E85 in a dirtbike?

[silvrsrt]

I am having a hard time finding any information on this. I really wanted to try it in my fuel injected honda 450 but I traded it in on a 2013 KTM 250SX (carb'd). The compression ratio is 12.5:1 and I think it would benefit from E85. I'll be riding the crap out of it in AZ and unless I want to pay for race gas i'll be stuck with 91oct. What do you guys think? any one have experience with this? also I'll be mixing with motorex cross power 2T oil

I apologize if this is the wrong forum lol

 

[vadorsnake04]

Are you really riding that bike good and fast enough to actually "need" more then 91 octane? You realize that Monster AMA supercross guys are hardly capable of using all the power that their 450's have.

But anyway, i think it would be cool to put it on E85 just to see it done. And for the cost savings of the fuel.

 

[DSG2NV03]

I am just not sure without tuning for it you are going to gain much. Those things have such a small tank, I wouldn't want to run out of gas 30% faster.

 

[el jefe 302]

^get a bigger tank :coolman:

 

[racermatt]

On a carbed bike you will probably have to play with the jet for E85 to work good. I used to run race gas in my bike and we had to adjust it to get the best out of it.

I am sure somebody has done this before and could chime in. Good luck!

 

[1QUICK10TH]

E85 is going to destroy that carb, I use a 50/50 mix of vp110 and 93 in my 2012 yz 250, I suggest you do the same and stay away from e85. That's my .02

 

[1QUICK10TH]

Also remember to fully benefit from e85 ignition timing needs to be adjusted, that combined with the jetting nightmare it would be is enough to turn me away

To do it right on a car you need bigger pump, injectors, coated fuel rails, and lines designed to deal with its corrosiveness. Your ktm is no different

 

[Team Paulie]

E85 works havoc on bike,quads and marine applications,We here at the dealership stay way away from it,the rubber in the carbs and fuel lines for most of the stuff out there just are not made to handle it,we sell startron here by the cases every week,I would not advise using it.
VP would be the next best thing,leaded or unleaded your call.

More harm then good if you ask me,unless your flushing the tank and system each time,I wouldn't mess with it

 

[silvrsrt]

wow some good info. I was simply looking for an alternative to race fuel but it sounds like 50/50 or even a gallon of vp to 4 gallons of 91 would do the trick. I guess I was just mostly curious if someone had done it successfully. Obviously jetting would have to be done but im not really interested in burning down a brand new bike! :nono: thanks svtp

 

[1QUICK10TH]

Yeah if you cant get 93 I would definitely supplement the 91. Most people learn the hard way that yamahas need atleast 98 octane... I've seen many holes in pistons that's why I do 50/50 but ktms are fine with 93.

 

[vadorsnake04]

the yamaha's we ride all just get good ole 87 octane put through them and run great for a long time. My friend has two 426's that have ran forever and he races hair scrambles in the AA class, so you don't really need high octane when it comes to stock motors, its just a waste of the money. Also, his dad has ran his dirtbike shop for 30+ years so they know a thing or two haha. Also on his 2012 KTM 300XC-W which has the head has fully prepped by slavens racing he runs a 70/30 mix.

 

[1QUICK10TH]

I race aa also, 2007 and newer yz 125 and 250s require at least 98 octane... Says it right in the manual and like I said I've seen many of then toast pistons without it

 

[vadorsnake04]

I race aa also, 2007 and newer yz 125 and 250s require at least 98 octane... Says it right in the manual and like I said I've seen many of then toast pistons without it

You race hare scrambles or what?

 

[1QUICK10TH]

Yep neoc and ecea series

 

[vadorsnake04]

Yep neoc and ecea series

Cool, ya he just does that and trials now. He used to do hill climb and, flat track, and motocross. I know he has been state champ trials guy in Illinois a couple times.

 

[po-po 5.0]

11.5:1 compression in a 250cc single isn't like 11.5:1 in a v8. a new gsxr1000 (250cc per cylinder, 4 cylinders) as 12.5:1 compression, and the bike will run on 87 without pinging as a streetbike. There's just not enough volume to hurt stuff.

I don't think you'll need E85. Hell, you might not even need 91. I'd personally run 91, though, just for some extra knock protection if you plan on truly beating on the bike when its hot out.

 

[vadorsnake04]

11.5:1 compression in a 250cc single isn't like 11.5:1 in a v8. a new gsxr1000 (250cc per cylinder, 4 cylinders) as 12.5:1 compression, and the bike will run on 87 without pinging as a streetbike. There's just not enough volume to hurt stuff.

I don't think you'll need E85. Hell, you might not even need 91. I'd personally run 91, though, just for some extra knock protection if you plan on truly beating on the bike when its hot out.

this is what i was saying earlier, even though it "calls" for it, you just don't need it, and its been proved many times.

 

[Team Paulie]

All my off road toys always got 91 or higher,its not like filling up a car or bigger tank,but sometimes believe it or not you still might find a place up north or down south that still has 84 or god forbid 82 in the pumps,some little maw and paw shop in BFE that might get a load of fuel once every four to six months.

Last dirt bike I had was a 2007 CRF250R,I ran just pump 93 or 94 in it,I really don't know what it was about that bike,but if you left fuel in the carb for longer then a week it didn't want to kick off.

If you can swing it,I would run straight VP or something like it,Cam 2 etc etc,dont cut it cause then you just diluted all that octane you just paid for.

 

[oneSVT]

I use e-30 in all my engine the only thing I have close to a dirt bike is a 2011 can-am outlander 800 xpt chipped with hmf exhaust. it has 3k miles using nothing but e-30 from new.

 

[oneSVT]

so if all you can get is 91 octane just put the e-85 with it to make e-30 I would not recommend e-10 in any engine for the runnability. e-30 is a good mix
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