Hi guys, just joined, aka brit blast. I've been a bike mechanic, trained at AMI in Fla, and factory trained for Kawasaki,for thirty-some years, and have NEVER seen this. the bikes a 73 commando 850, 32mm stock amals correct Main, needle jet, needle, good float valve,needle in top groove, timing good, slides OK and 3.5 cutaway,compression 146/150psi, valve lash good, the bike idles fine, pulls nicely to redline, but blubbers between 1/8-3/4 throttle, which tells me needle jet/ needle combo, but matches the factory manual for this particular bike,pull the plugs,and the're sooty fouled, like a too rich condition. Started with bp7es, went up to a 6es, (actually felt better with the 6's), but outcome the same, sooty, black plugs. Checked the airbox/cleaner, perfect.Now, this started two weeks ago, When I went to a new gas station. I run 93 octane, and add a lead additive, which I've been doing since I owned the bike, 13 years. I suspect this crappy 10% metional s**t. Has anybody experienced this with the 10% crap? If so, how do I get around it? Any input would be great. Thanks, Mark

FWIW at least here in new england and most of the regular USA, todays gas does not have methenol from wood, but ethynol from corn or grains. Most nortons (amal carbs) don't have a (big) problem with the new E-10 GAS. It sounds like there are other problems besides the fuel. Has the bike been sitting unused for some time?

Dave, I'm trying to post for the 6th time,somthings wrong, Ill get back to you. Mark

My mistake, meant ethynol, just frustated I guess. No dave, the bike is run on a weekly basis, one or two days a week, weather permitting. I got the bike back together on Monday (carbs, intakes, and new fuel line), dumped the gas in the lawnmower, took the tank up to the sunoco station, and filled with 93 octane. Charged the battery, just in case, this bike doesnt like low voltage, hooked everything back up, new plugs, and it fired on one kick, adjusted the idle, ran sweet, and took it for a 4 mile ride, all the time I had. Pulled nicely to 6 grand,midrange nice, and idle nice.Crisp exhaust note. I don't get it. When I get back from New England, I will give it a good run and see how they read. In the meantime, anything you can think of that I may have overlooked? thanks for the response, Mark

FWIW I run 87 in my stock MKIII 850 commando. They are not that high compression to require hitest gas. Though some boyers do agrivate the pinging situatiuion by firing too early at low RPM's. Dave