Ethanol gas
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,033
Likes: 29
Been running ethanol in everything I own for years now and had no problems.
Why not check your owner's manual for the octane rating? The recommended octane sometimes varies according to the model/year you have.
Why not check your owner's manual for the octane rating? The recommended octane sometimes varies according to the model/year you have.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,641
Likes: 26
From: Ozark Country
Guess I am lucky, as we can still get 'straight' 92 octane fuel in my area.
Anyway, I pulled out my Softail Owners Manual, and this is what HD says about gasoline blends, and I would imagine the wording in the Sportster Manual is the same;
Gasoline Blends;
Your motorcycle was designed to get best performance and efficiency using unleaded gasoline. Most gasoline sold in the United States is blended with alcohol and/or either, to create oxygenated blends. The type and amount of alcohol or either added to the fuel is important.
CAUTION; Do not use gaoline that contains methanol. Doing so may result in fuel system component failure, engine damage and/or equipment malfunction.
* Gasoline containing METHYL TERTIARY BUTYL ETHER (MTBE): Gasoline/MTBE blends are a mixture of gasoline and as much as 15% MTBE. Gasoline/MTBE blends can be used in your motorcycle.
* ETHANOL is a mixture of 10% ethanol (Grain alcohol) and 90% unleaded gasoline. Gasoline/ethanol blends can be used in your motorcycle if the ethanol content does not exceed 10%.
* REFORMULATED OR OXYGENATED GASOLINES (RFG): Reformulated gasoline is a term used to describe gasoline blends that are specifically designed to burn cleaner than other types of gasoline, leaving fewer tailpipe emissons. they are also formulated to evaporate less when you are filling your tank. Reformulated gasolineuse additives to oxygenate the gas. Your motorcycle will run normally using this type of gas and Harley Davidson recommends you use it when possible, as an aid to cleaner air in our environment.
You may find that some gasoline blends adversely affect the starting, driveability or fuel efficiency of your motorcycle. If you experience one or more of these problems, its recommended you operate your motorcycle on straight unleaded gasoline.
Anyway, I pulled out my Softail Owners Manual, and this is what HD says about gasoline blends, and I would imagine the wording in the Sportster Manual is the same;
Gasoline Blends;
Your motorcycle was designed to get best performance and efficiency using unleaded gasoline. Most gasoline sold in the United States is blended with alcohol and/or either, to create oxygenated blends. The type and amount of alcohol or either added to the fuel is important.
CAUTION; Do not use gaoline that contains methanol. Doing so may result in fuel system component failure, engine damage and/or equipment malfunction.
* Gasoline containing METHYL TERTIARY BUTYL ETHER (MTBE): Gasoline/MTBE blends are a mixture of gasoline and as much as 15% MTBE. Gasoline/MTBE blends can be used in your motorcycle.
* ETHANOL is a mixture of 10% ethanol (Grain alcohol) and 90% unleaded gasoline. Gasoline/ethanol blends can be used in your motorcycle if the ethanol content does not exceed 10%.
* REFORMULATED OR OXYGENATED GASOLINES (RFG): Reformulated gasoline is a term used to describe gasoline blends that are specifically designed to burn cleaner than other types of gasoline, leaving fewer tailpipe emissons. they are also formulated to evaporate less when you are filling your tank. Reformulated gasolineuse additives to oxygenate the gas. Your motorcycle will run normally using this type of gas and Harley Davidson recommends you use it when possible, as an aid to cleaner air in our environment.
You may find that some gasoline blends adversely affect the starting, driveability or fuel efficiency of your motorcycle. If you experience one or more of these problems, its recommended you operate your motorcycle on straight unleaded gasoline.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 933
Likes: 1
From:
Don't be trying the E85 fuel it will eat rubber components in a fuel system not designed for it.Your bike would need to be flex fuel to use it.It gets a little more technical after that so I will leave it at that.
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, but you can put in higher octanes if you want.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 933
Likes: 1
From: Indianapolis
If you want to run e85 it takes ~20% more fuel to get the same spark as gasoline. You could start out by getting some sort of tuner and adding 10-20% across all the fuel trims. If you run out of injector before that (which you probably will), you will need bigger injectors and probably a bigger fuel pump as well. DOT lines are fine, they aren't going to melt instantly by putting e85 in them. But they will wear a little faster (5 years instead of 10)