My experience with 10% ethanol gas has been, basically, neutral. I cannot measure any difference in either mileage or performance when using it, and I have seen no effects on any plastic, rubber, or metal parts. Because of its potential for separation if water gets into it, I avoid it when I am going to be storing machinery (mowers, boat, motorcycle) for periods of a couple of months or more with fuel in them. Otherwise I have used it for over twenty years with no problems. Fact is, it actually ran better in my old '79 Lincoln, probably because of the slightly higher octane rating.

Looks like I derailed the train of thought there with a gas mileage question. My mpg has been measured mostly while hauling my 180 pounds and around another 90-100 pounds or so of gear on long trips, doing interstate speeds for hour after hour, with a slightly oversized Dunlop on the back.

Since I put the all-season darkside radial on the back I've not done enough riding (haven't changed my fork seals YET) to check the mileage with that tire on the highway yet. It's still way better than the Ranger or the Jeep, and even the Honda (cage) doesn't come close for economy. Still thinking about trying a chain conversion for the higher gearing since I don't care about how long it takes me to get up to speed as long as I get there. As long as I can merge off of the on ramp and haul my butte down the road for 10-12 hours a day on the long trips I favor I'll be content with the ride.

I have this '70 Monte Carlo I've been thinking about trying to trade for a 'Wing or some such, but then I'll have a big ol' thing I can't pick up when it lays down on a gravel road in the middle of nowhere. And the middle of nowhere is where I tend to like ending up. It's why I got the Savage in the first place. Enough guts to go and easy enough to handle so that as a novice I could pick it up AND work on it.

Which brings us back to why do they want to make our bike more complicated to work on with all those dang new-fangled gizzmos? I like old-fangled. I can't smell my exhaust so I'm pretty sure it's clean.

Jack