Ethanol & Bikes

The octane level will only determine the fuel's capacity to ignite under
compression right?

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

Well might you have been, but I wasn't, and you made my point quite
nicely, thanks.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

Well, it didn't ignite very well in my CBR, but worked ok in my car.

My bike has a higher compression ratio to my car, and the higher the
compression ratio the higher octane fuel you need, so as far as I can tell the
octane rating of the fuel was too low for the bike but ok for the car. The
bike ran perfectly after clearing out the old fuel and replacing it with fuel
from a different batch, the only thing that changed was the fuel so it must
have been the fuel, and the octane rating is all I can think of to explain the
problem. Do you have a better idea ?

Mark.

 

So diesel is really high octane then?


so as far as I can tell the

 

No idea, was limiting the discussion to petrol motors

 

Hope she's not going to torch her old man with it...

Postman Pat

 

Voiding a warranty claim could be one of the long term effects according
to Honda.
http://www.fcai.com.au/ethanol.php/2004/03/00000001.html

Honda

All motorcycles and all terrain vehicles may operate
satisfactorily on E10 but there may be drivability issues. Drivability,
performance or durability issues resulting from the use of E10 will NOT
be covered by Honda warranty.




Rob.

 

Oh, before you just mentioned higher compression ratio requiring higher
octane.


H

 

Diesel has a very low octane rating 15-20 octane. (Google is your friend)

While there are diesel bikes, I am not aware of any on sale in Australia, so
the discussion topic was fuel octane rating, which is for petrol, and its
effect on bikes , diesel has a cetane rating. (google again)

Mark.

 

So how does that relate to compression?

 

The cetane rating rates how easily it detonates under compression.

Doesn't anyone know how to use google ?

Mark.

 

That depends on the size of your front sprocket relative
to the back one.

G

 

I thought you could get the diesel powered Enfield Bullet in Oz?

I reckon they'd be a great commuter.

---
Cheers

PeterC [aka MildThing]
'81 Suzuki GS450-s (gone on to better and brighter things - I hope)
'87 BMW K100RT (write-off)
'81 Yamaha Virago (XV) 750H (work in progress)
'01 Yamaha FJR1300

www.dmcsc.org.au
http://eladesom.com.au/ulysses/
# 37181

 

The Enfield diesel bike was on display (and available for sale) out the
front of a house at Cape Woolami on the way to the race track on Phillip
Island a couple of years back (supers and GP from memory). They said
when I stopped to check the Enfields out that (the Expo was too
expensive for thier budget).

Enfields are still available new from several places I gather, so it's
probably possible to order a diesel one.


G-S

 

Ohhhh

You're no fun at all!

Hammo

 

From reading usenet I got the impression it was how difficult it made it
to detonate under compression.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

Mark.

 

What's counter steering got to do with it!?

 

Beer! That's what... [1]


G-S

[1] That and 42... the only things one really needs to know.

 

That's two (correct) answers... what was the question?