Ethanol might be reduced starting in 2014.

Last Friday, November 15th, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule that would force the United States to produce less ethanol in 2014. This is the first time the EPA has decided that less renewable fuels should be produced the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) reports. The reaction is due to the declining markets since Congress passed the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) in 2007.

The move was expected as the demand for higher ethanol blends has been shrinking across the country. The proposed rule by the EPA lowers the amount of ethanol that must be blended into U.S. fuel supplies from 16.55 billion gallons in 2013 to 15.21 billion gallons in 2014, the same amount that was produced in 2012.

More at:

There has also been an ongoing concern that blends above E10 could cause serious problem for older vehicles, motorcycles, boats and small engines.

It's not a question of will it harm the older engines but when.

True. I'd be quite nervous about running it older bikes with carbs for sure. E10 is bad enough in my experience with pulling moisture out of the air and becoming unusable (don't ask me about my boat troubles).





The follow on question is if we dump ethanol, what's the replacement? MTBE was dropped because it winds up in lots of places we don't want it (like water supplies). I've read that isobutanol could be one possibility.

(Sorry about the editor adding all those extra new lines. Once I get a few things knocked out I hope to address it soon.)

Here's a piece on the future of butanol:

 

I run Startron in my bikes/all other equipment that may be laid up. It does seem to help.

Interesting read about the Butanol. I have also heard that they have plans to convert Natural Gas to Gasoline. There is a plant being proposed in Lake Charles LA.

Yeah, the butanol looks promising. There is also work being done on coal to liquids, though that's more complicated, IIRC.