I´ve tried running the expensive stuff as well as commun with the result of bad and ghastly performance, respectively.

Loaded the bike up today for shipping to the States. I´ll follow up if it still has problem with US fuel.

XT 600e
 

Hi Ted,
I have a XT600 E and it is funny that you are having problem . You shouldn´t even with less than premium gasoline. Did you try check with a Yamaha dealer ?
I live and also have an XT600 E (now I am in Mexico with it) and this xt family has been sold in Brazil in many years from now ( it has its own forum Página do Clube XT600! , unfortunately only in Portuguese).
Good luck !
Jose

Following up. Just received my Vstrom1000 back in the States from Brazil.

It was definitely the ethanol that was causing the problem. I lost everything from 3-4000 RPM.

With US gas everything is now fine although ethanol damage to my 3rd fuel filter left me stranded on the side of the road today.

I think Vstrom riders should be aware that Brazilian fuels poses some difficulties. Also all riders should beware of plastic fuel filters being destroyed by ethanol gasoline.

Well... The problem turned out NOT to be the fuel. Not directly anyway.

Im not sure if this was coinsidential or not but the problem occured 3 days into Brazil.

There is a very small fuel filter in my carb which is not in the PDF manual (reason i didnt check it when i stripped my carb)... This filter was blocked with gunk where I have no idea where it came from.

My suspicion is that the abrasive ethonol in the fuel was breaking down my plastic fuel lines or maybe something else and that caused the blockage.

I good clean out my a clued up Brazilian mechanic (who knew exactly the problems caused by their fuel) sorted it out..

After that the XT ran fine on the Brazilian gas. Best on the adictivada but it was ok, if a little poppy ,on the commun.

And did you leave that filter on the bike or did you remove it permanently?

Its still in there dude.

I wouldnt worry about it at all... A lot of people remove it but as long as you arnt putting crap dirty fuel into it, you should be ok. The Acerbis tank has built in filters and I had no problems anywhere apart from Brazil..

Its very easy to clean out (now i know its there)

Fortunately petrol is not as bad as it was 2o years ago when the octanage was only 65, apart from the 30 %+ of alcohol. I had a XT500 than. What i did is , I went to airfields and bought some airplane fuel. (pure petrol, 110 octan) and mixed it for about half half with the shite fuel of the petrolstations (as 110 would be too ' dry' for a bike). The bike was running like a train again.