Good thing HD is going all electric in 2012.

 

Fortunately, Shell is the only fuel source in my area that has Ethanol. Shell also is a Nitrogen enriched fuel and doesn't run very well in my Harley. I'm not sure if it's the Ethanol, Nitrogen or the combination of both that's causing the problem but The first time I use it, I thought something was wrong with the scooter. After a couple of tanks of Shamrock fuel, I returned to Shell and sure enough, the scooter started running poorly again.

 

Etanol is a scam. I avoid it at all costs.

 

If you think it's bad now, just wait'll E15 is mandated. There will be a decision handed down this summer to say if we're gonna get it or not. Gee, whata ya think the decision will be?

 

I run an ethanol blend almost exclusively in my bike and cars. It helps me from having to add alcohol in the winter for gas line antifreeze anyway. My bike sits in an unheated garage all winter not started, I don't use fuel stabilizer, and I have yet to have any problems with starting it in spring nor having rust in the tank. Alcohol is also an old trick to help stop pre-det in hi compression engines.

Unless the blend ratio is much higher in the U.S.?

The only problem I had ever heard of or saw with my own eyes was drying out of rubber components like o-rings etc. With the newer vehicles using much better compounds, it's not an issue. Not only that, I pour a ton of alcohol into my windshield washer reservoir all winter and have yet to have a problem with any of the rubber components in that system.