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OH NO, YET MORE ETHANOL
I read the interesting comments in RC about fuel. The ethanol fuel thing has been an issue with classic race bikes for some time now and we used to get around it by cutting 97 octane unleaded with 100 LL Avgas (approx 97 octane RON) – possibly a bit illegal. However, there is now a company in Stockport making all-British race fuels with no ethanol at all in them. I’ve been using their 107 (minimum) octane Supreme and this could be used to legally cut 97 unleaded so that if there was any ethanol there it would be disappear almost to nothingness.
The 107 also contains all the good stuff for valve seats and burns very well indeed giving a properly perky engine power.
Frank Melling
I ride my bikes equally in UK and in France. Of the two, France is preferable as the roads are better and less crowded and for the most part their general attitude to motorcyclists is much better than in the UK. In the UK I usually just fill up with the cheapest unleaded, 95 octane, as it is the most easily available. At the moment it’s E5; 5% ethanol. Normally I don’t have any problems with the bikes as long as I retard the ignition slightly, and use an additive to stop the carb gumming up and the fuel going off. Even when warm, my 1956 Triumph Tiger 100 with its monobloc carb is a first or second kick starter. Likewise, my 1959 Morini Corsaro 125 and the other older vehicles I own.
Ethanol in UK petrol is likely to increase to 10%. In France, ethanol is already 10% and sometimes
