Idle wont stay in one place.

bought a bike took it for a ride when i picked it up,ran ok. Got it home wouldn't start,now i replaced the plugs and gas(old gas) Cleaned the air filters and it wouldn't start. Pulled the air filters and laid my arm across the carbs and it fired,idles ok but not smooth like it should. basically it high idles after you ride it a few and you gotta keep messing with the idle knob,figured i would pull em and clean em tonight,and advice otherwise?

Intake manifolds dried and cracked equates to vacuum leak....

Is there an in line fuel filter?

If you pull the crabs, at least take a look inside the float bowls, should tell you quite a bit regarding their condition....

You replaced the plugs, what condition where they in?
Black, oily, sooty, white etc....

Have you checked the ignition timing?

Battery voltage?

Throttle cable & carb pulley conditions?

OMR

It pulls like a freight train when under throttle. I pulled the carbs just now,gonna go through them tonight and clean everything. the intake boots look good,no cracks that i can see. Will see what the bowls look like tonight and clean all jets and so on. Timing is good on it,it sat for a long while tank had that old gas smell so i am thinking the carbs just need a good going through hopefully.

Make sure you put on a good cycle filter as Old man Rock mentioned. It'll save you from doing them over and over. Bob

Old Man Rock wrote:

If you pull the crabs...

CRABS, really? LOL! :laugh: