The manual says float height should be 14.6 +- 1 mm.  this means from the bottom of the plastic float. (when held right side up) to the bottom edge of the carb. right?

I will try my best to explain. This is a picture I made:


now imagine you push the paper (wich is the size recommended) a bit on the right so it cover the plastic thing, then you turn the carb something like 70°angle just enough that the thing were the fuel get in start to be blocked. If the seting is good the float should be as length as the paper.

If you have a ruler with mm markings (metric / millimeters) then just as GSR500 showed, if you measure from the top right corner of the white / orange-ish plastic float, it should be right at 14.6-15 mm on your ruler to the flat edge of the carb body (where the bottom of the paper is touching. If you bend the little metal "tang" that is in between the wire hook and the float needle just so that float sits at that measurement, you " should" get it right exactly on the gasket line.

I did this numerous times to make sure what I am saying works and it does. I checked my floats again this evening and spot on.

Good luck.

Yea i know about the metal tang, i was just making sure from the top of the plastic to the edge of the carb.  But in this pic, make sure GSF500  that you put pressure on the (in this pic right side of the plastic) put enough pressure on so that it sits, and will not go down any further, because that will actually lift the float to where it will be once there is fuel in there. see how your is at a angle /  well if you push down on the plastic it will raise it and level it out ---  just about.  Thats when you measure, not with it resting like in the pic.

Of course not, but I could not take the picture with one hand and the same time old the carb and the paper  , that's why I say "then you turn the carb something like 70°angle " 

For those with post 2004 bikes, I don't think you can adjust the floats.

1. I never got that 14.6 crap right ... ever ... of course about 200 carbs ago I went to a template ...
2. In the pic GSR put up, you have to push the float assy toward the body ... the bowl holds the non float part tight against the body.
3. Yes all GS carbs have adjustable floats. Newer ones are so stiff that they dont self adjust while in use ... of course I have seen plenty that were "adjusted" by ham fisted mechanics.


Cool.
Buddha.