Runs fine in all my stuff and we have had it for years. All the problems people bring up is mostly untrue or would have happened with regular gas. I do all my own work and maintenance. Lot of stuff is put out by people who sell additives.

 

All else being equal (meaning you haven't optimized your engine to run ethanol), E10 will result in reduced fuel mileage as compared to straight gasoline.

Political and financial issues with it aside, here's what happens when you use it as fuel:

Ethanol is not specifically hydrophilic. However, it is miscible with water, meaning that it mixes very well with water. This is both good and bad.

It's good because with straight gasoline, any water which manages to get into your fuel tank will settle at the bottom much more quickly than it would if ethanol were present. So as long as you keep refilling with fresh E10, you'll never suffer water buildup.

It's bad because its miscibility means it can hold more water in suspension until there's so much water that you get phase separation. This means that the ethanol and water eventually settle at the bottom, with just the gasoline on top. Since Ethanol carries a higher effective octane rating than gasoline, refiners/suppliers tend to rely on it to meet their advertised octane rating rather than using other methods. So when the phase separation occurs your fuel's octane drops. This problem is much more common with watercraft.

In either case, it is best to prevent water from entering your fuel tank in the first place, regardless of whether or not you have Ethanol in your fuel. This means keeping the tank topped off so that as the vapors expand and contract with temperature fluctuations, less water vapor is drawn in through the vent lines.

Gas stabilizers do absolutely nothing for either ethanol, water, or phase separation. All they do is help to prevent oxidation which, along with volatility, is one of the two things which tends to make gas go bad. Oxidation because it changes the chemical makeup of the fuel, and volatility because the more volatile components evaporate, leaving fuel behind that's harder to burn.

Someone else mentioned Ducati. What he says is true. Most Ducati fuel tanks are made of Nylon (either 6 or 6,6, I'm not sure which). Both of these forms of Nylon are hydrophilic, meaning they absorb water. Up to about 9% by mass. This causes them to deform, which can lead to poor fit and leaks and has, in fact, happened to my Ducati in only two years.

 

Try tightening the header bolts on your exhaust pipes. Popping may disappear. In FL, all gas contains up to 10% ethanol. No popping on my bike unless these bolts are a little loose.

 

Isn't ethenol alcohol? Doesn't alcohol clean up oily messes? Doesn't alcohol dry up rubber? Why would we want alcohol around any engine parts? I add 2 ounces of marvel mystery oil to every other tankfull and I know others who do this plus octane boost. Bike runs cooler too.

 

It's all we have in this area. But if you get any winter blend gas it will be down of power and way down on mpg. That stuff sucks. But in the snow belt, I try to fill them up before Sept. 15 and lay in a supply in cans. I usually make it till the end of the season and put them away in Nov.

I have never had a problem with E10. I would like to try straight gas once to see if it is better.

 

I think all we get in CA. is 10% ethanol, anybody know for sure?

 

Research? LOL You just followed the money !! That is the friggen Ethenol conglomerate website! What do you expect them to say ?

Next time you do some research, I'd recommend try some independent non-vested scientific findings.

 

You can walk into the station and ask the manager because every delivery invoice from the supplier has to have the ethanol mix listed on the invoice. It's the law.

The local Shell dealer here showed me his invoice last summer and it was 10%. The local Chevron dealer showed me his invoice and it was 7%.

I found out deliveries may vary on the Ethanol mix but the upper limit allowable at this time in CA is 10%.

I've been running Chevron...

 

I haven't found really any mileage changes with ethanol gas. There are a few stations around that sell gas without any ethanol but I really haven't noticed any difference between the 2. But then again when I'm out enjoying myself on the bike the last thing I'm worried about is if I'm getting 45miles to the gallon or 44!

 

I hear that, although i would like to one day have something with killer range.Like one of those Ninja 250s that get 90mpg or one of those big dual purpose bikes with a 6 gallon tank.