PERIL AT THE PUMP

News, notes, insight and more from the motorcycling universe

Peril at the Pump

Ethanol-based fuels are not only harmful to motorcycle engines and the environment, they are often purposely mislabeled to keep consumers in the dark

BY KALI KOTOSKI

Life is full of choices, but even at the gas station there can be bad ones if you’re not an informed motorcyclist.

For carbureted motorcycles and bikes manufactured before 2001, ethanol-laced gasoline can have negative effects on the motorcycle’s fuel system without proper maintenance and storage. But it can lead to costly mishaps for more modern fuel-injected motorcycles, too.

The big problem is that ethanollaced gasoline is virtually everywhere, as it’s found in 98 percent of the country, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Typically blended in at 10 percent ethanol, or E10, virtually every octane rating contains ethanol unless it is clearly marked as NO ETHANOL ADDED or ETHANOL FREE or NON-ETHANOL.

The labeling of ethanol-boosted and regular gas varies from state to state and supplier to supplier, making it even more confusing for the average citizen. Many would say that’s deliberately so, especially when talking about its polyonymous juiced-up cousin E15/Unleaded 88/88 Octane, which contains 15 percent ethanol and is illegal to be used in motorcycles, boat engines, lawn mowers and chainsaws, to name a few.

Derived from corn primarily from the nation’s heartland, ethanolblended gasoline first gained prominence as an octane booster during fuel shortages during World War II and, later, the 1970s oil crisis. But E10 wasn’t enshrined into the energy mix until the mid-2000s with the Energy and Policy Act of 2005, which established the Renewable Fuel Standard and, later, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. In 2009 E15 was approved to be sold only in winter months, and as of 2020 is available in 30 states at 2,300 fueling stations, according to federal data.

The impetus for blending ethanol into gasoline is primarily twofold: shore up America’s energy independence and security following 9/11, and limit greenhouse-gas emissions. Today, the nearly $20 billion ethanol industry is a political dogfight, with politicians opposed

claiming it contributes to a loss of taxes due to generous incentives, while proponents say it has lowered prices at the pump. Meanwhile, environmentalists hate it and even the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concluded in a 2019 report that it is making the air dirtier.

Luckily, a 2019 EPA waiver to aid struggling farmers and allow E15 to be sold year-round — which the AMA fought against — was struck down by the courts, but only after the market was flooded with the stuff. The AMA argued that E15 could lead to misfuelling, void motorcycle warranties and cause engine failure and overheating, concerns that the EPA recognized as valid.

While E15 is a whole can of worms politically and economically, and can be directly harmful to motorcycle engines, E10 still may damage motorcycles according to Chris Real, owner of DPS Technical, Inc.

Real pointed out that fueling up with E10 isn’t a catastrophe for newer, fuel-injected motorcycles, but the danger for motorcycles burning any form of ethanol boils down to water.

“The ethanol fuels are pretty good absorbers of water and that is where our root problem lies,” Real told American Motorcyclist. “The corrosive effect that water has leaves the components open to degradation and deposits, which are especially bad for carbureted bikes.”

Because gasoline has a volumetric expansion of 15 to 20 percent when it gets hot, it brings air and humidity into the tank — which finds its way into the fuel system — when it cools.

While carburetors aren’t as actually be very dangerous,” Real said. “Imagine you are coming off a stop light and the bike stalls because some crud blocked the nozzle.”

Besides that, fuel pumps and fuel filters can also be damaged by a buildup of deposits. To mitigate the chance of a failure here, Real advises using a fuel stabilizer additive when parking any bike, or using non-ethanol fuel (available at

The labeling of ethanol-boosted and regular gas varies... making it even more confusing for the average citizen. Many would say that’s deliberately so, especially when talking about E15, which contains 15 percent ethanol and is illegal to be used in motorcycles.

common as they once were, plenty of motorcycles still use them and motorcyclists know all too well how much of a pain they are to rebuild, and how expensive it is to have them rebuilt.

But even for fuel-injected motorcycles, deposits from ethanol gasoline can have bad outcomes.

“Mainly, for fuel injection systems, the sprayer nozzles are these tiny little holes that, if clogged, can some stations) or even prepackaged ethanol-free chainsaw gasoline that can be found at hardware or home improvement stores. The prepackaged fuel is especially useful for vintage and carbureted bikes.

