OK to run 100LL Aviation gas in bikes?

I was wondering if anyone has had expirience running aviation fuel in there bikes? I work in aviation and have a pretty much unlimited supply of it. Its 100 octane fuel but av gas is still leaded so I was wondering if this will hurt my bike? I was thinking it might run too fast and hot to worry about lead fouling the plugs? I have a 02 zx6r  

I used to work in the aviation field also, lucky to get the sump fuel off the trucks   - now I have to buy it

Bottom line to the question: You won’t gain in performance but you will gain in top end lubrication (100LL = Lot-O-Lead, love the stuff and it just smells right..ha!), which may in turn give some gain (noticeable? - probably not!) since it will help things slide better. I use it but usually no more then a quart - (usually less) per tank. No need to run a full tank of it. My truck loves it, just purrs. If your bike has a catalytic converter don’t use it. As for O2 sensors, probably not a good idea to us it either as it will coke the sensor up…. I also use a fuel conditioner/fuel injector cleaner/top end lubrication additive. I hear the difference, it just sounds mellow because the engines happy with the added lubrication. Maybe it’s all in my head! Just don't ride around schools (kids/lead)haha!

You are right - One problem with lead is it will Coke (build) up on the spark plugs, piston tops, valves and combustion chambers over time. “Blowing it out” was common (jumping on it to high revs - probably not a problem for ya- Ha!)in the old days of leaded gas to help knock the deposit build-up (lead, carbon) free and out of the combustion chambers. Usually being noticed with some rough running, “blow it out” and it would usually clear things up and run smooth again. With unleaded fuel, deposits are less of a problem, but there is also less to no lubrication for the valves and guides.  

Unless you're riding a motorcycle built in the 70s, the "no valve lubrication from unleaded gas" is a myth. The manufacturers changed the metallurgy of the valves/valve guides/valve seats in motorcycle cylinder heads long ago in order to compensate for the lack of tetraethyl lead "lubrication" in unleaded fuel, so that is no longer an issue.

The lead in leaded fuel will definitely kill the metallic substrate catalyzer in short order, and any O2 sensor as well (it will render the O2 sensor useless not because of coking, but because the lead clings to and reacts with the sensor's platinum plating on the probe, permanently damaging its ability to accurately read the exhaust's oxygen levels).

There is no tangible performance reason whatsoever to run 100LL avgas in your '02 ZX-6R. The engine was made to run on a minimum 89 RON, so premium unleaded pump gas will work fine-- and your engine will produce the same or most likely better power-- in your '02 ZX-6R.  

Myth? Unleaded gas provides no lubrication from what I’ve seen and can prematurely wear guides out even if designed to run unleaded, just at a reduced rate.

You’re saying there is no extra lubrication to the valves and seats using Avgas? I respectfully disagree, but I do agree that it’s not needed with engines made to use unleaded gas - all because of those differences made after all the damage to exhaust seats and guides when first switching over to unleaded years ago (man that was along time ago), however, some unleaded capable engines are more susceptible to the damage then others. The difference can be heard after running leaded gas, regardless if its in an engine able to safely run unleaded (no cats or sensors in system) or one that isn‘t. At least I can hear the difference. So what is the reason for this? Added lubrication allowing things to run smoother maybe? This is not an opinion formed over night, it’s one formed over almost 30 years being in a position to have plenty of chances to test the theory. No performance gains, just better lubrication - it does make a difference. Legal? That’s another question….    

You're twisting what I said: note that I stated that the manufacturers changed the valve/guide/seat metallurgy to make up for the lack of lubrication in unleaded fuel. I never stated that "there is no extra lubrication to the valves and seats using Avgas".

Perhaps I was a bit rash in my "myth" statement, sorry for any offense. What I meant to say is the idea that there is any real need for the lubrication offered by the tetraethyl lead in leaded fuel in a modern motorcycle engine such as a Kawasaki ZX-6R is a stretch at best. The alloy used in the bronze valve guides and hardened steel valves/seats is pretty tough. Will there be some wear? Of course. Can it cause "premature" wear? Again, in the case of a current motorcycle engine, that's overstating the case; any wear that could have been avoided by using leaded fuel will be more than offset by wear caused by a host of other issues. The lubrication provided by leaded fuel may "make a difference", but certainly not a tangible one. These are highly-stressed engines that turn 14,000 rpm regularly with power-per-displacement outputs that rival F1 racecar engines. I don't doubt that there may be some "unleaded capable engines" that could be susceptible to damage caused by running unleaded fuel, but any modern motorcycle engine won't fall in that category.  

Valve guide/stem wear in some Ducatis is a common warranty claim.  I've heard that in Europe these problems do not exist and that the explanation is a difference in the burn rate of their gasoline as compared to that of U.S. spec gasoline.  The theory holds that U.S. spec gas continues to burn in the exhaust port, thereby increasing exhaust valve/stem temperatures.  Comments?  

That sounds like a runaway rumor to me. If anything, I'd say that European gasoline would burn slower (and thus suffer incomplete burn in the combustion chamber, leading to combustion in the exhaust port as the charge gets expelled) than U.S.-spec fuel, because of the high amount of oxygenates (such as MTBE) added to American pump gas. Also, the average MON octane rating of European pump fuel is significantly higher. Although resistance to detonation can't necessarily be directly related to burn rate/flame front speed, there is some correlation.  

what I really wanted to know is if I can burn the leaded An gas in my bike without screwing anyhting up because it would be FREE! Kento you seem to know about these things comments? Of course I am currently running premium pump gas as theres a sticker right on the tank directing me to run 90+ octane fuel but this is at about $1.24cnd a litre so running the free Av gas would be perfurable if possible
Thanks  

Too many Ducatis are coming up with warped/burnt valves and supposedly the Euro versions of the same engines don't have the problem.

Compression ratios are higher now.  That fact suggests that present day gas is allowing CR creep; the chambers are burning slower than in the good old days; yeah, the chambers are better but 4 or 5 points better?  The gas is different, less volatile/less smoggy/slow start to the burn, needs lots of swirl.  

xbacksideslider:
Too many Ducatis are coming up with warped/burnt valves and supposedly the Euro versions of the same engines don't have the problem.



I have not heard of this problem. If it was common, we'd have heard about it by now.  

demonrider:
what I really wanted to know is if I can burn the leaded An gas in my bike without screwing anyhting up because it would be FREE! Kento you seem to know about these things comments? Of course I am currently running premium pump gas as theres a sticker right on the tank directing me to run 90+ octane fuel but this is at about $1.24cnd a litre so running the free Av gas would be perfurable if possible
Thanks

If your bike is fairly current and has an O2 sensor along with a metallic substrate catalyzer, running leaded fuel will destroy both in short order. While the catalyzer may not be of concern to you, the O2 sensor is necessary for idle and slow speed running, as the ECU uses it to determine fuel settings.

If your bike doens't have either, then it should be fine.