Will a Motorcycle Start With Old Gas?

Motorcycle gas plays a critical role when igniting the motorbike engine and that’s why you need to know if the motorcycle gas is old, if yes then will a motorcycle starts with old gas? 

You can start a motorcycle with the old gas if it contains enough octane to ignite your motorbike engine. If your motorbike gas doesn’t contain enough octane content or is more than 6 months old, your engine will starve for gas or may not start. 

Let’s consider what it means and what you can do about it. 

While writing this post, I leave no stone unturned so you can know everything about starting the motorcycle with old gas. 

Will a Motorcycle Start With Old Gas?

Starting a motorcycle with old gas can be riskier, and that’s why you need to know; will a motorcycle start with old gas? 

You can start a motorcycle with the old gas if it contains enough octane to ignite your motorbike engine. If your motorbike gas doesn’t contain enough octane content or is more than 6 months old, your engine will starve for gas or may not start. 

The octane content of the motorbike gas is the critical factor responsible for starting the motorbike engine. 

Can You Mix Old and New Motorcycle Gas? 

Indeed you can’t start the motorbike engine if the octane content in the fuel is less than the recommended limit. Now the question arises, can you mix old and new motorcycle gas? 

You can mix the old and new motorcycle gas, but only if the old motorbike gas is less than 6 months old. It’s because, after 6 months, the motorcycle has lost almost all octane content. Mixing the old with the new motorcycle gas would starve your engine for power. 

And it will affect your motorbike engine badly or may decrease the motorbike engine’s health drastically. 

How to Start the Motorcycle with Old Gas? 

So far, you understand that mixing the old and new motorbike gas could decrease the efficiency of motorbike fuel. Now the question arises, how to start a motorcycle with old gas? 

Mixing the old and new motorbike gas indeed decreases the efficiency of fuel. But if you mix the old gas in a smaller proportion with the new motorbike gas, you could start the motorcycle with the old gas; however, it may decrease the overall fuel efficiency.  

You can mix 10% old gas with the new motorbike gas to use the old motorcycle gas effectively. 

How to Know if the Motorcycle has Old Gas? 

Indeed you can start the motorcycle with the old motorbike gas; now the question arises, how to know if the bike has old gas? 

Suppose you winterize your motorbike, which cannot give you good fuel economy. In that case, your motorbike gas is likely to be old enough. You can also compare the gas color; if it seems less yellowish or more brownish, then your motorbike gas is old enough. 

These simple tricks let you know when to change the motorbike gas with the new one. 

What Happens if You Use Old Motorcycle Gas? 

So you finally learned to know if the motorcycle gas is old. Now the question arises, what happens if you use old motorcycle gas? 

The octane content responsible for igniting the engine would be less in the old motorcycle gas. Thus, if you use old motorcycle gas, your motorbike engine will starve for more power which is totally absent in the old fuel.  

In the worst case, the old motorcycle fuel gas ethanol content would draw water vapor which would cause the engine internal rusting or corrosion. 

How Much Old Motorbike Gas Can You Use? 

So far, you understand that storing the motorbike in an iron-closed container wouldn’t save gas. Now the question arises, how old can you use the motorbike gasoline? 

Motorbike gas is all about its octane content, and that’s why experts never recommend using motorbike gas older than two months because older motorbike gas will have less constant content, which will starve your motorbike for power and decrease fuel efficiency. 

You can use the motorbike gas not older than 2 months but don’t expect the fuel efficiency and proper fuel-air mixture ratio. 

Does Using the Old Fuel Impact the Mileage? 

Indeed you shouldn’t use the motorbike fuel for more than 2 months; now the question arises, does using the old motorbike fuel impact the mileage?’

Your motorbike engine needs fuel containing a good amount of octane content for better performance; if you’re using the old motorbike gas, then your motorbike will use more fuel to ignite the fixed amount of octane content to run the motorbike. 

And if your motorbike burns more fuel than average, then your motorbike will give you less mileage than expected. 

Can You Slow Down Motorbike Gas Deterioration? 

Indeed your motorbike engine would be damaged if you use old motorcycle gas; now the question arises, can you slow down motorcycle vegas deterioration? 

Motorcycle gas deteriorates because of evaporating octane content. Still, adding the fuel stabilizer can slow down motorbike gas deterioration. The fuel stabilizer would slow the evaporation of octane content and preserve your motorbike gas for a longer time.

With the addition of a fuel stabilizer, you can rest assured that your motorbike gas will last longer than usual. 

Can You Add Fuel Stabilizer to Old Gas?  

So far, you understand that by adding the fuel stabilizer to the motorbike gas, you can slow down the motorbike gads deterioration. Now the question arises, can you add fuel stabilizer to the old gas? 

Adding the fuel stabilizer to the old gas is worthless because the octane content evaporated in the old gas, and the octane content couldn’t be returned, so adding the fuel stabilizer in the old motorcycle gas wouldn’t make it new.  

You can only add a fuel stabilizer when the motorbike gas is new and you want to slow down the deterioration rate. 

Should You Fill Motorcycle Gas Tanks Full Before Storing?  

Indeed it would be worthless to add fuel stabilizer to the old motorbike gas; now the question arises, should you fill a motorcycle gas tank before storing it? 

You don’t need to fill the motorcycle gas tank full before storing it because, after some months, your new motorbike gas will deteriorate and be useless. Instead, fill the motorbike tank a bit less and add a fuel stabilizer to delay the deterioration process. 

You can add antifreeze liquid if it’s cold to avoid micro ice crystal formations. 

If you own a garage then you should read my previous post where I discussed how can you protect your motorbike by storing it in the garage, CLICK HERE to read.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Final Verdict: 

Will a motorcycle start with old gas? You can start a motorcycle with the old gas if it contains enough octane to ignite your motorbike engine. 

If your motorbike gas doesn’t contain enough octane content or is more than 6 months old, your engine will starve for gas or may not start. You can use old motorbike gas by adding it to the new gas but in a small amount.