Quote:
Originally Posted by
bigthumper
The lead content in leaded petrol can leave a residue on the working surfaces of the converter, reducing its effectiveness over time. I think the occasional tankful wouldn't do much harm; but prolonged use would certainly wreck it! Having said that where do you find leaded petrol these days.
In Britain only a few licensed garages can sell it and only vintage/classic vehicle enthusiasts would want to buy it.
I'm not sure about its availability in the rest of the world but I believe all of the developed nations are lead free now.
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In Africa, apart from Morocco, Namiba, Botswana and Southafrica, leaded fuel is the only thing available. On a RTW trip, catalyst free cans is a must.
Using leaded fuel will because of the heat and residue of the fuel, burn your catalysts untill they stop working. That the catalysts stop working is only a problem to the invironmental buffs. But theroretically the can will eventually clog up and stop you in your tracks. Not a situation you'd want for on any bike.
The lambda probe (I'm asuming that the Tenere has one) will take damage and eventually stop working. I disconnected mine for testing purposes (I have an '07 R), and the increase in fuelconsumption is hardly noticable. Maybe 1 km or so per liter fuel. You can remove it if you like and blindhole it. In my case, I just left it in, and worried about replacing it when I got back from my trip.
Best regards
Torsten