Bio Fuel

**WarlockNZ** · 9th October 2007, 17:38

Global Warming ... blah blah.
Oil depletion policy .. blah blah.
more kiwis should use public transport..get bent! .. woops ... sorry .. blah blah.

What i want to know is will my bike, or any bike for that matter, run on bio fuel, gull are selling it at the pump, so what are the pro's and cons for bikers.

Anyone know the answers ??

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 9th October 2007, 17:43

Originally Posted by WarlockNZ

Global Warming ... blah blah.
Oil depletion policy .. blah blah.
more kiwis should use public transport..get bent! .. woops ... sorry .. blah blah.

What i want to know is will my bike, or any bike for that matter, run on bio fuel, gull are selling it at the pump, so what are the pro's and cons for bikers.

Anyone know the answers ??

Sad thing the biofuel isn't the answer...

It makes the same carbon emmissions isn't any cleaner than standard fuel.
It will put the price of grain up and therefore the price of food in general, as more farmers grow grain for fuel and less for food (supply and demand)
And since we are in the Kyoto protocol, growing grain for fuel to create the same emissions... hmmmm

Answering your question tho... most modern vehicles should be able run on Biofuels. However whether they are as efficient as standard fuel I can not answer

**doc** · 9th October 2007, 17:49

Originally Posted by NighthawkNZ

Sad thing the biofuel isn't the answer...

It makes the same carbon emmissions isn't any cleaner.
It will put the price of grain up and therefore the price of food in general, as more farmers grow grain for fuel and less for food (supply and demand)
And since we are in the Kyoto protocol, growing grain for fuel to create the same emissions... hmmmm

Surely being organic it wil be fine for substance abuse at the rallies etc. Bring it on.

**Usarka** · 9th October 2007, 17:55

i thought it was bad for bikes so just checked my manual.

he doesnt speak much engrish (hes from barcelona) but he say up to 10% ethanol is ok but dont store the bike for any length of time with this fuel in it.

and avoid methanol fuel.

gull is 10% so as they say, i speeeka da good engleesh.

**idleidolidyll** · 9th October 2007, 18:00

Originally Posted by WarlockNZ

Global Warming ... blah blah.
Oil depletion policy .. blah blah.
more kiwis should use public transport..get bent! .. woops ... sorry .. blah blah.

What i want to know is will my bike, or any bike for that matter, run on bio fuel, gull are selling it at the pump, so what are the pro's and cons for bikers.

Anyone know the answers ??

your bike will run fine on it, better even if the fuel has a better octane and/or cetane rating

**idleidolidyll** · 9th October 2007, 18:01

Originally Posted by Usarka

i thought it was bad for bikes so just checked my manual.

he doesnt speak much engrish (hes from barcelona) but he say up to 10% ethanol is ok but dont store the bike for any length of time with this fuel in it.

and avoid methanol fuel.

gull is 10% so as they say, i speeeka da good engleesh.

yep, Gull is 10% and it's ethanol not methanol

**idleidolidyll** · 9th October 2007, 18:07

Originally Posted by NighthawkNZ

Sad thing the biofuel isn't the answer...

It makes the same carbon emmissions isn't any cleaner than standard fuel.
It will put the price of grain up and therefore the price of food in general, as more farmers grow grain for fuel and less for food (supply and demand)
And since we are in the Kyoto protocol, growing grain for fuel to create the same emissions... hmmmm

Answering your question tho... most modern vehicles should be able run on Biofuels. However whether they are as efficient as standard fuel I can not answer

Oh dear.

Biofuel does emit the same carbon but since it is fist taken from the air by the plants then relesed back into the air by the vehicle; it's carbon neutral (depending on a few other factors to follow)

It WILL raise the price of grain if the wrong kinds of plants are used in the wrong regions to produce it. The best plants to grow for biofuels are not sugar can or corn in most places. Those are too reliant on machinery, fertilisers, pesticides and water.
The best crops are varied and depend on the place where they are to be grown. It's complicated and too big too explain here: read up.

Growing grain for fuel doesn't have to produce the same emmissions at all and that has what to do with Kyoto?

As for efficiency: biodiesel is MORE effieient. It has a better cetane rating and has MUCH better lubrication properties.
The usual figure quoted is 10% MORE power on biodiesel. I don't have the numbers for bioethanol but I'd suspect similar ideas.

**Usarka** · 9th October 2007, 18:15

does biofuel go both ways?

**Shadows** · 9th October 2007, 22:32

Originally Posted by Usarka

does biofuel go both ways?

The answer to that question will become clearer when we know what the cocktane rating is.

**xwhatsit** · 9th October 2007, 22:37

They were talking about it on the television a while back, and said something to the effect of `cars with carburettors -- especially Japanese imports -- should not use it'.

Having a somewhat elderly bike, I think I might stay away from it for the moment.

**Aa7** · 10th October 2007, 08:51

The front page of the NZ Herald today has an article on BioFuels and the increase of costs for the non-bio-fuel variants available. So my question is; who is going to be running their bikes on bio-fuel and who is going to use still standard fuels? will the 98 octane variant available from BP presently still be available after the mass introduction of bio-fuels?………thoughts? ideas?