Ethanol for local motorcycle competition?

Motorcycling Australia (MA) has authorised official testing of E85 fuel, which could pave the way clear for the ethanol and petroleum mix to be adopted in motorcycle competition.

Currently, E85 is not allowed for competition use in Australia, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, under MA's 2009 General Competition Rules, the maximum Research Octane Rating (RON) of any fuel used in motorcycle competition is 100.

However, he RON of the commercially available E85 fuel in Australia is quoted as being from 104-107.

There are also availability and homologation issues which have not been satisfied.

But the tide may be turning, with the MA board authorising the chair of its road race commission, Phil Tainton, to begin testing E85.

It's unclear on which motorcycles Tainton will be testing E85 on, but we can probably safely assume it won't be on his old Suzuki TS185 funbike. Tainton is also the team manager of Suzuki's Aussie superbike race team.

MA has a commitment to the environment as demonstrated by the adoption of its Environmental Code and Management Plan.

"In principle, MA welcomes the use of any fuel which reduces the greenhouse gas emissions from motorcycle sport," said a spokesperson from MA. "Once testing has been completed we will then make a decision regarding the possibility of its adoption in motorcycling racing.

"Obviously, if adopted, it will be a part of MA's ongoing commitment to sustainability and will help to reduce motorcycle racing's carbon footprint."

V8 Supercar racing has started using e85 in 2009, supplied by sugar behemoth CSR.