A push for E10... anything to be worried about?

[Easy-X]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49003496

E10 as in 90% petrol 10% bio-ethanol.

Is that enough of a change to affect our bikes?

For cars you can fit flex-fuel sensors and run from 0% to 100% ethanol and anything in between. I assume you could do the same for an EFI bike?
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[UnknownStuntm...]

Will changing the fuel affect bikes? Of course it will, but perhaps not in the boxes you're thinking. imho higher ethanol content rots tanks, hoses and tubes not specifically designed for it. So older bikes will need more fettling when this goes ahead. You can put additives in to combat the effects, or put fuel in with no specific ethanol content.

[ThunderGuts]

[Alex A]

Yes: https://www.deformedfueltanks.com
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[The Shaggy D.A.]

Add water, syphon off the good stuff.
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[redeem ouzzer]

It’s the equivalent of running a bike on piss.
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[doggone]

Since a lot of other countries use 10% or higher it can't be causing major problems, I'd be most worried about reduced fuel stability in bikes barely used through winter, I think ethanol is more hygroscopic for a start.

[Bhud]

There is also significantly less energy per cc in ethanol than there is in petrol, so where this E10 is posited in the market is going to be critical. It's got to be the cheapest/bargain basement option, or else nobody would buy it.

I expect the market for petrol to diverge from the mass market bulk model into various specialist products. I don't envisage sports/classic car people opting for the cheapest option at the pumps, but other types of customer, such as the polished German banger lot, the school-run prams, econo-boxes, etc. will probably just decrease their use of the car while continuing to buy the cheapest option at the pumps (or the only option at Asda, etc.) This means a diminishing market as these types slowly drift towards electric if they can afford it. All of which means that the prognosis for E10 in the fuel market is questionable. Regardless of laws and regulations, you will always be able to buy Aspen/Murco ethanol-free petrol - it will just cost more and will be a specialty product.

EDIT: to add a couple more thoughts regarding the destructive effects... It seems that fuel lines may degrade and dissolve with ethanol, which can cause problems in fuel systems (especially with bits of rubber in carbs). People have found bits of modern rubber fuel line in their carbs, blocking up jets and passages. However, the jury is out on that one. One thing I know for sure, and you don't need to be a chemist to figure this one out: ethanol is a substance that evaporates. This means modern petrol shouldn't (in theory) leave varnish residue in the fuel system, but on the other hand, water and associated problems (e.g. rust from fuel tanks) can cause problems in fuel systems. There may therefore be a solution to this problem by means of an additive that's water-absorbing and which dissolves in petrol...

[stinkwheel]

It's not good in an early 90's sportsbike. it can destroy the fuel lines and lead to a catastrophic vehicle fire among other things.

I'm just back from Europe and we had to leave a couple of fuel stations because all they had was E10. EVERYTHING else was E5 but at least it was labelled as such unlike in the UK where you literally take a chance on it.

In quite a lot of fuel stations, all the 95 octane fuel was E10. The 98 (super) was E5.

I'll be taking a bottle of additive next time I go to Europe. Bunged a load of V-power through it as soon as I got home.

If they do use E10, it needs to be clearly labelled because it can be dangerous in some vehicles. Anything made ofter 2000 should be ok with it.
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[Alex A]

[Sister Sledge]

Not too sure with mine but things such as fuel lines I can work ahead of the change. My main issue is my plastic fuel tank. I'm unsure just what type of plastic it is.
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[stinkwheel]

[Alex A]