thanks for all this info. i just dont have any more room in my backpack for a fuel can and i was considering pouring in the oil and shaking the bike. i will put the correct amt of oil for a full tank in a small jar.
having run out of gas twice has finally taught me that i better be prepared.
i ride a spookytooth cycle and they recommend 20:1 for breakin and after. there sure seems to be alot of debate about the mix but i think i will still fallow rolands orders.
Just for clarification, the Japanese and most Eurobrand small engines (Stihl chainsaw for instance) are 50:1. "Unofficially", once the engine has achieved thousands of miles, they can be "leaned up" to 60:1, by putting an extra 1/10 gallon in your gas can.
I have been told by small engine repair shops that the 25cc engine that I ran to Denver, which may have 5-6,000 miles on it now, would be an excellent candidate for Amsoil synthetic 100:1, but keeping a seperate mix for that engine versus the ones I'm breaking in to sell would confuse me quick.
Even IF I were going to switch to highest grade synthetic, I would "ease my way into it". Run a gallon at 75:1, see if I detect any performance changes (and it really does reduce smoke and fumes, because I've used Amsoil on road trips, mixing by the tank.)
If you avoid cheap gas, if you seriously do the break-in steps (varying throttle speeds for 3 tankfulls of gas), and ALWAYS use "quality" mix like Stihl/RedMax/Tanaka 50:1, then Amsoil 100:1
might be THE answer for long distance cruising, 2-3 capfulls per tank.
This next part regards long distance travel, not local:
I'm not too up on the Chinese engines, but I think the tanks hold a half gallon. You would not take a bike out for 2-300 mile overnight cruises until you've finished the 20:1 break-in anyway.
Your advantage is "more capacity per fillup", while we can "eyesight guesstimate" with the transparent plastic tank.
This comes into play when you have to topoff the tank. For instance, going due east out of Grand Junction,CO a sign says "74 miles till next gas". So it doesn't matter how much the tank needs, you are going to top off the tank before heading into the wilderness.
Major towns that might have "
quality gas" available, are 30 miles apart (the distance a horse can easily travel in a day).
You can't bank on finding a major brand gas in every town, often there is one option, and it usually is cut with ethanol, and vapor locking in Kansas taught me a lesson I never want to repeat.
What I'm getting at is carrying a jar, for a full tank mix, won't work if you FINALLY find a gas station to "top off the tank", can't hold a full half gallon.
My "four capfulls" per tank ratio gives you 50:1. 2-3 capfulls of Amsoil 100:1 would protect my cylinder, but only on my engine, not one I am selling.
But the Chinese tanks need to get some sort of "
capfulls per 1/10 gallon" ratio established, or using the bottle Van & Estaban described "
cc/ml per 1/10 gallon", for traveling thru the countryside.
Once you folks have that established, make it MB.law, it will be easier to remember touring out of town, away from the gallon pre-mixed at your house.
Hopefully it will work out to something like "1 cap or 2 capfulls per 1/10 gal",
but I'll let you guys do that math.
Just remember,
there really is no debate on mixing oil, some folks are running with Japanese apples and the others are running on Mandarin oranges.
Proper mixing in both cases avoids creating lemons.
