Alright, I bought my bike about a month ago and have still yet to ride it. The bike was in a little less than perfect shape mechanically, but I've since replaced the spark plugs, changed the oil/filter, re-jetted and rebuilt the carbs and put a fuel filter on.

The p.o. of the bike did a horrible job when he re-jetted the carbs, which were my main problem (the carbs were leaking into the cylinders and it was flooding). Well, I've since put my re-jetted carbs back on the bike and put it all back together. I went to start it up and I simply will not start. It cranks and cranks and cranks like it's gonna turn over, but it doesn't. We checked and made sure the plugs were sparking and the compression was alright...both were good. I just don't know where to go from here. I'm thinking MAYBE it's a problem with one of the fuel lines....maybe it got pinched or something, but I SEE fuel sitting in the fuel filter.

I dunno where to go from here guys.....please help a brother out! Thanks!

OK. 1st guess, did you put the fuel filter in backwards. There is a check valve in the filters that restrict flow one way only.
Next I would break the float bowl drain screws loose and see if I'm getting a good stream of gas out each side. A 6" piece of clear aquarium air hose on the little nipple at the bottom of the hole will help from making a mess.
Where did you install the filter?.
Did you hook the vacuum line back up that runs from the frame petcock tot the front middle of the left carb?
Does it run with the fuel lever in prime?.
Need more info please.
I'll be leaving shortly but feedback from you will help others identify your problem.
Good luck.

I put the fuel filter on the fuel line going from the frame mounted petcock to the lower tube between the carbs. There were arrows saying in and out on the filter, and I hooked the line from the petcock the IN side and fed the line from the OUT part of the filter to the lower tube between the carbs.

I hooked the vacuum hose back up, yes.

Fuel lever in prime?

Quote from: Tyrant171Fuel lever in prime?

The frame-mounted petcock has 3 positions: ON, RES(erve) and PRI(me).  The first two will only allow fuel to flow if the engine is running and providing vacuum pressure.

The PRIme position will allow fuel to flow to the carbs whether the engine is running or not.  The fuel path bypasses the vacuum-actuated diaphragm in the petcock, so the fuel gets pulled down to the carbs by gravity.

The PRIme position is intended for exactly the situation you seem to be in: the float bowls are empty, so the engine won't run, so vacuum pressure is only applied to the diaphragm while you crank the engine over with the starter.  It can take a good while to fill the float bowls that way....  

Turn the frame-mounted petcock to the PRI position.  Wait for 20 seconds or so.  Turn it back to the ON position.  Try to start to bike.

PS:  If you have already opened the float bowl drain screws and gotten a good stream of fuel, then "never mind"!

PPS:  On '89-'00 models the PRIme position is straight UP, and the ON position is straight DOWN.  On '01+ models the PRIme position is towards the rear I believe, but the ON position is still straight DOWN.

Keep us posted!

Where the fuel hoses go into the petrol tank there is an on off screw which you turn with a flat blade screwdriver, did you remember to turn it back to the on position when you refitted the tank?

You couldn't be as dumb as me, but I once sat at the side of the road for half an hours 'cause the bike wouldn't start, until I discovered that I'd accidentally knocked the kill switch into the OFF position.  Worth a look.