Ethanol and Combustion Engines--Not a Good Mix

This week's post affects all ATV and motorcycle riders, since it is about the increasing amounts of ethanol being mixed into our gasoline. It is about fuel and how our engines react to that fuel--this is a topic dear to Pete's Cycle and all our riders. 

According to a recent American Motorcyclist Association press release, "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has publicly acknowledged that ethanol in gasoline can damage internal combustion engines by increasing exhaust temperatures and indirectly causing component failures." To make a long story short, this is not good news for ATV and motorcycle owners who use fuel from the pump.

The Federal Trade Commission has recently proposed a rule that would require more labeling at the gas station for fuel blends and mixtures over 10% ethanol. However, the proposed rule would exempt the new EPA’s E15-approved label (15% ethanol, 85% gasoline).

The AMA is clear that this is not really a solution. The AMA claims that:

• the proposal will cause more confusion given the introduction of E15
• E15 can cause engine and fuel system failure; and can void manufacturer's warranties
• gasolines with higher than 10% ethanol are bound to enter the marketplace with greater frequencies

The AMA press release cites language from the EPA. According to the EPA: “[e]thanol impacts motor vehicles in two primary ways. First … ethanol enleans the [air/fuel] ratio (increases the proportion of oxygen relative to hydrocarbons) which can lead to increased exhaust gas temperatures and potentially increase incremental deterioration of emission control hardware and performance over time, possibly causing catalyst failure. Second, ethanol can cause materials compatibility issues, which may lead to other component failures.”

Another issue is where the label will be at the pump. To play a part in this issue, the AMA says that June 2^nd is the deadline for comments.

Here is what the AMA recommends:

1) To submit comments, please copy the prewritten comments below (on their website here).

2) Then go to https://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/autofuelratingscertnprm/. 3) Once you are on the site, paste the pre-written comments in the ‘Comments’ field box. Before submitting, please complete the rest of the fields.

Read the AMA press release here.

http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/04/19/ama-epa-acknowledges-ethanol-damages-engines/

If you have any other information, please visit Pete's Cycle website or post a comment on this blog. Thanks.

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Don’t Be Scared of Riding in the Rain

Spring brings with it wet roads and riding home in the rain. At Pete's Cycle I come across plenty of beginner and intermediate riders who fear the rain. I can’t blame them. For starters, on a bike you’re absolutely exposed to the elements, and a machine on two wheels just won’t respond as well to puddles and slick roads as a car would. But Tim Dickson at VisorDown says it best when he observes that for many “riding in the rain is such a fearful prospect that they simply don't bother…That's the wrong approach.” In other words, while most will not go out for a “rain ride,” it is absolutely crucial—for safety and practical purposes—to learn to ride in the rain. Sometimes you just can’t wait for the rain to stop. Here are some professional tips, courtesy of Tim Dickson:

·         Loosen up: don’t grip too tight. Slump down and don’t sit too erect. If the bike does wobble, the movement will be amplified if you are too tight. Relax as normal.

·         Squeeze, don’t grab the brakes: You can brake surprisingly well in the rain, as long as you do so progressively. Also, the most important part here is the initial squeeze. Don’t squeeze too tight right off the bat as that may cause the tire to lock up. Tim also advises the following: “Practicing rear brake skids is a handy skill to learn too, and again will give you more chance of dealing with a panic lock-up, wet or dry, should it occur.”

·         Turning: don’t turn too gingerly. The more force is put onto the pavement, the more traction. Don’t accelerate into turns, but don’t slow down too much either. Not using the throttle at all is the worst option.

·         Miscellaneous: White stripes, manhole covers, cat’s eyes and many other types of objects in or on the road can be hazardous. If by chance you are heading into something slippery, don’t let the throttle go; if you do, the front tire is more likely to lose control.

Click here to read Tim’s full article, which contains many other tips.

Naturally, all riders need a jacket, and especially so in the rain. We have plenty of options for gear and clothing. Icon, Tourmaster, Yoshimura, Alpinestars, Icon, Thor, Joe Rocket, among many others. With our three locations, there’s no excuse to not have the best gear. Click here for Pete’s Cycle GEAR page.

