I have read through quite a few posts, and while the symptoms reappear, they never quite line up with my particular problem.  Sorry this is so long, but I figured more information is better than less.  Maybe something in here is relevant to the problem 

I should start off to say that I loaned the bike to a friend over the weekend, so I don't have a very exact recount of what happened (his English isn't very good, and he doesn't really remember what happened).  Anyways, I rode the bike to his place in the rain, and then it sat in the rain for a day and a half.  I always park the bike in the garage, and I'm in LA, so this is the first rain the bike has seen since I got it.

He says the bike wouldn't start at all, so he recharged the battery.  With the battery charged, it still wouldn't start, so he messed with the petcock.  He says he turned it on reserve and prime at one point or another.  I'm not sure how long it was on prime.  He thinks either 10 minutes or overnight.     First thing I noticed when I went to pick it up is that the gas tank looks about half full.  I filled it less than 20 miles ago, so this is obviously a problem.  Most of those miles were in really heavy traffic, but I still don't think I should use up that much gas.   I didn't see any gas on the ground, but it was dark out, and I was working with a flashlight, so I could've missed something.

The bike had trouble starting.  The battery was weak, so we decided to push start it.  However, it idled really low (1000 rpm with the choke on), and stalled as soon as I gave it a touch of throttle.  I charged the battery and tried again.  I put the choke on, and it wouldn't start the first couple tries.  I then gave the bike a little shake as I hit the starter, and it fired up (this has worked in the past when I couldn't get the bike started after dropping it).  With full choke it still idled at 1000 rpm and sounded weak.  I tried to rev it a little, and as soon as I touched the throttle, the bike died.  We're talking virtually no throttle was applied when it stalled.  I was able to fire the bike up without trouble the second time, but this time it died as soon as I touched the choke (again, I barely nudged it).  At this point I decided to give up for the day and check out the forums.

I bought the bike a couple months ago, and only got to riding it a couple weeks ago.  Since then I first had starting trouble after filling the gas tank for the first time (with 89 octane from a Chevron gas station if this matters).  It took several tries before it started.  Later that night I had similar troubles starting it cold.  However, the next day, the starting troubles disappeared.  I did notice the idle was a bit high when the bike was warmed up, and the revs would stick around 3k when I came to a stop, so I adjusted the idle speed as suggested in other threads on the forums, and the problem disappeared.  Otherwise, the carbs were rejetted recently (according to the previous owner) to stock.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  I have never worked on a bike (or car) before, but I am willing to attempt simple jobs.  I have a small toolkit (screwdriver, hex keys, a small socket wrench set), and a lot of patience   I don't, however, have very deep pockets.

You cant ignore the possibilty that water could have got into the tank and contaminated the fuel. Drain the tank and flush it out, same with the carbs. If it doesnt cure the problem at least you have eliminated one possible cause.

Well, i decided to check the spark plugs at the advice of the people of the irc chat.  I think i may have found the problem.  Or at least a problem.  When I removed the wire from the right spark plug, it proceeded to fall right off the bike.  I found where the wire attaches by comparing it to the left side (follow it up from the plugs to the first thing you run into), and put it back in.  [EDIT:  I looked it up (yea i know this little about bikes) and the wire is loose where it attaches to the ignition coil.] When i started the bike, it ran great for about 2 seconds, then went back to the slow, weak idle.  My guess is that this loose wire is causing a weak/intermittent spark.  I'm not sure how the wire is supposed to be attached (did it break? or is it just loose?).  I bought a clymer manual... hopefully when it comes in, it will be over better help.

how do the spark plugs look like? (black and soothed or white and clean?)
good luck with your bike
Ka/\/\eL

Quote from: Somnia on September 27, 2007, 12:31:27 AM
Well, i decided to check the spark plugs at the advice of the people of the irc chat.  I think i may have found the problem.  Or at least a problem.  When I removed the wire from the right spark plug, it proceeded to fall right off the bike.  I found where the wire attaches by comparing it to the left side (follow it up from the plugs to the first thing you run into), and put it back in.  [EDIT:  I looked it up (yea i know this little about bikes) and the wire is loose where it attaches to the ignition coil.] When i started the bike, it ran great for about 2 seconds, then went back to the slow, weak idle.  My guess is that this loose wire is causing a weak/intermittent spark.  I'm not sure how the wire is supposed to be attached (did it break? or is it just loose?).  I bought a clymer manual... hopefully when it comes in, it will be over better help.

When new those wires are tight in the coils like they are bonded in, they are sold as one piece including the wire with the coil.  Actually when they come loose they are screwed into the coil on a threaded brass post where the wire goes into the coil.  I had a loose one on my 02 and had problems similar to yours for a while till I found the loose wire.  Sometimes you can just turn it clockwise back onto the post for a quick fix, if it won't screw down tight you can cut about half an inch off that end and then screw it and it will go tight.  A good squirt of diaelectric grease into the coil c'bore where the wire goes before screwing it in will keep out the moisture and keep you going for a while.

I got a 6' length of wire from Dennis Kirk and then put on a new length of wire last valve check and no further problems.  That 6' length should make about 6 spark plug wires for the GS.  I used this wire if you can't find it locally:

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=B5TEAB04QOCSTLA0WTKSM4VMDK0NCIV0?store=Main&skuId=2021&productId=p2021

$2.95 for the wire and $6.95 to ship it.   

Quote from: gsJack on September 27, 2007, 03:20:25 PM

Quote from: Somnia on September 27, 2007, 12:31:27 AM
Well, i decided to check the spark plugs at the advice of the people of the irc chat.  I think i may have found the problem.  Or at least a problem.  When I removed the wire from the right spark plug, it proceeded to fall right off the bike.  I found where the wire attaches by comparing it to the left side (follow it up from the plugs to the first thing you run into), and put it back in.  [EDIT:  I looked it up (yea i know this little about bikes) and the wire is loose where it attaches to the ignition coil.] When i started the bike, it ran great for about 2 seconds, then went back to the slow, weak idle.  My guess is that this loose wire is causing a weak/intermittent spark.  I'm not sure how the wire is supposed to be attached (did it break? or is it just loose?).  I bought a clymer manual... hopefully when it comes in, it will be over better help.

When new those wires are tight in the coils like they are bonded in, they are sold as one piece including the wire with the coil.  Actually when they come loose they are screwed into the coil on a threaded brass post where the wire goes into the coil.  I had a loose one on my 02 and had problems similar to yours for a while till I found the loose wire.  Sometimes you can just turn it clockwise back onto the post for a quick fix, if it won't screw down tight you can cut about half an inch off that end and then screw it and it will go tight.  A good squirt of diaelectric grease into the coil c'bore where the wire goes before screwing it in will keep out the moisture and keep you going for a while.

I got a 6' length of wire from Dennis Kirk and then put on a new length of wire last valve check and no further problems.  That 6' length should make about 6 spark plug wires for the GS.  I used this wire if you can't find it locally:

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=B5TEAB04QOCSTLA0WTKSM4VMDK0NCIV0?store=Main&skuId=2021&productId=p2021

$2.95 for the wire and $6.95 to ship it.   

AWESOME  I will try this out tomorrow.  I am glad it is so easy and cheap (hopefully this is the only problem).