Another concern with ethanollaced fuel is shelf life. Typically, corn gas has a shelf life of two to three months, while non-ethanol fuel is rated for six months. Besides using a fuel additive to keep the gas healthy,

up to speed

Real advised keeping the tank filled to limit headspace for air and humidity to get in.

Ethanol-laced fuels also drastically reduce fuel economy by 15 to 20 percent because they don’t have the same amount of latent stored energy, which results in substantially less power potential per volume.

“Fuel economy is one of the main tradeoffs with ethanol fuel,” Real said. “We are being force-fed these fuels and we will have to contend with them.”

Basically, he explained, for consumers to safeguard their motorcycles, they need to be aware of what they fill up with at the pump, of engine gasoline requirements, and also practice good storage and maintenance habits. pump to better educate and warn consumers of what they’re putting in their bikes, and the data bears out that concern. Proponents of ethanolblended fuels who have clashed with the AMA claim that because it’s not approved for motorcycles, there is no concern.

However, marketing gimmicks increased those concerns. Sure, unless the pump says no ethanol added, consumers are guaranteed to get an E10-level corn additive. But in recent years, that juiced-up cousin E15 has been deliberately labeled as

Above: A perfect example of misleading pump identification. The “Unleaded 88” option (blue panel) has higher octane and a lower price than the 87 octane stuff next to it (“Martha! Look at this great deal I found!”), but nowhere does it say it’s actually E15, or 15% ethanol, which is prohibited for motorcycle use and harmful to bikes. Right: Some stations sell ethanol-free fuel; get it when you can. Top: What you’ll get if you leave ethanol-laced fuel in your carbs for too long.

“If the manufacturer says the bike is all good on E10, groovy…until you store it. Definitely don’t use E15, and for sure don’t use that E85 flex-fuel stuff because that can park you,” he said, adding that consumers should be aware that E85 is 85 percent ethanol and commonly confused with E15.

The AMA has been steadfast in its stance for proper labeling at the fuel Unleaded 88 or 88 Octane (while E85 flex fuel is not clearly differentiated). Most of the time warning labels for gasoline with 15 or 85 percent ethanol are either missing, obscured, prone to falling off, or misleading. There is no reason whatsoever to label illegal and harmful E15 as “Unleaded 88” unless you’re actively trying to hide what it is from consumers.

“No consistency. No clarity. No protection for the consumer,” the National Marine Manufacturers Association has said about these marketing gimmicks.

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute has called it “disingenuous,” citing concerns of misfuelling and the need for improvements in pump labeling. A 2020 consumer study by the organization found that only 22 percent of consumers knew Unleaded 88 or 88 Octane was E15 in disguise! It also found that 64 percent of consumers assume that gas sold at the pump is safe for any engine.

So, when filling up at the pump and storing your motorcycle, here are some general rules to follow: • Research the recommended fuel for your bike. If it says E10 is not recommended, don’t use it if you can help it (sometimes you can’t). • Pay attention to the labels. If it doesn’t say ethanol-free, you are getting 10 percent corn regardless of the octane level. • Never use the E85 flex fuel approved for certain passenger vehicles. • If it says 88 anywhere and is cheaper, remember that’s really just E15 with makeup. • Store your bike properly. Use fuel stabilizers, empty the carb bowls if possible, and keep a full tank for carbureted bikes. Pour in prepackaged ethanol-free fuel for fuel injected bikes.

You can join the AMA’s fight to improve labeling and have warnings prominently displayed. Subscribe to the AMA’s Action Alerts at www. AmericanMotorcyclist.com/subscriberights.

TRAILBLAZIN’ LADIES

All-woman off-road racing club aims to support female racers

BY KEATON MAISANO

Kelly Gouldthread didn’t have a lot of female racers to look up to growing up. But thanks to her current efforts, her daughters won’t face that same reality.

Hoping to support female riders, Gouldthread established the Women’s Dirt Bike Racing Association in 2021. Chartered by the AMA, it is currently the only chartered all-woman off-road racing club in the U.S.

Gouldthread, who’s involved with her local racing district in Northern California, has worked with District 36 President Katie Pond to help open more classes and make women’s racing more beginner friendly.

