Gasahol - affect on 86 K-100

[northoak]

I live in the "Great White North" (Province of Manitoba, Canada). Our Provincial gov't is talking about mandating the use of gasahol here. I remember a few years ago there was an article in the BMW-MOA about gasahol and it's affect on BMW's, but all I remember about it is a vague sense that it wasn't good news. I've still got all the mags, but darned if I know which one the article was in. :dunno Which reminds me, what we really need is an index of all the articles in the MOA (of course, someone is now going to tell me that there already is one! :doh ).

I'm hoping that some of you that have experience with gasahol can tell me whether this is going to be a problem. I don't do as much riding as I'd like to :( and a search of the posts which mention gasahol suggests that keeping this stuff sitting in your tank for any length of time is bad news. Is there something I can do to mitigate this? What about winter storage - should I drain the tank (I've always filled it up & used fuel stabilizer). What about valves? Fuel pump? Rubber parts (doesn't alcohol make the rubber brittle?)?

I'd appreciate your comments. THANKS!

ENJOY!
Jack ('85 K-100RT)

[godzilla]

Great question? And how about E85? Can that be run in older engines?

[deilenberger]

Given the propensity for the rubber fuel pump mount to turn into a gelatinous oozing mess - I'd try to avoid ANY alcohol in a K bike and especially the E85 (15% ethanol)..

[paulsibek]

the Airheads drink E85. That just may be a rumour...

[hhshort]

Hey Guys E-85 is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.

[LTOwner]

Don't know about motorcycle engines, but my 1998 Chevy owner's manual says not to use ethanol additives or oxygenated fuels, as they will reduce engine life up to 50%, and significantly reduce miles per gallon. Corn derivative ethanol costs more to produce than gasoline, and has a lower energy coefficent than gasoline, and burns hotter.You will therefore buy more of it, and buy more vehicles. Tremendous savings, huh? The corn producers lobby is alive and well in America.

[xsPain]

Here in Milwaukee we have a 10% blend, and my 85 k100 seems to be fine with it.

I wouldn't use the E85 stuff though. It is just as expensive and is supposed to get worse milage. I'll pass just for those reasons, without even thinking about the mechanics of it.

[Mika]

In MN we have been state mandated with a 10% blend for years and I believe it is going up. No real issues that I have noticed.

E85 is another issue from what I have been reading. Your bike will run on it and your rubber parts will be eaten up in the process. Performance changes have been described as ranging from negligible to moderate. I have not found a conversion kit to convert a bike to allow E85 use. I suspect this will be something we may have to consider in the future.

[Motorman]

I avoid alcohol in my K75 as much as possible. It has eaten up the pump vibration dampener twice and turned the fuel hoses in the tank to mush as well. In the latter stages the rubber parts turn to asphault wich is rather hard to get out of the tank. If I have to gas up with a gas alcohol mix I try to burn it out of the tank as fast as possible. I hate that crap for what it does to my bike. I think it also locked up the second fuel pum I installed in the beast. I'm on # 3 now and those things are NOT cheap.