This question came to mind yesterday when I was gassing up my bike after a ride. Do you always refuel your bike at a gas pump/station, or do you fill it sometimes from a gas can? Normally for me, I gas up at home from a gas can. I have two five gallon cans I fill up when they need it when I go to fill up my truck. My touring bike has a high compression ratio, so it takes 90+ octane fuel. The gas pumps around here have a rating sticker indicating 92-93 octane, but with the single hose system most pumps have these days I know there has to be 3 or 4 quarts of 87 octane gas in the hose and piping in the pump back to where the valve is inside of it that switches over when premium is selected. Before I fill my cans I will pump about 1 1/2 gallons into my trucks tank to purge out any lower octane fuel, then fill my cans. Then I switch the pump over to regular grade and fuel my truck. That way I get back the premium gas I paid for, in my truck. If I am on an extended ride and need to buy fuel along the way I have a bottle of octane boost I will pour a little in before I start fueling. The bad part is, is that I then have to leave behind some premium in the hose/pump when I leave. My other bike can take the 87 octane gas, but I keep a couple of cans of gas for it also. I also use it for the lawn mowers and other gas equipment. If I am going out for a day of riding, I can leave home with a full tank and refill after getting back, unless I need to get some while I am out. That way I don't have to stop for gas after the first few miles of riding, as I can go over 200 mile before needing to refuel.

So which do you do? Gas up at the pump each time or use a gas can to top off at home sometimes?

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