ago, samuttodd said:

I am not certain that the new air filter I put in and the new oil and Oil filter I put in the other day

 

 

Did you/they also pump the tyres up ?  oil the chain ?

I do all that stuff,    nobody touches my girl but me.   ????

I do all that stuff,    nobody touches my girl but me.   ????   I know the costs of labor here make more sense to let other guys wrench on the bike,   but I like to do it.    The anatomy and physiology of a motorbike are fascinating.   It is fun to break out the tool box and swear like a drunken sailor.   I find a sense of satisfaction in tearing it apart and putting it back together.

17 minutes ago, samuttodd said:

I do all that stuff,    nobody touches my girl but me.   ????   I know the costs of labor here make more sense to let other guys wrench on the bike,   but I like to do it.    The anatomy and physiology of a motorbike are fascinating.   It is fun to break out the tool box and swear like a drunken sailor.   I find a sense of satisfaction in tearing it apart and putting it back together.

There are people who are very satisfied with sitting on a riverbank with a fishing rod and not getting a single bite, or propelling a little white ball into purpose-built holes. No need to make excuses for what you enjoy.

2 hours ago, samuttodd said:

I find a sense of satisfaction in tearing it apart and putting it back together.

Me too.... when I said about pumping up the tyres..I was hinting that maybe  the difference you felt was not due to the fuel

but "other things"  you did at/around the same time ?

Yellow is the pure stuff (at the bottom of the price charts when they sell it) and can be difficult to find these days - locals just call it Benzine if you need to ask for it

19 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

Yellow is the pure stuff (at the bottom of the price charts when they sell it) and can be difficult to find these days - locals just call it Benzine if you need to ask for it

The bigger PTT stations have it.

Might need an extra mile to find.

 

By chance just hanging around near one, so prices of today: