leaded or unleaded

[stumped]

HI All, most basic question, I know. BUT do honda 305 dreams take unleaded gasoline or do you add a lead additive to the premium high octane gas? Want to make sure before I ge this beauty going. Thanks.<br />

[norme-ormond]

My original owners manual for my 1966 305 says use 87 octane...I just bought it and started running it with 87....didn't think yet about using the 93 + stabil. Hopefully I will be out riding it each week to keep it from clogging. Stabil has a lot of good comments from my friends for cars/motorcycles/generators/and lawn mowers during the winter

[Pigeonalley]

I thought octane rateing was a measure of energy while lead was an additive to lubricate upper engine (valves and valve seats) <br /><br />I think lead also helped retard &quot;preignition&quot; That was the pinging sound you heard when you were running along about 45 and stomped on the gas, to pass.<br /><br />I know we must have a lot of readers out there running unleaded in their old bikes! Let us know how it's working!

[georGe]

I run 93 or higher octane pump gas(unleaded) and dont recommend using a lead additive or any other type of additive i.e.-octane booster,etc...<br />The higher the octane the more resistance to knock there is however these bikes do not like additives(atleast thats what I and others have experienced).<br />As for lead I have read several independant studies on lead additives in unleaded fuel and have yet to find any hard evidence that it does anything. Ya ask 10 different mechanics and get 5 different answers,its pretty much split camps on this issue. Again my experiance is it doesnt do any thing of advantage.<br /><br />georGe <br />

[polishbeer]

I don't think we have answered this question well yet.

If the valve seats and valves were designed for use with leaded gas, the way the bike "runs" has almost nothing to do with it. If they don't have hardened (?) valves and seats, you're looking at a top end job eventually, regardless of how it runs on 93 octane.

If someone on the list has been running regular 93 octane for 10,000 miles with no trouble, then that would answer the question. But if we don't know that...then we're just guessing.

Please could we have a more educated and final answer to this question?

Thanks!

Jordan AkA polishbeer

[Hahnda]

I have rode over 2000 miles on my Dream this summer with 87 octane. No problems so far.

[prima5star]

I also ran 87 in a Superhawk for about 8 months, probably 30-40 miles a weekday. All told about 4000 miles without problem (well, the gearbox seized but that is another story).