What kind of gas do I use?
Moderator: Modern Buddy Staff
- AmyNTX
- Member
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 2:02 pm
- Location: Dallas,TX
What kind of gas do I use?
What kind of gas to I use? regular unleaded? or premium?
Thanks!
What kind do you use? chevron? shell? etc.
Thanks!
What kind do you use? chevron? shell? etc.
- MikieTaps
- Member
- Posts: 2462
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 3:38 am
- Location: Bellevue WA "the dirty eastside"
- Contact:
- jmazza
- Moderator
- Posts: 2960
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:03 pm
- Location: Broomfield, CO
- KRUSTYburger
- Member
- Posts: 3366
- Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:54 am
- Location: Pee-Cola, FL
- jmazza
- Moderator
- Posts: 2960
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:03 pm
- Location: Broomfield, CO
Oh good question... I don't know that I know. There are a couple off brand stations near me that I used to use but I now hit a Chevron a few blocks out.KRUSTYburger wrote:Not to start anything up... what is considered brand-name gas? I usually use Citgo because it's cheap and closeby. Other than that all I can think of is BP and Shell. Is that what you're talking about?jmazza wrote:Most agree though to use brand-name gas.
Like you hinted at, I think this is a pretty hotly debated topic too!!
- ericalm
- Site Admin
- Posts: 16842
- Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:01 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Contact:
We have some oddball gas stations out here, Eagle and some like that. But there are different brands in different regions. Out here, I usually get my gas from 76 out of convenience. (This was formerly known as Union 76 and is the same company as Phillips 66 and Conoco.)
All I can say is that my mechanic once told me, "Whatever gas you're using, keep doing it!" because the guts of my scoot were so clean.
Now here's something: Some die hards won't fill up at a station where the pumps have one hose for all grades of gas, just the ones that have separate hoses. This is because some gas is left in the hose after it's pumped and they don't want another grade mixing in. I'm not so particular.
Some past octane threads:
viewtopic.php?t=3234
viewtopic.php?t=1015
viewtopic.php?t=3305
All I will say about this is that no one who uses one or the other has reported any problems as a result. I use regular in my Buddy. Seems to work just fine.
All I can say is that my mechanic once told me, "Whatever gas you're using, keep doing it!" because the guts of my scoot were so clean.
Now here's something: Some die hards won't fill up at a station where the pumps have one hose for all grades of gas, just the ones that have separate hoses. This is because some gas is left in the hose after it's pumped and they don't want another grade mixing in. I'm not so particular.
Some past octane threads:
viewtopic.php?t=3234
viewtopic.php?t=1015
viewtopic.php?t=3305
All I will say about this is that no one who uses one or the other has reported any problems as a result. I use regular in my Buddy. Seems to work just fine.
Eric // LA Scooter Meetup Group // Stella 4T // Vespa LX // Vespa LXS // Honda Helix // some, uh, projects…
- DennisD
- Member
- Posts: 2112
- Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 12:22 am
- Location: Pensacola, Florida
I buy the cheapest regular gas I can find of any brand when I need it. If there are 4 stations at an intersection, the cheapest gets my business. I don't care where it comes from and my scooters all run great. I have 3 different brands of scooters and all of them are treated the same, that is, run the cheapest regular available. After 10 years, no problems.
There. That should do it.
edit: I should have added - Unless the manufacturer recommends something else. For instance, my Triumph runs on 89 octane. In a pinch, traveling, I'll use what is available but follow recommendations as a rule when I can.
Dennis
There. That should do it.

edit: I should have added - Unless the manufacturer recommends something else. For instance, my Triumph runs on 89 octane. In a pinch, traveling, I'll use what is available but follow recommendations as a rule when I can.
Dennis
Last edited by DennisD on Mon May 26, 2008 3:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- ScootLemont
- Member
- Posts: 2526
- Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:20 pm
- Location: Lemont IL
- Contact:
I usually buy Full Face gas... but on hot days, I use 1/2 face gas (to be honest, once in a while, I use no gas at all)
Mine is still new so I use break in gas & never use more than 1/2 a tank.
The brand gas I look for is usually State Farm, but sometimes I get boot gas but never flip flop gas - but be sure you buy MSF gas before you buy any other gas.
Guys using harley gas usually wave at me but people using crotch rocket gas dont (guess its the octane difference)
(Amy - pay no attention to this post & welcome to MB - have fun)
Mine is still new so I use break in gas & never use more than 1/2 a tank.
