Ethynol gas affect on the RSV

[Aimhigh]

I'm planning a trip from San Antonio to Springfield IL at the end of May. I will be in Illinois for about a week and I am concerned because the last time I was there the only gas I remember included ethynol. My question(s) is/are...is there regular gas available in Illinois? If not, does using the ethynol mix negatively affect our engines? Sure appreciate any help on this. Thanks in advance.

 

Jim T

[Guest cajunrsver]

I can give you my experience with ethanol. We went to South Dakota three years ago and I mistakenly put some in my RSV on my last tank up before loading it up in the trailer and when I got home it hardly would run. Pulled the bottoms on the floats and they were all a orange looking color, had to bring it to the shop and get it worked on. I'll never do that again.

[1BigDog]

Chevron here in FL is now adding up to 10% ethanol. Looks like I have to fill up elsewhere.

[BigShell]

According to my '05 owners manual, 10% ethanol is ok. From what I've read, you can expect reduced fuel mileage.

[Squidley]

We have 10% ethanol here in Michigan, anything higher than that could give you problems. There is regular gas in Illinois with a small mixture of ethanol...you should be just fine.

[1BigDog]

I use mid grade......and no, I wont discuss it further...so there

[muffinman]

Expect your milage to drop with ethenol fuel my bike went from 31 to 27 when I used it in Georgia

[eagleeye]

I really regret not taking the needles to work and taking a pic with the microsope this spring. ror you all to see what this stuff does.

You would all be very shocked what this stuff does to your needles. White mountainous build up, but I didn't so don't really expect you to understand.

I am really bummed that in my town the only station that had gas without ethenal now has it.:(:(

 

Fully expect to be taking my carbs apart more often now. I am not happy:(:(

 

Steve

[Brake Pad]

lost milage here too.

most of the stations in south florida now have 10%.

Don't feel and difference, just lower gas milage.

[tmodel]

Seems like most of the gas here in my part of Georgia has 10% corn squeezings. I haven't seen any problems...yet.

[rek58]

That's all that's available here in Mass. At least that's all I've seen. Had a buddy tell me that a mechanic friend of his told him to just run some SeaFoam through the system every now and then to clean things out.

[RoadKill]

I live here in Springfield and run Nothing but 10% Ethanol. Never ever had any problems. We do have E-85 and you DO NOT want to use that. Give me a call when you get here on my cell # listed in my profile and I show you the FEW nice areas around town to ride.

Jay

[vicco27]

Here in Oregon they are going to go to 10% Ethanol state wide which is going to cause a lot of problems with anything that has a carburetor. Water separation in the fuel will be the biggest problem with any vehicle that is stored for any period of time, and motorized items such as two cycle outboard motors will be the hardest hit because mixed fuel (oil & gas) will not flow past water at all, next hardest hit will be the stored vehicles then the older ones. Our trade Mags, that we get are saying the worst is yet to come. :bang head: :bang head: :bang head: :mad: :mad: :mad:.

[RoadKill]

Here in Oregon they are going to go to 10% Ethanol state wide which is going to cause a lot of problems with anything that has a carburetor. Water separation in the fuel will be the biggest problem with any vehicle that is stored for any period of time, and motorized items such as two cycle outboard motors will be the hardest hit because mixed fuel (oil & gas) will not flow past water at all, next hardest hit will be the stored vehicles then the older ones. Our trade Mags, that we get are saying the worst is yet to come. :bang head: :bang head: :bang head: :mad: :mad: :mad:.

 

I hope you don't have the much trouble. Maybe I've been lucky. I use it in everything Chainsaws, weedeaters, blowers, mowers, Motorcycle, generator. I never use Stabil and always have 20 Galllons of gas sit all winter. Everything starts 1st time everytime. So maybe its just hype from folks that have an Axe to grind with Ethanol Also, my cousin runs it in his '49 international truck he as restored and it runs like a dream. I will bet $$ you won't have any problems at all.

[Mariner Fan]

I hope you don't have the much trouble. Maybe I've been lucky. I use it in everything Chainsaws, weedeaters, blowers, mowers, Motorcycle, generator. I never use Stabil and always have 20 Galllons of gas sit all winter. Everything starts 1st time everytime. So maybe its just hype from folks that have an Axe to grind with Ethanol Also, my cousin runs it in his '49 international truck he as restored and it runs like a dream. I will bet $$ you won't have any problems at all.

