Shell’s Recreational Gas

While on my Sunday morning KZ ride, I stopped in a neighboring county and noticed that the Shell station there offers their 90 octane, ethanol free “Recreational” gas. I’ve found that if I keep my bike maintained and tuned - and ride it regularly - I have pretty good luck with running whatever the high octane available gas is from my local BP station (which always includes ethanol - no other options that I’ve seen around here). But I also know there are lots of strong feelings out there about ethanol and was wondering if anyone has any experiences, good or bad, with Shells “recreational” option.

I can not speak to the use of the Shell recreational gas as I have never seen it let alone purchase any. But I will say you can find stations in the US and Can that sell non-ethanol fuel via this link.   www.pure-gas.org/
 

If you ride regularly, the E10 stuff is fine.  Or, use a fuel stabilizer, and that's fine also.  If the price isn't too high, I'd rather run E0, though.  

I'm super lucky in that the Circle K down the street from my house has ethanol free fuel as an option.  I've been running only that for the past three years on my Z1.  I've definitely seen an improvement in the condition of the fuel lines and carb seals vs. the three years previous when I was using fuel with ethanol.  Especially the fuel lines, they'd get very hard after a while with the ethanol fuel (at least the lengths of motorcycle fuel line I'd buy from the online z1 part retailers)

Ethanol has some positive qualities in fuel.  It increases octane for one.  But it also has negative qualities, including poorer mileage and a hotter burn.  If you can access non-ethanol fuel you will be better off in the long term.  I just replaced a carb on my RV generator because it was so gummed up it wouldn't allow fuel to pass through it any longer.

Since moving from California to Pennsylvania I have transitioned both of the  vehicles that I brought with me to non ethanol fuel, as it is much more available here in P.A.. They are older vehicles, 97 Isuzu Rodeo + 2001 Ford Ranger, but both have never run better. Smoother power band and better mileage.  I guess I'll have a larger carbon footprint but my ICE's are happier, plus I'm paying more at the pump. 

I dream about those gas prices, 1US gallon is around $8.00 here in the UK and in Europe

We are $1.70 per liter, but that's $CAD.  Converted at $1.37 it amounts to $4.69 per USG.  That's for regular with 10% ethanol.