Depending on the BMW motorcycle engine, you may need to use premium gas to ensure optimal performance. Here are the bikes that require it.
BMW is a major player in the global motorcycling space, and over the years, has evolved into one of the world’s best motorcycle brands. The company has a significant presence in the U.S. market as well, and sells a wide variety of motorcycles across various segments in the U.S., targeting a very diverse set of customers. With such a broad lineup, it’s natural for owners to wonder what grade of fuel their particular BMW needs. Given the premium positioning of BMW products, many assume that BMW motorcycles demand nothing less than high-octane, premium fuel.
As it turns out, that really isn’t the case. We decided to check out several motorcycles currently listed on BMW’s U.S. website to determine the recommended fuel type for most of these vehicles. At the end of the exercise, we came up with interesting results. For those looking for the short answer to whether BMW motorcycles requires premium gas, the answer is: „only some of them do.“
We scoured through the user manuals of most BMW motorcycles sold in the U.S., and our investigation revealed that only a handful, entry level motorcycles in BMW’s lineup are designed to use regular gasoline (87 AKI or 87 octane). The majority of BMW motorcycles sold in the U.S. use mid-grade (89/90 AKI) gasoline, while only a handful of high end superbikes from the company are the ones that need fuel with the highest octane rating (between 91 and 94 AKI).
