Another down side to the corn is the long term cost. Since they are using the corn in fuel it's driving up the cost on most of the animal feeds that are corn based. Which in turn is driving up the cost of the non corn based feeds. (Due to the supply and demand farmers are growing corn where they used to grow other products. Can't blame them on that though. They need to make a living too!). Even for the small farm type business I'm running. Our feed cost have doubled this year . And that's after changing brands 3 years ago because of the cost.

Won't be long now before the prices on people food will be following this trend. Just think of how many corn based products you might buy in the grocery store.1

Well that's my $.005 worth. My turn to step down from the soapbox!

Sugar Ethanol!
If ethanol is in the future...
support Sugar Ethanol... 3 times the yield from the same volume and it's produced from only the bi-products (waste.)

And, beside, what you don't use... you drink !

From what I've read (in reputable sources like the Wall Street Journal) based on the best estimates scientists and geologist can make, there's enough oil off our own coasts plus in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge(Anwar)designated expressly FOR drilling to replace the imports we get from Saudia Arabia, Iran and Iraq combined. But we'd rather drive up the cost of so many other things than to take steps to harvest our own natural resources. How does that make good sense?

However we've let the extreme tree huggers and anti-capitalists out there determine our energy policies by browbeating our politicians with junk science. Since 99% of these in D.C have had their spines replaced with cooked noodles it's near impossible to get them to think of anything other than getting elected and not being labeled as an "enviro-nazi".

Venting over,

M7

I don't know how old most of you are but this was tried about 20/25 years ago and it ate up catilitic converters because it burns hotter. Any car that is 20 years old should Not use ethenol. The basic functions of a V-twin roadie are really no different than V-twins 20 years ago. I used the 10% 2 fill ups in a row never had a prblm b4 I used it. When I did, milage went down and ran like crap! I swithed back to shell. everything is fine now. Musky if you think about if all you've ever use is ethenol, you'll never know if your bike is capable of running better. We also have to take into consideration that auto manufactures have cars that are rated for both ethenol and gas and some just gas So could maybe someone explain if there is something different with the engines in those.

Mark7,

i think you said about as good as it could be said!! i fully agree!!

oh, and about greenhouse gases...they say that the carbon emmissions from all our vehicles is further increasing the "greenhouse effect." well, water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas in our atmoshere!! guess we gotta get rid of that darn evil water too!!

Cow farts are the worst...

The worst part is if you live in a state like Minnesota they force it down your throat while telling you its good for the environment but they fail to tell all of the negative consequences and ignore the truth. we pay about 27 million in ethanol subsidies every year because ethanol is not a viable fuel and they know it. It does'nt matter though because of all of the kickbacks that state politicians get for making sure the ethanol refineries stay open.

gab wrote:
take into consideration that auto manufactures have cars that are rated for both ethenol and gas and some just gas So could maybe someone explain if there is something different with the engines in those.

From what I understand and have read on the internet, the fuel system needs to be designed for E85 use mainly because of the possible corrosion properties of ethanol on the fuel lines, injectors etc. Also the fuel management system is designed to adapt to various quantities of ethanol in the fuel. BTW: E85 is 28% less efficient than regular gasoline (read-less energy content than gasoline per gallon). I'd rather see the domestic car manufactures concentrate on clean burn biodiesel technology than this political E85 crap.

Down here in the South I have not noticed the E10/E85 at any stations when filling up. While on the topic of Gasoline I am wondering what Grade of Gas are you using in your Bikes. I read where Yamaha requires 87 or 89 Octane Gas to be used in these bikes, is that True? I have been using 92/93 octane when filling up lately and have not had a problem with anything, the bike runs great.

At best premium gas just wastes money because it isn't doing anything for the bikes performance. At worst it builds up carbon, the bike runs like crap, and you have to screw around cleaning it out. And of course you paid extra for the premium gas that caused it.