The brand gas I look for is usually State Farm, but sometimes I get boot gas but never flip flop gas - but be sure you buy MSF gas before you buy any other gas.
Guys using harley gas usually wave at me but people using crotch rocket gas dont (guess its the octane difference)
(Amy - pay no attention to this post & welcome to MB - have fun)
- KRUSTYburger
- Member
- Posts: 3366
- Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:54 am
- Location: Pee-Cola, FL
- gymnation
- Member
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 9:19 pm
- Location: Denver
But do you find that windshield gas is helpful?ScootLemont wrote:I usually buy Full Face gas... but on hot days, I use 1/2 face gas (to be honest, once in a while, I use no gas at all)
Mine is still new so I use break in gas & never use more than 1/2 a tank.
The brand gas I look for is usually State Farm, but sometimes I get boot gas but never flip flop gas - but be sure you buy MSF gas before you buy any other gas.
Guys using harley gas usually wave at me but people using crotch rocket gas dont (guess its the octane difference)
(Amy - pay no attention to this post & welcome to MB - have fun)
Maude Lebowski: What do you do for recreation?
The Dude: Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback.
The Dude: Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback.
- MikieTaps
- Member
- Posts: 2462
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 3:38 am
- Location: Bellevue WA "the dirty eastside"
- Contact:
- jfrost2
- Member
- Posts: 4782
- Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:32 am
- Location: Somewhere in Ohio, Maybe.
- ScootLemont
- Member
- Posts: 2526
- Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:20 pm
- Location: Lemont IL
- Contact:
- charltons
- Member
- Posts: 237
- Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:09 pm
- Location: jacksonville FL
I'm with Dennis. Besides, I remember hearing/reading once that no matter what the brand, it all comes from a small handful of refineries, so you're not paying extra for quality necessarily, but for a brand name. I don't know for sure if this is true, but I've always suspected it is.DennisD wrote:... I have 3 different brands of scooters and all of them are treated the same, that is, run the cheapest regular available. After 10 years, no problems.
There. That should do it.![]()
Dennis
" You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought " - Leia
- ScootLemont
- Member
- Posts: 2526
- Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:20 pm
- Location: Lemont IL
- Contact:
Its pretty much true.... for example... in the Chicago area we have a Citgo, Exxon, Marathon & Phillips refineries.charltons wrote: I'm with Dennis. Besides, I remember hearing/reading once that no matter what the brand, it all comes from a small handful of refineries, so you're not paying extra for quality necessarily, but for a brand name. I don't know for sure if this is true, but I've always suspected it is.
Shell could not be competive if they had to ship their gas from Alabama or Texas to Chicago, so they buy the local made product. (and vice versa in other places) - My dad worked at the Citgo refinery for 40 years.
One concern I have with SOME "independant" stations they MAY let their tanks get lower before re-filling - then you can get some crud floating in the bottom of the tank if you are unlucky enough to get the "bottom".
This is a risk with any gas station, but the national chains (and franchises) have more strict guidelines on when to re-fill their tanks.
There is an independant that I frequent, in my area, but they usually have some pretty good prices & I think that keeps them filling up more often with "fresh" gas than the local "national brand" that is overpriced & does not do 1/2 the business.
- ScootLemont
- Member
- Posts: 2526
- Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:20 pm
- Location: Lemont IL
- Contact:
- MikieTaps
- Member
- Posts: 2462
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 3:38 am
- Location: Bellevue WA "the dirty eastside"
- Contact:
- lobsterman
- Member
- Posts: 1027
- Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:09 pm
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
- EP_scoot
- Member
- Posts: 760
- Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2007 3:42 pm
- Location: Eden Prairie, MN
- MikieTaps
- Member
- Posts: 2462
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 3:38 am
- Location: Bellevue WA "the dirty eastside"
- Contact:
- iinigma7
- Member
- Posts: 166
- Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:58 pm
- Location: Greenville, SC
ANYTHING BUT GAS FROM CITGO!!!
http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/citgo.asp
I've run regular and premium. I prefer the way it runs on premium, and since I have a 3 mile commute to work I'm not worried about heat issues.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/citgo.asp
I've run regular and premium. I prefer the way it runs on premium, and since I have a 3 mile commute to work I'm not worried about heat issues.
"...faster and faster until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death!"