HDForums Tech Tips and More

Happy Monday everyone, hope you had a great weekend riding and enjoying the last bits of good weather before it gets colder. Let’s not dwell on that just yet. I did mention the cold for one reason. Most people who live in the snow areas have to deal with winterizing. One of the most trusted items with the advent of ethanol blended fuels are fuel stabilizers. Did you know that using a stabilizer year round can help make your engine last longer? Check out this weeks Tech Tip below to find out.

What does a fuel stabilizer do?

Most of the help keep the Ethanol and gasoline from separating in your tank. This separation is caused by the Ethanol absorbing any water that is present and eventually a phase separation happens. This creates up to three distinct layers, gasoline, ethanol, and water. The fuel stabilizer keeps the water from bonding with the Ethanol and prolongs the life of the Ethanol and gasoline bond.

Why use it when I am not storing my motorcycle?

Ethanol based fuel can begin to separate within 2-3 weeks. If you are traveling, or not riding for even that short of a period treat your fuel for better mileage and use. If you have older gas stations in your area it is very easy for water to begin to settle in tanks. If you have ever noticed major differences in fuel mileage from local stations this is likely why. Treating your gas often can help to eliminate any potential issues. Older motorcycles have direct to air tank venting and are susceptible to humidity and moisture getting into the fuel tank. If you are riding continuously and burn through a tank of gas weekly this is much less of an issue. If your bike sits for a while it pays to save your bike with a little preventative care.

Options.

There are several brands of stabilizers on the market. The best known is probably STA-BIL who have been in the business for 50 years. You also have Star-Tron, GUNK, Sea Foam, and Lucas Oil to name a few.

Comment below or in the forums here…