E85 ?

Either an engine is designed around gasoline, like Ducati did, or ethanol.

Good luck with your project.

You might note how every powersports manufacturer, like Ducati, VOIDS the warranty if an owner uses any fuel contaminated with more than 10% ethanol.

Your fuel mileage will be cut in half almost...Takes almost twice as much ethanol as gas to to create the same fuel burn/power.

For the price of admission to experiment with alternative fuels in search of a performance gain, I think there are proven alternatives.

For my hard earned money the best money spent is with suspension upgrades.

I guess that my responses are based on so much experience with the effects of ethanol on the whole powersports industry. Very negative effects.

Interesting that in Brazil, where there are numerous autos with engines designed to run on ethanol, the market prefers gasoline, since the oil fields were developed.

Yes, you are correct that certain high performance engines do very well with ethanol. Higher compression allows ethanol to yield horsepower increases. Merely modifying fuel system to remove parts corroded or dissolved by ethanol will merely allow the use of E-85. Without an increase in compression, there will be a significant horsepower reduction with E-85.

The Ford Model T would run on ethanol or gasoline. Ethanol because farmers could make their own in a still. Well, that and whisky too, from their excess grains. Model T owners preferred gasoline too.

The sad reality of turning food into fuel is the significant increase in pollution that comes from burning ethanol in gasoline engines.

The primary issue with ethanol stored in gas tanks is the absorption of water and subsequent phase separation.

So, yes there is a wealth of race engine info on ethanol modifications. I have yet to see any movement over on AdvRider.com, or any other motorcycle forum, toward modifications necessary to burn E-85.

Maybe the fuel tank could take ethanol above 10%?



LINK: Neutralize ethanol-plastic effect? | Adventure Rider

LINK: http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/ethanol-is-bad-for-bikes-and-its-getting-worse.929823/

In 1999 we were paying 99 cents for gasoline. After that there was a speculative push to get oil up, driving the price per barrel to $147. Crazy.

Many looked to alternative fuels as gas prices shocked consumers.

We saw diesel motorcycle discussions. We also saw a self-reliance push towards ethanol. Anything to find a way to reduce our fuel use, or avoid oil as much as possible.

Tons of conversions for vehicles to natural gas too.

Now that we are benefiting from the Texas developed fracking of tightly held oil and gas deposits, there is no more shortage.

No reason to fret, no more reason to turn food into fuel.

Ducati lost the lawsuit over ruined plastic gas tanks, and replaced bulging tanks with new ones that could deal with 10% ethanol. Whether those new gas tanks, or the tanks made after 2012 can deal with more than 10% ethanol is an important question. I suspect that if the ethanol content hit 20% we will see bulging gas tanks again. I say 20% because of the DOE tests on vehicles.

Ethanol is very corrosive. It dissolves so many of the gasket/o-ring materials.

In humid areas, where a vehicle sits for more than a few days, the moisture collected by the ethanol will separate. (As you recall, ethanol is added to gas tanks in the frozen north to absorb water.) This phase separated gas/ethanol/water will harm an engine when started.

I'd recommend that you enjoy the low gasoline prices. Many areas even offer gasoline which remains uncontaminated by ethanol. Sadly, in my area EPA mandates that all gasoline include 10% minimum ethanol. Stations here are now pushing 15% ethanol.

Go with the fuel Ducati designed every component to run well with. Gasoline.

Remember also, that especially with a cold engine, there is a bit of fuel that washes past the rings into the bottom of the engine. Do you really want ethanol in with the lubricating oil?

Your original post referenced carbs and jetting. This bike is EFI.

Like RSL stated, without the addition of forced induction and significantly increasing the compression ratio, you won't gain anything. I'm sure the fuel pump would need to be beefed up, too.

The easy E-85 swaps with serious gains I've read about start with this basic setup: blower, high compression block, big fuel pump (Chevy Z06/ ZR1 are good example).