petrol-quality in iran, pakistan, india
 

hi!
does anybody know something about the octane number of the petrol in iran, pakistan, india?
what about the distances for getting petrol?
greetings vroni

The only place you will have problem with fuel logistics is between Tafta-Quetta in Pakistan.

Between these two places you will find fuel only in drumbells. Try your best to filter it before using it.

As for octane i havent seen 95 octane anywhere along the route. Best you can get is 92, which i think is sufficient.

How about leaded fuel availability in Pakistan, Iran, Central Asia? I'm in India with an R65 and have discovered that there is only unleaded. I am getting some fuel additive sent over, but don't know if i need it outside India. Suggestions?

I think this is a bit of a have. Kiwis have run their cars on gas in the 70's & 80's, apparently without any ill effects. When they phased out leaded fuel all of a sudden there was this big scare about lack of valve seat lubrication. Big $ were being made by the peddlers of additives. Nobody explained why gas (which has no lubrication properties) was OK and unleaded isn't.

I have run my R75/5 and K100 on unleaded for a couple of years or so without any problems.

Don't take this as gospel, though. I'm a mechanic, not an engineer.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with additives. Buy leaded when it's available and then don't worry about it. Even if your valve seats do recede the bike won't stop suddenly. Just check your tappets a bit more often.

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Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.

Hi Sean..there will be plenty of lead to make up for it once you get to the old USSR .. I wouldn't worry about it just check the valves regularly.
cheers
alec

Note that even vehicles that definitely DO require lead - pre and especially early 80's BMW's for instance - only need a very little bit of it (far LESS than is actually used in leaded gas) and will run fine on unleaded for some time before developing ANY problems. Riding through India without lead would NOT concern me, and being a cheap so-and-so certainly wouldn't spend money on shipping additives out. Since the additive is on the way, just use it every second or third tank to spin it out as far as possible.

And are you SURE your R65 is one of the "vulnerable" Beemers? All 85 and later models do NOT need lead. Also, yours may well have had had new valve seats already installed.

See this link for lots of info.

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Thanks Guys,
My R65 is designed for leaded only according to Haynes. My mind is eased somewhat regarding how much damage unleaded does though. I will be frugal with the additive when it arrives.
Cheers,
Sean