[Ducati] Proposed Increased Ethanol Levels in Gasoline

[Veloce916 at aol.com]

July 3, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 
>From the AMA:
 
 
AMA Concerned About  Proposed Increased Ethanol Levels in Gasoline 
 
The American Motorcyclist Association has expressed concern  about 
unanticipated consequences of proposals that might allow gas  stations to increase the 
level of ethanol in the fuel they sell. 
Currently, pump gasoline in the United States can contain up  to 10 percent 
ethanol, which is used to increase octane, reduce carbon  monoxide emissions 
and provide an alternative to petroleum-based fuels.   
But now, the state of Minnesota is seeking permission from the  U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency to allow the sale of fuel that  includes 20 percent 
ethanol. And that has led to concerns about the  effects on motorcycle engines, 
which manufacturers say are only certified  to run on fuels containing the 
current 10 percent blend.  
The difference could be significant, since burning ethanol  creates more heat 
than conventional gasoline, which has the potential to  damage air-cooled 
motorcycle engines. In addition, fuel systems on bikes  may be susceptible to 
corrosive effects of higher concentrations of  ethanol in gas. And while ethanol 
helps reduce carbon monoxide levels in  engine exhaust, it can also increase 
the levels of oxides of nitrogen, one  of the components of smog. 
"The AMA supports the use of cleaner-burning fuels, but we are  concerned 
about premature engine damage or failure while a bike is being  ridden on a 
highway if the allowable level of ethanol is raised to 20  percent," said Imre 
Szauter, AMA legislative affairs specialist. "We are  also concerned about any 
degradation in performance, fuel economy and  rideability that may result from 
the long-term use of blended fuels with  greater than 10 percent ethanol." 
The proposal currently under consideration comes from  Minnesota, but the AMA 
notes that an EPA waiver would open the door to the  sale of 20 percent 
ethanol blends across the country, without any  evaluation of the long-term 
consequences. With the limited number of  choices at gas stations, that could force 
out existing blends and leave  some riders without a suitable fuel choice for 
their vehicles. 
"Until studies show that a 20 percent ethanol blend won't  damage motorcycle 
or ATV engines, and won't make motorcycles emit more  nitrogen oxides than are 
allowed by the EPA, the AMA can't support the  Minnesota proposal," Szauter 
said. 
The AMA is a member of AllSAFE, the Alliance for a Safe  Alternative Fuels 
Environment, a group formed to ensure that new bio-based  fuels such as ethanol 
are promoted in a thoughtful manner. AllSAFE is made  up of associations that 
represent consumer and commercial users of ethanol  blends, manufacturers of 
boats, vehicles, engines and equipment, and  retailers who sell gasoline and 
ethanol-fuel blends. 
For more information on ethanol-fuel blends, go to _www.allsafe-fuel.org_ 
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=wzwx9bcab.0.psly9bcab.vw9ldxbab.28131&ts=S0256&p=http://w
ww.allsafe-fuel.org/) .




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