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The Best Road Riding in Maryland

Ever wanted a website that listed the best road rides in each state, with easy to read maps and rides that were rated by people who have actually ridden them? Well, Motorcycleroads.com does just that.

With the warmer Spring weather seemingly here to stay, this website lists a few great rides through Maryland’s scenic coasts and rolling hills. As any Marylander knows well, it only takes a few minutes to get out into some beautiful country. Which means that you have no excuse to go out riding this weekend.

Here are two highly rated rides that the website lists. First is Lighthouse Run. This modest 17 mile ride will take you through the winding roads of Elk Neck Woods, and you will be given great views of the bay, especially since the leaves are not on the trees yes.

Here are the directions: “From Elkton, MD: go south on landing lane, turn right at the stop sign on old field point road. In about a mile, turn right on Johns Chapel Rd to transfer to Old Elk Neck Road. Take left (south) on Old Elk Neck Rd for a few miles. Look for an intersection with McKinney Town Rd, turn right on McKinney Town. The road will dead end at Turkey Point Rd. Turn left on Turkey Point which takes you all the way to the light house.” The website has more specifics on the route.

The second ride is Sterling - Front Royal - Charles Town Loop, a 133 mile loop that offers just about everything, flat country roads, mountains, and nice curves.

Here are the directions: “Starting at the Sterling Park Shopping Center, head south on Sterling Blvd. Cross over Rt. 28 and turn left on Pacific Blvd. Turn right on 606 and take that all the way to Rt. 50. Head west (turn right) on 50 until you get to Rt. 15. Turn south on 15. In Haymarket, head west on 55 to Front Royal. Take 340 north to Charles Town where you pick up Rt. 9. Head east on 9 to Rt. 7. Go east on 7, turn right on Sycolin Rd. Sycolin changes names several times (Sycolin, Ashburn Farm Pkwy, Farmwell Rd, Waxpool Rd and Church Rd). Turn right off of Church onto Holly to get back to Sterling Blvd.”

View their Maryland page here.

Also be sure to see their nicely designed Google maps of the rides.

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The American Motorcyclist Association’s National Go Ride! Month Has Begun

The American Motorcyclist Association’s national Go Ride! Month is now upon us. The official date was April 1^st. Go Ride! Month will last through the end of April, and will welcome the 2014 riding season in style—contests, information, give aways, etc.  

In the chance you are unfamiliar with the AMA, it is a nonprofit of a quarter of a million riders whose mission statement is "to promote the motorcycling lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling." The AMA is also very active in supporting motorcyclist’s legal rights.

The Go Ride! campaign is a public outreach of sorts by the AMA, a way to bring cycle enthusiasts together, share ride information, tips, photos, stories, and, of course, give things away. Riders of all stripes are encouraged to post their pics to AMA’s Facebook page. Or, Tweet using #AMARideYourWay. More information can be found on their Facebook page as well.

In terms of prizes, AMA has partnered with BikeBandit.com, Avis, ColorRite, FLY Street and FLY Racing, PowerTye, Red Roof Inns and Tour Master. During its first week, to be eligible for a $50 gift certificate from one of these companies all you have to do is “like” a post or comments on a post on the AMA’s Facebook page. You must do this by 5 pm on April 4^th. But don’t worry if you don’t make the cut this week, you can give it a shot the following week. And to participate in all this you do not have to be an AMA member.

You can find contest rules posted here: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/GoRideContest

Also, since we are on the topic of events, don’t forget about Bikes to the Beach 4th Annual Rally (Ocean City, Md.), which goes from April 24-27. The Spring rally will host everything from bull riding, bike shows, custom builders, awesome vendors, great food and lots of drink specials. See an earlier post of mine at Pete’s Cycle blog for more on this and other events.

And, of course, come stop by Pete’s Cycles at any one of our three locations--Baltimore, Bel Air, Severna Park—for all of your cycling needs.

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