 

You might have just put a curse on yourself! Every time I've bragged about my lawn equipment running great after storage I end up having the carb. rebuilt. Now I just thank the gods of lawn care when my tractor starts up. ....

[FJR Rider]

Have lived in WI for the 7.5 years and both the Madison & Green Bay areas have been 10% ethenol during that time. My experience seems to definitely vary from others, but I've never had any problems on any of my bikes (95 Concours, 99 RSV, 03 FZ1, 06 RSV, & 06 RSV) with lot's a miles between them.

 

Will occasionally run E20 when I know it's going to go straight through in a day's ride.

[Guest tessa c2]

My opinion only, but wee also have the 10% stuff up here and it is basicaly crap, from what i had been told from a service station rep, was whar they have in there also is a chemical that loosens up rust deposits, the service station in my home town had switched just over a year ago and i ad fueled up the farm truck, and that week i had repaced the fuel filter on him 5 times, so i had brought this up with the service station mgr. and was told what would happen, so i had got the rust deposits from his under ground tanks, since the trucks tank is plastic. and yes they have lowered the shelf life of the gas to about 3 months, then it will start breaking down.

so far the regualer grade fuel has ethonal in it, and the higher octain fuel is still suppose to be strieght gas. and yes as for small engines, i find that they won't idel worth ----, but give the engine some rpms, and it will smoothen out. but yes it is pure junk compaired to what they used to make. my bike likes the higher octain fuel.

[BuddyRich]

Driving cross county last year I noticed that I got really bad mileage out of the lower grade gas in some states. Started running 91 or higher octane whenever I fueled up solved the problem.

[juggler]

10% ethanol is just fine for the RSV. The only issue to think about is that due to the nature of ethanol it absorbs water more readily. This can have a negative effect on your fuel system if the bike sites for more than a few weeks. To help counter this I run Seafoam a few times a year to help keep the fuel system clean and fresh.

 

You will experience lower gas millage be cause ethanol is a fuel contaminate and burns at a lower BTU therefore producing less work (aka horse power) per unit of fuel. There is no way around this. Bring extra $$ to pay for the extra gas burned.

[CrazyHorse]

Expect your milage to drop with ethenol fuel my bike went from 31 to 27 when I used it in Georgia

 

I dont believe your going to find any regular gas anywhere (I look) in Illinois (corn state) your mileage will drop maybe this is the reason for variances in gas mileage people have. I havent seen regular straight gas in years here.

[Hobscotch]

PA is a 10% state, too. I use an additive. But, also use the bike a lot. So, the gas is very seldom more than a week old in the tank.

 

Lost about 5 miles a gallon in mileage, tho. Can't find them anywhere!!!!

[warriorhoneybee]

i'm not as savey as some but i've been running the 10% and haven't had any problem out of my 06.good luck.

[CrazyHorse]

I'm planning a trip from San Antonio to Springfield IL at the end of May. I will be in Illinois for about a week and I am concerned because the last time I was there the only gas I remember included ethynol. My question(s) is/are...is there regular gas available in Illinois? If not, does using the ethynol mix negatively affect our engines? Sure appreciate any help on this. Thanks in advance.

 

Jim T

NO its all ethanol

[Chinto]

My 06 RVS has never had anything else but 10% ethanol mixed regular 87 gas. Nor has any of my gas powered stuff had anything else but -all without any problems. That is because there are no options. If your not aware of 85% ethanol gas be careful not to put that in. You will have a problem with 85%. I have never had any gas related problems. I get 41+ mpg consistently with mixed driving better with just highway. I do use SeaFoam from time to time but mostly with the winter storage. Never have any problems with the 2-3 month winter storage time.

 

Your short time in Illinois will have no adverse affect on your bike unless you get some watered gas. But the brand named stuff from stations that look modern will be fine. Fortunately, Springfield keeps the prices down for all the politicians so you won't get ripped as bad as Chicago area folks.

 

Have a good trip and don't worry about the gas.

[Bushwacker]

Was in Fla two yrs ago stopped in a town palatka at yamaha shop they where uing a product called Star-Tron for ethanal problems on boat motors and yamaha cycles. Been using it ever since my venture runs better and Im am getting better gas milage, just about all cycle shops in local area have it now.

Bushwacker:301: