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So....you have lovingly restored a classic motorcycle, or you may have an unrestored bike that is in really great condition. You obviously care about the preservation of the machine in question. You likely follow the maintenance schedule to a tee or better, and use the finest of lubricants and replacement parts. Maybe you are one of those nut cases who parks the bike in the livingroom. So, what are you burning for fuel in your classic? The correct answer to this question is supreme, or as it's sometimes known, high test. If you answered "regular" then you better keep reading this page.
Due to the cries for renewable energy, ethanol has been added to regular grade pump gasoline. Where I live, this means that 10% of regular pump gas consists of ethanol. For motorcycles as a whole, and for all classic motorcycles, this can cause some very serious damage to the fuel tank, fuel system, and the engine, costing you mega bucks and a lot of time to fix. Ethanol is alcohol which is known to absorb moisture which is a very bad thing to try and use for fuel. It has a very short shelf life before phase seperation occurs. Phase seperation is when the different chemicals in the fuel seperate and are no longer fuel, but rather more like varnish. If that isn't enough here's more to consider in point form.
Ethanol eats rubber fuel lines and parts along with plastic and fiberglass.
It decreases engine power and fuel economy
Ethanol (alcohol) cleans oil and dirt from just about anything it touches, like the piston and cylinder in a two stroke.
Because of the 10% alcohol content, you carburetor jetting will be off, which can cause serious damage.
In climates like North America, where seasons vary wildly, there is the potential for a lot of moisture to be absorbed.
Finally, the quality of this fuel depends on the storage tank from which it was pumped, which can vary.
Final thoughts, use supreme gasoline, or ethanol free fuel only in your classic. If your local gas station has the type of pump that dispenses all grades of fuel from one nozzle, then i would suggest running a few litres into your car first before filling the gas can. This will get any remaining trace of ethanol out of the system before it hits your can. |
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