Modern scooters are mainly four stroke machines. There is a mix of carburettor and fuel
injected models and we find they are best run on 95 RON ( Research Octane Number)
fuel.
E10 ( Ethanol additive) fuels are more hydroscopic and can attract moisture into the fuel
system over time, so this fuel is not recommended by our tech team. It is noteworthy that
if you do get stuck and only have the choice of E10 it can be used for a limited time.
A great tip is to never, ever fuel up when there is a fuel tanker on site at a service
station. These 40,000 litre tankers push around 900 litres and minute into the service
stations holding tanks and can often stir up sediment from the bottom of the tank which
could get sucked up by the bowser and put the sediment into your scooters tank.
Fuel injectors and carbs jets are quite small on scooters and motorcycles, so you
don’t want sediment in your fuel system.
Another issue that can arise is water in your fuel tank. This can come about from
condensation over time, your choice of fuel ( think E10) and even allowing water into the
tank at the time of filling (rain water).
It is worth reminding ourselves to put you fuel cap back on before washing any spills after
filling up.
Fuel also has a shelf life. Typically the octane level of petrol decreases at around 3
months and noticeably declines by 9 months. If your scooter remains unridden for the
winter you’ll be fine, but make sure to fit a trickle charger to your battery if it isn’t to be
ridden for some months.
A Few Tips On Your Modern Scooters Fuel System
