All right guys.

I'm happy to say that I've been permitted member status among you, and here's my deal.

I bought a '98 in late July (my first bike), got my permit and was happy like I was eight and it was Christmas... Until my bike wouldn't start.

It wouldn't start, wouldn't start, wouldn't start, so I jumped it and got her running. She sounds awesome, in neutral, in my driveway, but the moment I sit my (not fat) ass on her and kick her into gear, she putters out and dies. If I let her sit for a few days I might even get a quarter or half mile down the road before I lose power. The only thing I can really compare it to is driving a sports car at twenty miles an hour in fifth gear. Just feels like there's nothing going on, and the bike is working way too hard.

I bought to book, hoping to figure it out myself. I took her to the local motorcycle dealership. But those bastards wanted to charge me $700 for a carb cleanup and synch, pitcock replacement, and valve lash.I've checked out this forum ad nauseam, I've checked the pitcock, checked my fuel lines, taken the damn carb apart twice, cleaned it lovingly, and still have yet to get to the root of the problem. Everything seems to be working fine, and I can keep her running (in neutral, with no weight on her) in my driveway and can blast out some power. I've got a yoshi pipe on her and she sounds like a terrifying beast when she gets up to 10,11 k rpms, but she just won't GO!

Any thoughts or ideas could really prove valuable at this point. I am not a mechanic, though I am very excited to have picked up a hobby I always wanted but never had the money for (until a few months ago).

I could upload some pictures if anybody thinks it would be helpful.

Oh, and by the way, I'm Stefan.

I appreciate guys (and the occasional girl, hah).

This also might be helpful. The guy who had it before me laid it down (on both sides) and cracked a one of the carb caps. It's cool though, he just bondo-ed it... fucker.

Woah, crazy. Have you tried popping it into gear while on the centerstand? Do you have a clutch problem or something crazy like that? If it dies as soon as you pop it in gear, that seems like it could be a drive train problem...

Does it run properly if you put it on Prime?

Side stand switch clutch switch and yea fuel flow ... and broken carb cap = very very very bad, and no, bondo will not fix it.
I'd replace the caps. Check the diaphragm - cracked top can take the diaphragm with it, the thing is right under the cap... synch, clean and what not ... Besides people that bondo that literally ... need to be wathced every second of the day, god know what other red neck hack is in it. 
I can do carbs for you and petcock check too $45 for clean and rejet of carbs, the cap will be +$5 ... you have a pipe and you didn't rejet ... yea can cause your problem too though lean = idle hovering and ghostly white sparkplugs.
Valves typically dont need more than a check till you get 20K+ on it.
Anyway, PM me if you need the rejet type job or a jet pack and the top or diaphragm etc etc ...
Cool.
Buddha.

Be sure it's got FRESH GAS 'cause I know mine is a real  complainer on low-quality or stale gas. Exact same symptoms.  Drain out some fuel and top it up from a different station.  Make sure the fuel is reaching the cylinders (petcock working, carbs clean and functional).

I put 93 and some cleaner in her the other day. The diaphrams are fine (haha, i almost spelled that phine) but i'm gonna get some o-rings replaced, a float valve, and that carb cap tomorrow. i have no clue what it means to synch a carb, or the rejet dealio, and the bike's only got 6ks on it.

Petcock is fine. And yeah, hey buddha, she's got two different mirrors and two different turn signals... which will be replaced once she's running and getting me to and from class and work.

And thanks for being so speedy with the replies guys, my homework (which isn't insubstantial, i'm a junior at Purdue) has taken the back burner with the end of the season drawing nigh.

Well carb cap $5 and shipping. O rings $10 and shipping ... jet pack $22 ... and maybe I can discount it all $3 if all is ordered at the same time and ship em all in 1 box.
Cool.
Buddha.

OK I dunno maybe I was running to take somehting off the stove when I posted this ... I usually am detailed enough to choke anyone ... and this is a 1 liner ... 

You may have a misadjusted carb ... jetting wont quite cure that.

You may have a tear in the diaphragm and that crack in the top is bad news ... but you knew that.

O rings - typically are for leaking carbs ... but float going high or air leaking into the carbs are equally bad.

I'd recomend you send me the thing ... its an adjustment more than a jetting issue I feel, and yea top and diaphragm are definete items to be looked at in close detail.
So, rejet, yea, O rings - maybe, Carb top definete, Diaphragm - maybe, and its a setup issue ... somehting is put in crooked or jalled closed or stuck open or somehting.
I'd rather look and do it and send you pics of before and after ... and set it right, than just sell you some stuff.

Cool.
Buddha.