The club will keep points for races they do and offer the opportunity to gain additional points through volunteering, which is meant to get women more involved in racing and leadership roles. The group also aims to make things easier for female racers by constructing a step-by-step tip sheet.

“I was surprised there wasn’t another women’s competition club,” she said, “and that shows me that there’s a huge need. And now, everybody has a group to support each other, people to ride with and connect with.”

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up to speed

INDIAN SCOUT ROGUE

American OEs On The Gas

Harley-Davidson doubles down on bread and butter, while Indian aims to capture new riders

BY KALI KOTOSKI

America’s V-Twin manufacturers continue to ratchet up their efforts, with Harley-Davidson offering its largest factory powerplant straight out of the box in eight new models, and Indian Motorcycle leveraging the success of its popular and affordable Scout.

Harley-Davidson’s move, which infused a bit of the racing knowledge gained from its participation in MotoAmerica’s King Of The Baggers race series, appears poised to deliver what many fans dream of: as much V-Twin muscle as possible in a stock motorcycle. This is most recognized in the new Low Rider ST cruiser, which features the Milwaukee-Eight 117 powertrain — an engine previously reserved more for its touring collection.

“As part of our focus on stronghold segments…the 2022 product line is designed for power and performance,” said Jochen Zeitz, H-D Chairman, President and CEO. “Each of these new models feature the unrivalled power of the Milwaukee-Eight 117, for those who want nothing but the biggest and the best.”

By focusing on performance, Harley-Davidson is betting that power and style will attract both new and existing customers. But we may be waiting ’til 2023 to see what’s next for its Revolution Max platform currently outfitted in the Pan America and Sportster S models.

For its part, Indian Motorcycle is betting on a reasonable price point for its new Indian Scout Rogue and Indian Scout Rogue Sixty, the most aggressive iterations of the iconic Scout platform to date. The Scout Rogue features an edgy combination of iconic design and contemporary style, including a quarter fairing and mini ape-hanger handlebars.

“For so many motorcyclists,” said Aaron Jax, Indian Motorcycle Vice President, “riding carries a rogue spirit — a bold statement of freedom and individuality that brings riders together — and the Scout Rogue delivers that in spades.”

Starting at a very reasonable $11,499 for the Scout Rogue and $9,999 for the Scout Rogue Sixty, the bikes cater to newer riders and are aimed to inspire confidence, with low seat heights and centers of gravity.

While each manufacturer is leveraging different market segments, each are devoted to meeting consumer appetite and stepping up the options to keep competition boiling. It’s a good thing.

Insurance Institute and Consumer Reports to Rate Autonomous Vehicle Safeguards

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports are separately developing safeguard rating systems for semi-autonomous vehicle technology following mounting concerns that without a viable driver monitoring system drivers may drop their guard at the wheel — leading to increased distraction and less attention to driving conditions and traffic — as has been seen in a recent slew of crashes that have prompted a federal investigation.

To earn a good rating from the IIHS, systems will need to ensure that the driver’s eyes are directed at the road and their hands are either on the wheel or ready to grab it at all times. Escalating alerts and appropriate emergency procedures when the driver ® does not meet those conditions will also be required, the institute said in a press release.

IIHS expects to issue the first set of ratings in 2022, although supply chain woes in the auto industry have made it difficult to procure vehicles for testing.

Consumer Reports will only award safety points if the semi-autonomous systems already have adequate driver monitoring systems installed.

The IIHS rating system aims to dispell misleading messaging from certain manufacturers that some vehicles have “selfdriving” technology when in fact they are only partially automated.

“While most partial automation systems have some safeguards in place to help ensure drivers are focused and ready, none of them meets all the pending IIHS criteria,” IIHS said.

The AMA has long advocated for enhanced safety requirements for semiautonomous vehicles to protect all users of the road, especially motorcyclists.

Supreme Court Rejects E15 Appeal

The Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal of a lower court decision to vacate a 2019 EPA rule that allowed for year-round sales of 15 percent ethanol-blended gasoline known as E15.

The Trump-era EPA rule was first vacated by U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia last year, agreeing with the oil and gas industry that the EPA exceeded its authority in allowing for the sales. The AMA joined with the oil and gas industry in opposing the rule. Currently, the sale of E15 is prohibited in the summer months.

Bipartisan legislation for summertime E15 sales has currently stalled in the Senate. Member deals and discounts! americanmotorcyclist.com