Hi,

 Try a tank of super E10 and see if you notice a difference. 
Dave.

Not wishiung to be rude, but there is no such fuel.

The super/premium/synergy/whatever else the company may choose to call it fuels are not E10. They are higher octane fuels with a MAX ethanol content of 5%. In much of the country they are 0% ethanol, but still designated E5.

I would advise the OP to disregard octane content (it is irrelevant for 'our' bikes) and read the threads regarding ethanol.

Ethanol has a higher octane rating, but marginally less energy by volume than petrol.

I don't believe that the difference in performance between 5% and 10% ethanol content will be noticeable; there may be a perception of a difference, but how real that is is debatable.

I think that the real issue is more about the damage that can be done to certain materials in older bikes/vehicles. The ethanol can attack:
Plastic & Rubber fuel lines
Filters
Gaskets & Seals
Fuel Primers
Pumps
Carbs
Fuel injectors
Composite Fuel Tanks

All of this is covered in the piece posted by Bess.

For the difference in price between E10 and Premium fuel with 0-5% ethanol, and the limited number of miles that classic vehicles do, I can't understand why anyone would use E10 in an old bike or vehicle.

Thank you bikerbob, a very learned appraisal of the effects of ethanol.
Like we saw when unleaded petrol was introduced, there has been a lot misinformation  spouted about E10 by supposed experts. I will print this off and use it to introduce some common sense into future conversations.

It is indeed an excellent article for what it covers. However, it doesn't cover everything and just because something isn't mentioned here that doesn't make it 'misinformation'.

It doesn't cover the corrosive effects of ethanol on certain metals, rubber and plastics. Nor does it cover the damage done by softening fibreglass in fuel tanks.

These effects are well documented by reliable sources. Triumph motorcycles, for instance, specifically state that E10 fuel is not compatible with the Sprint 1050 ST due to the fact that it will damage the tank. I'm inclined to think that Triumph qualify as genuine (as opposed to supposed) experts when talking about their own bikes.

Thanks Dave.

This might be a numpty question and, if so, please forgive my ignorance.

As long as there is still oil being supplied, what is the problem with starting the bike and letting it tick over? Won't that scavenge the oil back?

I have to presume there is more to it than that or it wouldn't be such a much-discussed issue.

I agree chaz, we don't even get the E10 until September this year.

It MUST be in by Sept, some outlets here in Devon have already introduced E10. One of them is Tesco so, presumably, Tesco in other parts of the country will have done the same.

I have just changed the gear oil on my C15T.

I was expecting to put in half a pint, but the oil started running out of the level plug at approx 150mls - roughly quarter of a pint.

This seems like a piddling amount of gear oil (particularly in a bike not exactly renowned for hanging on to every drop of oil that is put into it!)

Any ideas on why it might take so little? The level/drain plug was fitted by the previous owner - does anyone know whether there are plugs that fit, but are set to a different level?

Cheers
Col

I will post here rather than the ethanol thread, the chainsaw that wouldnt start last week had lost its fuel when I tried this afternoon. I used more of the old mix and found I had a couple of cans of Silkolene ProBoost, octane improver. I used some pro boost in with the old fuel and the saw started . It runs for a while but trying to use throttle it tends to cut so assumeing the proboost has upped the old fuel octane it looks like its a carb clean needed.. even smaller than a 125 carb, I hate them, too small.
https://www.silkolene.com/motorcycle/fuel-additives/pro-boost/

If it dies when you try to rev it, it might be worth checking that the fuel filter is clean before stripping the carb.