I don't think "E0" is gonna be available for much longer to the general public, like matthurd - I already can't find it at all 'round these parts and being coastal we've the one of the most outspoken anti-ethanol groups, boaters & a lot of 'em. Doesn't seem to matter to the fuel stations tho.
Tho there's a darkside to ethanol and I'm so not trying to advocate it... I think it's also somewhat inevitable. We've not the infrastructure for most alternative fuels & oddly, for w/e reasons - Americans just don't seem willing (or able in our case) to go diesel of any flavor...
At this stage, with our massive dependency on gasoline powered vehicles of all shapes and sizes, ethanol does seem the only readily available and convenient answer... something our culture is quite fond of. So... personally... I'm gonna avail myself of the "easiest" solution too, bowing to the inevitable and running w/e concentration of alcohol my local fuel stations offer.
So far, for the past 12,000 miles or so - it's been a mild E10. While I've had "rubber" seals turn to goo and twice their original size (replaced with "paper") and fuel lines getting solid & brittle (replaced w/copper) and a bit of water showing up from time to time... really, those issues aren't that problematic and so far - the solutions easy and the bikes runnin' fine.
Ofc, the greater the concentration of alcohol - the greater the consequences but as far as I've learned, even as high as E80 it's all about the same except two things... to run the really high amounts of alcohol a compression increase is required (not a problem, we've tons of info on that) and a more worrisome one, corrosion. Apparently aluminum isn't particularly fond of straight ethanol, awkward as that's the primary material our motors are made out of.
How badly, how quickly does it corrode? No one seems to have a clear answer - both sides of the debate seem fond of extreme claims. Yet, the motors are cheap & easy to work on & I'm willing to experiment... so, I guess I'll hafta wait and see.
I do however think fuel stations should offer a selection (at varying prices ofc) lower concentrations for folks with unconverted or unsuitable engines (or jus' gearheads) & higher stuff for those that do, or can't afford "the good stuff" - this random selection of none at all to almost straight alcohol (all at the same price no less, which is cheating), depending only on what station ya happen ta pull in to is a motorhead's nightmare "what the heck am I putting in my tank now" is a question I hate lol
