Ethanol Motorcycle Fuel information = and=20 advice. Don't hit the road without it!

When filling=20 your motorcycle up you may have noticed a sticker on the gas pumps that = says=20 "Gasolines May Contain Bio-Based Oxygenators (Ethanol)." This just means = you are=20 getting E10 ethanol gasoline. If you have a relatively new motorcycle or = have=20 rebuilt the fuel system in your classic motorcycle recently then you = should have=20 had few if any problems running it on E10 ethanol gasoline. If you have = not=20 rebuilt the fuel system on your older motorcycle then you may want to = look into=20 rebuilding it before running a lot of E10 ethanol gasoline. The use of = E85=20 ethanol gasoline in any motorcycle is not recommended at all unless it = has been=20 properly converted to run on flex-fuel.

What is=20 Ethanol?

Ethanol is an=20 alcohol made from corn, sugar cane and other grains. Ethanol is used as = an=20 oxygenate in ethanol motorcycle fuels. It promotes clear burning and = helps=20 increase octane. One good thing (but in excess potentially a bad thing) = it does=20 is absorb water which means it will help prevent fuel lines from = freezing and it=20 will limit the corrosion caused by water in the = tank.

The = ethanol=20 in E10 is also a solvent that will loosen sludge, varnish and dirt that = has=20 built up in your fuel tank. It promotes clear burning and helps increase = octane.=20 One side effect of ethanol is that it absorbs water. This means it will = help=20 prevent fuel lines from freezing and help limit the corrosion caused by = water in=20 the tank.

There are two=20 types of Ethanol motorcycle fuels currently available in the US. One is=20 relatively safe for all motorcycles and the other is not unless your = motorcycle=20 specifically states it is designed to run on flex fuels. The other type = of=20 ethanol blended gasoline is known as E85 which is 85% ethanol. E85 is = not a safe=20 alternative for any motorcycle unless it is designated as a "flex-fuel"=20 vehicle.

What=20 does it mean to my motorcycle?

There are=20 certain potential hazards and unwanted side effects associated with = using E10 in=20 your motorcycle. Your vehicle will consume more fuel especially if you = use E85=20 which officially and generally stated by the ethanol industry as a 25% = to 30%=20 drop. This is because ethanol contains less energy than gasoline despite = a=20 higher natural octane number. The fact that it does help loosen sludge = in your=20 fuel tank can cause problems with clogged lines and filters as well as = block=20 carburetor jets and fuel injectors. After all those loosened particles = have to=20 go somewhere.

Be = careful if=20 you don't ride a lot. Using ethanol motorcycle fuel in bikes that will = be stored=20 for lengthy periods of time can be troublesome. The fact that ethanol = motorcycle=20 fuel can absorb some water is beneficial but there is a maximum to what = it will=20 absorb. Large amounts of condensation will induce the ethanol and water = to=20 separate inducing the water to gravitate to the bottom of the tank where = the=20 fuel pickup is located.

Make certain,=20 no matter what type of gas is used, that if you are going to store your=20 motorcycle for a prolonged period of time that you take precautions. It = is=20 advisable to either completely empty your tank or fill it all the way up = to help=20 reduce potential damage to your gas tank. Please be aware that there are = many=20 other elements involved in properly preparing a vehicle for storage = other than=20 just the fuel in the gas tank. Also don't forget to add gas stabilizer = to your=20 gas should you decide to leave gas in your tank.

Another=20 potentially serious problem with ethanol is that it can be incompatible = with=20 older rubber compounds. Also in higher concentrations it can cause = corrosion to=20 steel and aluminum that is a part of older motorcycle fuel=20 systems.

4 things=20 you can do to reduce the damage of E10 ethanol

If = your older=20 motorcycle hasn't been rebuilt/restored in the last 10 to 15 years you = should=20 really think about:

=B7 = ; =20 Replacing = all gaskets,=20 seals and rubber fuel lines.

=B7 = ; =20 Replacing = fuel filters=20 and/or screens or at the very least clean them.

=B7 = ; =20 Pull the = fuel tank,=20 drain it and clean it out to remove dirt and sludge before the ethanol = can=20 loosen it up.

=B7 = ; =20 To combat = corrosion=20 you can use a gas tank sealer impervious to ethanol motorcycle fuel.=20

This should=20 certainly be done before filling up and starting your motorcycle if = it has=20 been sitting for a long time whether it was prepared properly or=20 not.

What=20 about higher concentrations of ethanol like E85?

E85 = is a mix=20 of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Unless your motorcycle is = designated as a "flex-fuel" vehicle you should not use E85. If = manufacturers are=20 making E85 motorcycle, they are definately keeping it quiet, but they = are=20 probably coming soon. If you run E85 ethanol motorcycle fuel in = bikes that=20 are designed for gasoline, then your motorcycle may be severely damaged. = It can=20 cause damage to seals and hoses along with causing corrosion throughout = the fuel=20 system. It can also wash lubrication off the engine's cylinder walls. = The=20 hydroxyl group on the ethanol molecule is an extremely weak acid, but it = can=20 enhance corrosion for some natural materials.

For = ethanol=20 contaminated with larger amounts of water (i.e., approximately 11% = water, 89%=20 ethanol), considerable engine wear will occur. This wear is especially = harsh=20 during times while the engine is heating up to normal operating = temperatures.=20 Just after starting the engine low temperature partial combustion of the = water-contaminated ethanol mixture takes place and causes engine wear. = This=20 wear, caused by water-contaminated E85, is the result of the combustion = process=20 of ethanol, water, and gasoline producing considerable amounts of formic = acid=20 (also known as methanoic acid). In addition to the production of formic = acid=20 occurring for water-contaminated E85, smaller amounts of acetaldehyde = and acetic=20 acid are also formed for water-contaminated ethanol combustion. Of these = partial=20 combustion products, formic acid is responsible for the majority of the = rapid=20 increase in engine wear.

Engines=20 specifically designed for ethanol motorcycle flex fuels employ soft = nitride=20 coatings on their internal metal parts to provide resistance to formic = acid wear=20 in the event of water contamination of E85 fuel. Also, the use of = lubricant oil=20 (motor oil) containing an acid neutralizer is necessary to prevent the = damage of=20 oil-lubricated engine parts in the event of water contamination of fuel. = Since=20 older cars are not protected from formic acid the use of E85 is not=20 recommended.