E15 to E85 coming to a pump near you!

I am closer to 15% better on my bike. It also runs a lot less sluggish with E0 than with E10. Thankfully in my neck of the woods there is a chain of stations (independent), that only sells E0.

I think this wikipedia article is reasonably accurate. At least it coincides with my experience. E15 and E85 fuels are from lobby groups representing farmers and not intended for motorcycles and several other types of vehicles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel_in_the_United_States

Its bullshit, ethanol has less energy density than gasoline.

Its higher "octane" which only matters if you tune for it (or have a vehicle that does it automatically) and when you do guess what you use more ethanol fuel to go the same distance.

My truck is flex-fuel, and the two tanks of E-86 I put in it I averaged 11 MPG, so that is a 27 gallon tank going less than 250 miles between fills.

Its bullshit you aren't making more power with ethanol outside of specialized applications.

I just don't see how ethanol being in the fuel should be such a problem. I realize that ethanol isn't good for some components in an engine, but you would think that by this point manufacturers would have had time to make necessary adjustments? Also, let's imagine we were going to run out of crude in 10 years (just an example), don't you think it would be nice to have an alternative in place? Whether it is CNG, LPG, Ethanol or whatever else they can think of? You might as well get a head start (even if there is supposedly 100+ years before a need to worry). Granted other forms don't pack as much energy as gas. So wouldn't you want to keep it around as long as possible? Even if it means diluting it with another fuel type? Nothing is perfect, and I think people might as well agree to disagree on this issue. Seems most are either for or against this with nobody on the fence. I know that it seems the car industry (especially tuning/performance shops) has taken to E85 since they can get a bit more power from it than regular premium gas. I haven't really decided one way or another but when I get my bike, I'm not going to be afraid of running E85 if I have to, it's going to happen sooner or later .

Came in here to say two things: FUCK ETHANOL IN FUEL. FUCK GOVT SUBSIDIES FOR CORN FARMERS. FUUUUUUUUUUCK!

You stated that it would "drastically" lower your mpg. It doesn't.

I once had a BMW dealer blame ethanol for the stalling issue I was having on my 08 GSA. I went out of my way to run several tanks of E-0 through it even though I was pretty sure that wasn't the problem. Of course it didn't solve the stalling issue because that was caused by one of his mechanics who fucked with the screw you never fuck with when doing a throttle body sync.

The gas mileage wasn't measurably better on the bike when running E-0 either. A few years ago on the way to the MotoGP race at Indy we filled our Surburban up with E-0 in Tulsa and actually got worse mileage than with E-10.

It's really tiresome hearing you guys bitch about a sucessful, home grown industry and by doing so you implicitly support multinational oil companies. Fortunately you are a very, very small minority.

But let's go to war for big oil.

I'm sure you did.

If it's such a great industry why can't it survive on the free market?

Find me a free motor fuel market.

Great argument for why ethanol can't make it in the free market...
Welcome to Regan's America!

Nice pivot. In other words, you have nothing.

I asked why ethanol can't compete on the free market if it is such a great industry
Nice pivot
I guess you have nothing

It can, it's cheaper than gasoline with the added bonus of being produced here.

Well that's the thing. I have experienced some pretty noticeable mileage differences when I ride to states that have a choice of pure gas and I use it. I have always figured that the higher altitude confused the numbers. For example in Illinois I usually get around 41 to 43 mph average and in Kansas and the foot hills of Colorado, about 45 mph. But when I use pure gas in Colorado, I get close to 50 mph and something like 47 mph with E10. These are wild differences for a 3% difference in energy content.
I always figured that a number of variables are involved like altitude, steady road riding, and of course the gas.
I am no noob when it comes to math so if I get something like twice the mileage I should, it must be from another variable like maybe how the engine management computer manages when using the E10. While the OBC computes the average mileage, the most noticeable and important thing to me is the miles I get before I need to fill up. Unmistakably more than 3%. So sorry to say, if I have a choice, I'll pick E0 every time.

It is not cheaper unless you consider taxpayer subsidies to be "free" money. You would also need to consider higher feed, grain and meat prices to be inconsequential in order to call ethanol "cheaper."

I have always gotten better mileage in the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado. Way better, and that goes back well before E-10.

That is free money to Stevie.

Sure ya did.

Then you need to count a good portion of the military budget, the tax credits and the oil depletion allowance, etc that goes to petroleum companies and add that to the cost of gas. Btw, there are no subsidies going to ethanol producers and there are no price support payments going to corn growers either.

Oh. You're one of those. Forgive me for opening my mouth. I have a policy against engaging people like you. Enjoy.