I've got Ethanol in my bike! Eek

[RhadamYgg]

I live in Georgia, and the main gas station around here, Flash Foods, just added 10% to their tanks. I haven't noticed a difference in performance, but I did notice that I lose a few MPG.

Great - just when we were all looking to squeeze a few more mpg. Hey wait a second.... The more gas we consume because of the ethanol would probably balance out the reduced demand because of using the ethanol in the first place.

We lose no matter what!

RhadamYgg

[Johnj]

We lose no matter what!

Now you're catching on.

[dr_bar]

We lose no matter what!

Now you're catching on.

Not only that, but food costs have gone up because of ethanol production...

[oxbow1]

you can't get a build up of ethanol in your gas tank!
it's all 10% in NJ so 90% of it is gasoline.
if everything you put in the tank is 90/10 then the ratio won't change.
unless you start trying to run on everclear you won't have a problem.

worrying about miniscule stuff like this is ridiculous, change your oil,and filters, gas it up and go....isn't that what you do with your car?
you're riding one of the most reliable and well engineered bikes made,don't you think those engineers knew a little bit about the fuel they would be burning?
your riding on the NJ TPKE and your worrying about a little moonshine in your gas?
you should worry more about the guy doing 70 that was driving an oxcart 6 months ago.

[ofblong]

I concur that this is a trivial and in my mind worthless thing to worry about. If your worried just get some seafoam and add a couple cap fulls every other fillup or once a month. Hell I add a cap full of seafoam to my oil the day before I change it (so I can get it to run through the engine components) to "loosen up" any sludge that may be in their. I have found that with every oil change there is less and less sludge.

[the_sandman_454]

You guys don't get to pump your own gas? That's just weird. When/Why did that rule come about? I think I'd be too concerned about the "fuel goon" not caring quite as much about my vehicle as I did and dripping it all over the tank or something to allow that.

[ofblong]

You guys don't get to pump your own gas? That's just weird. When/Why did that rule come about? I think I'd be too concerned about the "fuel goon" not caring quite as much about my vehicle as I did and dripping it all over the tank or something to allow that.

back in da day ALL gas stations had an attendant who pumped gas for you. Then it started to get to expensive so most gas stations went to self serve. It is very rare now to find one that has an attendant. We had one couple miles from me until about 6 years ago. geeze im 29 and I knew that lol. They also get tipped for doing a "good" job. So I am pretty sure unless you were an ahole to the attendant he/she wouldnt dump gas all over your bike. Even if they did they would most likely be quick to clean it up.

[the_sandman_454]

back in da day ALL gas stations had an attendant who pumped gas for you. Then it started to get to expensive so most gas stations went to self serve. It is very rare now to find one that has an attendant. We had one couple miles from me until about 6 years ago. geeze im 29 and I knew that lol. They also get tipped for doing a "good" job. So I am pretty sure unless you were an ahole to the attendant he/she wouldnt dump gas all over your bike. Even if they did they would most likely be quick to clean it up.

Well, I'm 28, and I knew that back in the past just about everywhere was full service. I've seen one or two full service stations in mid-Michigan in the past, but I guess I'm just used to having the option to do it yourself. I don't think I'd like not having said option.

I've never used a full service station, so the "fuel goon" comment was in jest, although I really don't like others touching my vehicles anyway regardless how careful they are. This is particularly the case if I felt like I had to tip said fueler upper person to get decent service or not be thought a jerk. Fuel costs enough as it is without adding extra costs on top of it.

I'm not sure how they'd clean it up, do they have water available to rinse it off? I don't think just wiping it up would do all that much good. If there's to be a mistake involving a vehicle of mine, I'd much rather it be my mistake than someone elses'.

[oxbow1]

It's against the law to pump your own in NJ but we all do it,and I've never seen anyone let someone fill up thier bike for them.

other things illegal in NJ

if a bear is in your house and you shoot it you go to jail

lawn darts

riding a dirt bike through the woods

riding a Mt bike through the woods

singing xmas carolls in a public school

calling xmas xmas, it's the holidays

NJ the last communist strong hold in the western hemisphere

[RhadamYgg]

you can't get a build up of ethanol in your gas tank!
it's all 10% in NJ so 90% of it is gasoline.
if everything you put in the tank is 90/10 then the ratio won't change.
unless you start trying to run on everclear you won't have a problem.

worrying about miniscule stuff like this is ridiculous, change your oil,and filters, gas it up and go....isn't that what you do with your car?
you're riding one of the most reliable and well engineered bikes made,don't you think those engineers knew a little bit about the fuel they would be burning?
your riding on the NJ TPKE and your worrying about a little moonshine in your gas?
you should worry more about the guy doing 70 that was driving an oxcart 6 months ago.

Well, I could see one way how it is possible that the ratio of ethanol/gas could change in a tank.

One is heavier than the other. We have two tubes from the gas tank going to the engine/carb - and one is located higher than the other.

So, if you keep consuming from the top of the tank, and refilling, then it is possible that the heavier of the two would gather more and more in the bottom of the tank.

But I think it is fairly unlikely, especially when I use a lot of the tank and do the somewhat risky behavior of keeping it in reserve most of the time when I ride.

So far, the highway hasn't been that big a deal. Local roads - I have had a few incidents or encounters with cars with drivers suffering a sudden attack of idiotitis. But so far, only one real-world quick-stop.

Riding a big, isn't much different than riding a car - only the affects of stupid drivers get magnified.

RhadamYgg