October 24, 2013 | By: Angi Kearney
Plenty of debate surrounds E15, an ethanol fuel blend made up of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol.Earlier this week, the American Motorcyclist Association took their stance against this further supporting U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s (R-Va.) and the RFS Reform Act of 2013 via a press release. According to the release, the bipartisan bill would amend the previously approved Renewable Fuel Standard prohibiting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from allowing gasoline containing more than 10 percent ethanol content into the marketplace. If the amendment is approved, E15 would no longer be permitted.
Many motorcyclists and motorcycle activists, have continually expressed their concerns about possible damage to motorcycle engines by use of E15. In fact, the EPA has only approved this fuel for light duty vehicles model year 2001 and newer as well as flex-fuel vehicles. Vehicles older than 2001, small engines, boats and motorcycles have not been approved to use E15.
J&P Cycles’ own Senior Technician Scott Holton has this to say about E10 and E15: while this is an environmentally-friendly way to assist with emission controls, it does have risks and downfalls. Living in Iowa, land of rolling cornfields, E10 is readily available and pushed. He and his wife run it in their cages, but stay away from it when their motorcycles are concerned. Scott runs a SU Carb on his 2003 Bottle Camp Indian Power Plus 100. Whenever exposed to ethanol, the carb’s fuel inlet valves rubber tip swells causing the float needle not to seat allowing the carb to overflow. Additionally, he has to richen the carb’s tuning to compensate for the oxygenated fuel.
