Kawasaki Ninja Owners Manual: Fuels Containing Oxygenates

Kawasaki Ninja Owners Manual / General information / Fuel Tank / Fuels Containing Oxygenates

Gasoline frequently contains oxygenates (alcohols and ethers) especially in areas of the U.S. and Canada which are required to sell such reformulated fuels as part of a strategy to reduce exhaust emissions.

The types and volume of fuel oxygenates approved for use in unleaded gasoline by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency include a broad range of alcohols and ethers, but only two components have seen any significant level of commercial use.

Gasoline/Alcohol Blends - Gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol (alcohol produced from agricultural products such as corn), also known as “gasohol” is approved for use.

NOTICE

Avoid using blends of unleaded gasoline and methanol (wood alcohol) whenever possible, and never use “gasohol” containing more than 5% methanol.

Fuel system damage and performance problems may result.

Gasoline/Ether Blends - The most common ether is methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). You may use gasoline containing up to 15% MTBE.

NOTE

Other oxygenates approved for use in unleaded gasoline include TAME (up to 16.7%) and ETBE (up to 17.2%). Fuel containing these oxygenates can also be used in your Kawasaki.

NOTICE

Never use gasoline with an octane rating lower than the minimum specified by Kawasaki.

Never use “gasohol” with more than 10% ethanol, or more than 5% methanol. Gasoline containing methanol must also be blended with cosolvents and corrosion inhibitors.

Certain ingredients of gasoline may cause paint fading or damage.

Be extra careful not to spill gasoline or gasoline oxygenate blends during refueling.

When not operating your Kawasaki for 30 to 60 days, mix a fuel stabilizer (such as STA-BIL) with the gasoline in the fuel tank.

Fuel stabilizer additives inhibit oxidation of the fuel which minimizes gummy deposits.

NOTICE

Never store this product with “gasohol” in the fuel system.

Before storage it is recommended that you drain all fuel from the fuel system. See the Storage section in this manual.

Fuel Type
Use clean, fresh unleaded gasoline with a minimum Antiknock Index of 90. The Antiknock Index is posted on service station pumps. The octane rating of a gasoline is a measure of its resistance t ...

Side Stand
The motorcycle is equipped with a side stand. A. Side Stand NOTE When using the side stand, turn the handlebar to the left. Do not sit on the motorcycle while it is on its side stand or cen ...

Other materials:

Washing Your Motorcycle
Rinse your bike with cold water from a garden hose to remove any loose dirt. Mix a mild neutral detergent (designed for motorcycles or automobiles) and water in a bucket. Use a soft cloth or sponge to wash your motorcycle. If needed, use a mild degreaser to remove any oil or greas ...

Warning/Indicator Lights
: When the transmission is in neutral, the neutral indicator light goes on. : When the headlight is on high beam, the high beam indicator light goes on. : When the turn signal switch is pushed to the left or right, the turn signal indicator light blinks. ...

Break-in
The first 1 600 km (1 000 mi) that the motorcycle is ridden is designated as the break-in period. If the motorcycle is not used carefully during this period, you may very well end up with a “broken down” instead of a “broken in” motorcycle after a few thousand kilometers. The fol ...