Have searched threads but cannot find an answer; is anyone able to advise whether running a first gen F4 1000R on 'Supreme' or ethanol-free fuels is advantageous to the bike? (UK based)

I have noted ethanol kills rubbers/plastic tanks etc, but no info as to the premium fuel's suitability for injected bikes. My question is more maintenance rather than performance related.Thanks!

Ethanol free fuel (E0) is always...ALWAYS... preferable to Ethanol (E10) fuel. Never use any fuel with more than 10% ethanol.!!

All MVs benefit from E0 fuel as long as octane is high enough. I run 90 octane E0 (that is US spec R+M/2 octane) because it is readily available near my home....

I use 92 or better E10 when I can't find any 90+ E0. If I could find E0 91~4 I'd use that.

Agree with Ed

Thanks very much. UK limits the amount of ethanol to 10% - but who's to say refineries follow that rigidly? I don't mind paying for premium fuel if I am rewarded for longevity of my bikes. My early Hondas need it (with added fuel stabiliser) because they don't see many miles. That is what led me to checking its usage for the MV. Seems logical: premium bike; premium fuel!

They don't and besides those are overall averages. So you can come up with more in the end.

From what I understood is that the premium BP 98 octane is ethanol free.

The ethanol is actually added at the tank farm where they fill the delivery trucks, not at the refinery. Funny thing about those tank farms...if you go observe you will see the delivery trucks for almost all brands coming out of the same depot.

Blending of gasoline and additive packages (like ethanol, Techron etc) happens at the dispenser to the delivery truck.

Never use octane lower than recommended. Octane is about engine detonation. You don't want that! If you have ethanol free and the octane you need that is what you should use period.

Using more octane rating than needed is also a waste. Some bikes will adapt ignition timing to take maximal advantage of the octane but in other cases there will be no benefit. Just wasted money. So, use the minimal octane that allows the bike to run correctly.

If you have no source of ethanol free then you have no choice but to suffer the consequence of ethanal and all it does to plastic, orings and drawing of moisture etc.

What are the fuels that are available and what is the octane you bike requires?

Thanks for this. You've alerted me to a point I had just taken for granted and that is the octane rating. My question focused on the ethanol treatment from maintenance point of view, but now on checking octane requirements, most of my bikes fall in the 91 to 93 range.

However, my 2018 Honda SP2 recommends '95 or higher', which, of course, can only be a 'premium fuel. MV recommends '96' for the F4 1000. Fortunately, I have very local access to 'Esso Synergy Supreme' which might be markedted in USA as Mobil or Exxon. I shall switch immediately

Ed, 96 Octane (RON) is what MV recommends for their Bikes, including Gina, and this translates to 87 PON/MON for US American Gas Stations.
Everything with a higher Octane Rating is Money blown out of Your Muffler.

Ralf.... USA uses R+M/2 method..... Therefore 96R + 87M / 2 = 91.5.

Europe and other countries use Research Octane numbers (higher numbers). No one uses the Motor Octane number that I know of.

MV recommends 91 octane minimum in USA.

I run the 90 octane E0 simply because I can't get higher E0 gas....Gina seems OK with it. I will not run 87 regardless. Pretty much every Japanese and European sport bike today calls for premium gas in the USA...even my Indian Chieftain "low and slow" calls for 91.