Royal Enfield motorcycles have been on sale for decades. With the government expanding on the use of the E20 petrol, the owners of older BS3 and BS4 motorcycles were concerned about their engines' health. To ease their problems, the brand has brought a solution in the form of E20-compatible carburettor kits for models like older Classic 350, Bullet 350, Electra, and Thunderbird.
Royal Enfield's Solution For Old Motorcycle Owners
The carburettor designed for E20 compliance for BS3 motorcycles is priced at approximately Rs 3,000, while the BS4 version costs around Rs 4,000. For the fuel-injected 500 cc models, the company has introduced updated injectors priced at Rs 2,500. These prices are subject to change and may vary.
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The revisions to make the models compatible include enhanced seals, rubber components, and some internal parts to ensure better compatibility with E20 fuel. The ethanol-blended petrol consists of 20 percent ethanol, which tends to attract moisture and can be more reactive than standard petrol. Over time, this can cause conventional rubber seals to become hard, swollen, or cracked, which can turn out to be a problem in the long term.
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The modified carburettor configuration is specifically tuned to accommodate the properties of ethanol-blended fuel. Since ethanol has a lower energy density compared to pure petrol, the engine may use slightly more fuel, which could lead to a decrease in fuel efficiency.
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What About BS6 Stage I Models?
Currently, the brand has not released any updates for the BS6 Stage 1 650 cc motorcycles, which are only compliant with E10 fuel. It remains unclear if the company plans to launch E20-compliant parts for these bikes in the future.
Solution Other Brands Offered
Bajaj Auto has introduced a simple and cost-effective solution to keep BS3 and older engines running smoothly. While the components in BS6-compliant motorcycles are designed to work with E20 fuel, Bajaj Auto has outlined a way to maintain BS3 and older motorcycles without any hassle. According to experts at Bajaj Auto, using a fuel system cleaner can help reduce the adverse effects of ethanol on the combustion chamber. These fuel system cleaners are available at fuel stations and service centers, costing around Rs 80-100 for a 40 ml bottle.