Question on using Ethanol free gas?

[transit 207]

Hi everyone, I have an option of buying a mid-grade ethanol free gas, should I run this in the bike, I should get better gas mileage, and it's better for the rubber, etc, hoses and such, are there any drawbacks, I know it say's to run normal cheaper less octane gas, I don't remember the octane in the mid-grade, but it works well in the 66 mustang!

[burkbuilds]

I run ethanol free when I have the option. My mpg's usually go up by 5-10% with regular unleaded vs ethanol, and as you point out, ethanol is corrosive. I've also noticed that it is much harder to start the bike in cold weather if there is ethanol in the tank. The tanker truck drivers I've talked to had to have all their seals replaced soon after ethanol was introduced. Pipe lines won't carry it due to the corrosive nature, so it all gets shipped by tank usually starting with railroad cars and finally tanker trucks to the terminals. I saw where many in congress want to repeal the subsidy they pay to distributors for putting it into the gas, somewhere around 50 cents per gallon currently. Many scientists claim that it takes as much or more fuel to produce ethanol as you get from growing the crops that produce it. Many others claim that using crops for fuel has helped to drive up the price of many vegetables and thus animal feed which drives up the price of meat. Basically, it's a big misguided government program with the best intentions of reducing our need for imported oil, but it probably doesn't help at all, and may actually increase our need for imported oil. I'd stay away from it if you have the option.

[geezer]

nah, its probly sold for alot more than the regular huh? if so i doubt youll notice an overal cost savings

[jonathan180iq]

The difference is usually .08 or .10 cents per gallon more, at least where I live.
In a small tank, it is worth the up-charge.

On the GZ, my lifetime average was 67MPG. With ethanol free fuel, I achieved 69 and 74 respectively.
It usually takes at least two tanks to fully flush the ethanol out, since each time you "run out" there is still old gas in the bottom of the tank.

[jonathan180iq]

Just as little mathematical comparison:

At 67 miles per gallon @ $3.50 per gallon, I got .1914 miles per penny worth of gas.
At 74 miles per gallon @ $3.60 per gallon, I got .2055 miles per penny worth of gas.

In order to be worth the extra cost, I would need to travel at least 2.055 miles further per gallon of fuel in the fuel tank.
Assuming a 4 gallon tank, that would mean I would need to travel an additional 8.22 miles.

Well, in real world driving, I have achieved up to an additional 28 miles per tank by using non-ethanol gas. A total savings of 136 cents ($1.36) over regular fuel.

-The math will be different for every vehicle. But it is worth the extra cost, at least in the GZ. However, if you have to drive 30 miles to find a gas station that doesn't sell ethanol, then you have wasted any potential savings during the trip. I was lucky enough to have an ethanol free station located on the main drag just before the interstate.
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EDIT:Using the same math, it should become easy to see why using premium fuel is a waste of money. Even assuming a best-case scenario in which your fuel economy does not decrease with the use of premium fuel, you are instantly wasting money.

[alantf]

Thank Gawd we don't have that ethanol crap over here!

[jonathan180iq]

We are FINALLY getting politicians to stand up to that ridiculous subsidy.

Now our farmers can start using their land to grow food and we can have real gas in our cars. Imagine!

[bonehead]

And my deer corn won't cost $10.00 a bag.