Does Methanol affect performance in HD motors? The wife and I did a weekend trip to Virginia on my 2007 FLHTC (now, we are on topic), and instead of finding 93 octane fuel (like I can purchase in NC), every station I visited in Va had 92 octane w/ 10% Methanol. It seemed my MPG suffered. Is there any substance to this, or did I just get crappy MPG? The bike seemed to ride just fine with the Methanol mixture.

 

MMMMMM-ethanol...or Ethanol?

Ethanol is standard in my area, Knoxville TN.

Methanol I thought was race additive.

Yes, Ethanol affects engines.

 

I lose 2 to 3 mpg with E10 also

 

I think it is ethanol not methanol. I traveled through Va. last week and found the same. I dont think you get the best mileage running it, but I did not notice bad prefromance using it.

 

My gas mileage suffers when I am forced to use it. I avoid it whenever possible. Our local Sam's Club is switching to it. Guess I will have to buy my gas somewhere else.

 

my milage on ethanol gas is definately lower by 2-4 miles per gallon, as far as performance I cannot see a big difference...

 

In my Tahoe, I notice it about 12% less milage with the 10%ethanol. I use to always fill up at the same station every week and noticed my milage going down, I monitor it always, force of habit... Switched stations and instantly back up 2+ mpg, easily worth the few cents more a gallon. Always try to use the same fuel(the good stuff)in the bike, haven't been far from home on the bike in a couple of years...

 

My milage dropped from 160 befor fill up at quarter tank to about 140 with 10 percent ethenol

Byron

 

Ethanol has half of the BTUs that gasoline has so if it is 10% you theoretically have 5% less energy in a gallon of E10 compared to pure gas so you should get a little less milage out of it. This is more dramatic with E85. The Harley manual will tell you it is OK to use up to 10% Ethanol. Your car manual too. In Minnesota it is hard to find non-oxygenated fuel. A few stations have it with a label on the pump that says "for collector cars, boats & motorcycles, etc." I use pure gas whenever possible and I will run at least 3 tanks of real gas before storing for the winter. Ethanol is corrosive. Vehicle manufacturers have adapted parts that come in contact with fuel to resist corrosion from Ethanol but if I can avoid putting something in my bike or car that is not good for it and gives me less milage I will. Grain prices have gone through the roof in large part do to the demand for Ethanol. This means that when I buy steaks for the grill on Memorial Day it costs me more. I guess its too late to say don't get me started on Ethanol!

 

If you put methanol in then you screwed up. If you put ethanol in then you are OK and ethanol is about 10% less efficient than gasoline. So your mileage will suffer slightly.