Fuel Technology!

[feetupfun]

I've tried running a Rev 3 200 Beta on AVGAS which is high lead petrol made for piston engined aircraft. Once I adjusted the float height for the big difference in fuel density (AVGAS is very light), it ran beautifully, and was probably a bit less powerful overall than when run on you guys across the Pacific would call 98 octane "pump gas". No problem with lead deposits on the sparkplug either.

The only problem here is that for competition use we must use (unleaded) "pump gas" or homologated unleaded ELF racing fuel so unless you never compete, here it pays to stay away from the user-friendly leaded fuels.

About the ethanol content, I have never heard it promoted here as a performance improver in fact the fuel suppliers have to keep the price about 4 cents/litre below the cheapest non-ethanol "pump gas" to sell it (we have a choice of buying "pump" fuel with either 0% or 10% ethanol).

"Pump gas" of all types is still very cheap in Australia (approx $1.15US to $1.25US per litre). Most trials riders use the highest quality 98 octane non-ethanol "pump gas" they can get.

[copemech]

I don't really think they give us a choice here in a large metro area anymore. I think it is all "oxigenated"(% alcohol) due to some EPA regs.

I ran Avgas for several years and still like it. Very clean, low residue fallout over time and seems stable for weeks on end. Very little odor. I hate pump gas odor!

The problem I ran into seems to be related to the high temps here. Seems Avgas is designed to atomize better at cooler temps(in flight) and I have had a number of hot restart problems, sort of relate it to a vaporlock condition, or the fuel in the bowl boiling off with the heat.

When it is 90-100F here, the last thing you want to do is be sitting there kicking the s#it out of the bike at every section!