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By stinkwheel
#101057
True story. I recomissioned a KLE500 which had been sat in my shed for years. Including lining the tank with POR15 and stripping and ultrasonically cleaning the carbs.

I went out on it a few times, then it sat for about another 6 months before I took it to a rally. It had stuttered on throttle pickup a few times and at one point cut out entirely for about 10 seconds as if it had run out of fuel.

When I got to the rally, I noticed a large hole melted in the corner of the airbox. later on I noticed a bit of fuel overspill from the hole.

It turns out that loss of power was an airbox fire which thankfully self-extinguished (presumably sucked into the engine). When I re-stripped the carbs, the float needles were extensively furred up and were binding in their seats. Only the vacuum tap had stopped it emptying the whole tank. It had been over-spilling fuel into the airbox on the overrun which had then ignited. Remember these are throttle valves that were scrupulously clean after ultrasonic cleaning in solvent 6 months previously (I bag them in a small amount of solvent then put the bag in the water in the cleaner).

Further research showed the original needle valves were not E10 compliant and the alloy had corroded but were easily replaced with more modern ones.

So yes. E10 set a bike on fire while I was riding it.
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By PeteF
#101058
As others have commented, I'm finding approx. 10mpg less with E10 so I'll keep to E5 when I can.
By Duke of Wybourne.
#101059
papasmurf wrote:
Fri May 20, 2022 1:26 pm
Bikes plural Honda CX500, Suzuki Intruder and the BMW K75S is a marginal. (The additive is about £14 BUT will treat 250 litres of petrol.)
Just to throw some E10 on the fire.

https://www.cx500forum.com/threads/bike ... e10.18542/

I'll stand corrected, but as E10 has been around in other countries since the 2000's, it's worth doing a bit of digging around other countries bike web blogs. I certainly picked up a lot of useful information re industrial engines over the years, and a lot of it was at odds with what was being professed about at home. With regards to petrol powered industrial engines a precautionary move was to replace all fuel lines, floats, and float needles where required, and part of the regular service intervals was to drop the carburettor float bowls for inspection. Also replacing inline filters for E10 resistant ones. One thing that I did find out was that by shutting off the fuel to let the unit stall when it was out of fuel helped slowing any signs of deterioration. Since last year I've tested small fuel cans for degradation, and so far only one has failed. The Filler cap and seal "dissolved", but I suspected it would given its age. The two newer ones as of this morning are fine. They have been stored half full upside down so the filler cap and seal are affected by the fuel.

As far as my own bike is concerned, as it is my only transport, then it gets E10, because I honestly can't be bothered having to remember to carry additives all the time. If anything does fail, then I'll fix it and carry on until the next time.
By Andy C
#101060
Seems like there is an underlying trend for less MPG with E10.

I put £10 of E5 in the Him last night - just a little over a gallon, I dont envy people that have to commute long distances seeing their hard earned going into their fuel tanks.

I'll keep using E5 in the bikes as it gives the best experirnce, and I only ride the bikes for pleasure. When E5 ceases to be available I'll have to see what octane boosters are available, but when that time comes who knows what the price of petrol will be.

If it keeps rising at the present rate the £10 gallon is not far off, and there will be a lot of folk that simply will not be able to afford to run their car or bike, as well as huge impacts on the price of commoditys.

Anyway, that has little to do with bikes, I'll just keep riding for as long as I can afford it and using fuel that gives me the best riding experience.
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By stinkwheel
#101061
What we need is them to start selling E85 routinely, then those of us with older bullets can swap the fuel lines and taps, bump up the compression, advance the timing, fit a huge main jet and go mental with 105 octane fuel available at the pump.

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