Fuel grade for 2002 XLH

[genkigary]

Just bought my wife a 2002 XLH.  Does if use premium gas like my EGlide?

[Sportsterboy]

I had a 2002 1200 Custom (XLC) for about 2 years/10,000 miles.  I always ran 87 in it.  No pings/ran better than the few times I used premium (91 octane) gas.  I forget now what the owner's manual said, but 87 octane was what I preferred to run in it.  Wife had 03 Hugger and she ran 87 in it with no problems, too.   

[calif phil]

It will run fine on 87 but it makes me feel good to put 91 in my bikes.

[Panzer]

genkigary,
I believe you're gone to hear a lot of different opinions on that subject.
It's like asking, what do you like better a Chevy or a Caddy.
My 07' Sporty manual says to run 91 or better octane.
Sportsterboy said 87 octane, another will say 89 octane and so on and so on.
You have to decide what is best for your bike(s).

Oil debate is another can of worms, please don't open it unless you want to fry your gray matter.
Just saying.

[Hossamania]

I've always thought one should run the lowest octane possible that doesn't cause pinging. Using higher octane than necessary doesn't produce more power, but more likely produces less.
Friend's Honda VTX 1300 ran lousy with crappy mileage on premium fuel. Swithed to 87 octane and stsrted running better and getting significantly better mileage.

[hdpegscraper]

Here is a thought:   If gas starts to break down roughly 45 days after refining, and with less and less people buying Premium for cars, how OLD is the High Grade Premium that you just pumped into your bike- days, or months?  So by running the Low Grade that gets replenished more often, you may actually be getting a fresher, better quality fuel (not necessarily better octane though.)  I have no facts to back this up, just my observations. And yes I run 87 in my own bike, 103in Dyna 119hp & 119tq so good so far.

[Hossamania]

Pegscraper, how the hell do you get 119 hp & tq on 87 octane with no pinging? I'm impressed.

[hdpegscraper]

It may be a combination of the right compression, Wild Things cams, grooved heads, and just the right ignition timing and or curve, or I got lucky. Or, maybe the fresher low grade fuel burns more completely and effectively,  as compared to old 91 octane that has started to break down, causing the bike to run the same on both grades. Think of it like alwys running old stale winter gas in the spring.