Motorcycles

[Sam Mac]

This may be of use to some of you guys.

http://www.cheapcycleparts.com/#&panel1-2

[Sam Mac]

This was on a Can Am Spyder forum that I'm a member of.


Call for action concerning the EPA and ethanol



AMA is asking folks to sign a petition over proposed ethanol rules.

The Renewable Fuel Standard proposal announced May 18 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would increase the risk of misfueling for motorcyclists and all-terrain-vehicle owners by forcing the widespread availability of higher-ethanol fuel blends, such as unsafe E15.

Act now by signing the American Motorcyclist Association’s petition to voice your concern. The deadline is July 11.

The EPA's proposed Renewable Volume Obligations call for 18.8 billion gallons of biofuel for 2017, up 690 million gallons from this year. The obligations for 2015 were 16.93 gallons.

By increasing the amounts of ethanol into America’s gasoline marketplace, the EPA will exceed the blend wall by hundreds of millions of gallons! The blend wall is the point at which no more ethanol can be blended without forcing higher blends like E15 and above into the marketplace.

Doing so means ethanol blends of 15 percent or higher would become more prevalent and safe fuels like E10 or E0 could become harder to find.

In fact, the EPA’s RVO proposal intends the E10 blend wall, not as a barrier, but a “transition” with the goal to push higher ethanol levels into the market. The EPA plans on doing this by:

1.Regulation
2.Subsidies for blender pumps
3.Price subsidies to lower the cost per gallon for higher ethanol fuel; and
4.“[A]ctions not yet defined”

The EPA feels confident in its ability to push more ethanol into the marketplace. It states, “To date we have seen no compelling evidence that the nationwide average ethanol concentration in gasoline cannot exceed 10.0%.”

This contradicts the EPA’s past statements. In a regulatory announcement released Aug. 6, 2013, “EPA Finalizes Renewable Fuel Standards,” the EPA said that for 2014 “the ability of the market to consume ethanol in higher blends such as E85 is highly constrained as a result of infrastructure -- and market-related factors. EPA does not currently foresee a scenario in which the market could consume enough ethanol sold in blends greater than E10…”

Remarkably, the EPA still recognizes these same constraints in the current proposal!

An increase in higher-ethanol blended fuel means the availability of E0 – fuel needed for older and vintage motorcycles -- will decrease substantially. Since the distribution network for E15 and E85 is limited, fuel producers may be forced to reduce E0 output to stay within the RVO limits. The proposed rule acknowledges only marine recreationists as users of E0. Motorcycles and other small engines are not mentioned at all.

This is very troubling, because the EPA is calling for higher ethanol blended fuels and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture is spending your taxpayer dollars to make it happen, despite knowing that none of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and ATVs in use in the United States is approved to use E15 or higher ethanol blends. Using those fuels in motorcycles and ATVs is illegal and may cause engine and fuel system damage and void the manufacturer's warranty.

Moreover, the proposed rule does not mention “misfuel” once in its 84 pages. The risk of inadvertent misfueling will increase as more retail stations sell E15 or higher-ethanol fuel. The rule claims “it is possible that 1,700 stations could offer E15 by 2017.” In comparison, there are approximately 250 stations that offer E15 today.

The EPA opened a comment period to allow the public to voice its opinion on the proposed rule. And the AMA has the tools to make it easy for you to submit comments by signing our petition.

The AMA will submit every name and address with our draft comments to the EPA. There is nothing more powerful than tens of thousands of riders joining together to express their concern with unsafe fuel for their machines.

Now more than ever, it is crucial that you and your riding friends become members of the AMA to help protect our riding freedoms. More members mean more clout against the opponents of motorcycling. That support will help fight for your rights – on the road, trail, racetrack, and in the halls of government. If you are a motorcycle rider, join the AMA at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join.

Please share with your friends on Facebook.

Sign the petition!

https://cqrcengage.com/amacycle/app/...oytvIg_Lo&lp=0

[olds45512]

Done, the last thing we need is more ethanol.

[ol'George]

I signed it a while back when I received it from the AMA

[JLM78]

My Atv 1988 honda 300.

[Mike McKown]

I'm not a proponent of E10, much less E15. I think it's a waste of taxpayer money. I think it's cost many, many consumers a LOT of money due to their lack of knoledge on how to store it and how to get their equipment ready to use it without the ethanol dissolving fuel system parts and collecting moisture which causes corrosion.


That said, since I have learned the quirks on how to handle the stuff, I don't have any problem with E10, water, corrosion or other except in some of the old cars I have that have unpressurized fuel systems (carburetors/mechanical fuel injection). On hot underhood temperatures I have experienced some fuel percolation on hot restarts and in very hot underhood temperatures like slow moving traffic.

On the other hand, my fuel systems have stayed clean and free of gum and varnish since using the stuff. Carb/FI float bowls appears to be super clean.

Given a choice, I'd take the straight stuff but I don't have that choice as I write.

[Sam Mac]

Originally Posted by Sam Mac

Been riding a bit since I picked up the Spyder. So far I love it. Pics from the Park Way yesterday. Couple things I've found out, the factory alignment on the front end is not to be trusted. Mine was toed out making the steering shall we say a little twitchy. A few minutes with the old toe boards and had that fixed. Planned up grades are bigger sway bar and some better shocks. I have about 400 miles on it since I picked it up. Made a brake pedal extension to make it easier to get to the brake pedal. Factory design didn't allow me to be able to keep my heel on the floor boards while braking. I'll keep you guys posted as time and miles go on.

Well gang the Can Am went down the road. Just too much BS to deal with on these things. Alignment from the factory was way off, Sway bars suck, Shocks suck, Drive belt vibrates, Cast aluminum windshield braces fail, Security system is problematic (it craps out and you can't start the thing) (Google Can Am DESS problems) Dealer service sucks and factory customer service is a joke. Luckily I bought it only slightly used so I didn't take a big hit $$$ wise.

Found a new 2014 Honda CB1100 for a great deal so I'm back on 2 wheels. I still like the 3 wheel concept so I'll wait till Honda comes out with the Neowing that they are teasing us with.

[olds45512]

nice ride Sam.

[Jeff in Pa]

Too bad about the Can Am but from what I read, you'll love the "old school" CB1100

[Sam Mac]

Yep an Old school ride for an Old Rider.