I've taken care of the hanging idle issue I was having it seems. I started adjusting it after the bike was properly warmed up, and even though I don't think it was causing any problems, I moved my mirror over just slightly so it wasn't pressing against the choke lever at all. The bike runs great, but for some reason I can't seem to get the choke to do anything. Ever since I started turning the idle down once it warms up, I can't start it with the choke. If I want it to start I need to leave the choke off and turn the idle way up, which just means every time I get on the bike I need to let it warm up, and keep adjusting the idle accordingly. It's fine for a 4th ride tonight, but I'm sure after a couple weeks that's going to get real old.

You guys have any idea why my choke doesnt' seem to be doing anything anymore? I know... "adjust your choke cable!" is the obvious answer. The only problem is that as I tightened it(it has plenty of slack now, so it's not too tight) and pulled the lever back, it made the idle actually start to go down like the bike was going to stall, so I shut it off. Can anyone explain to me what the choke actually does? I understand how the idle works, but what is it that the choke actually does to increase the RPM. I might have an easier time solving the issue if I actually knew how it worked.

the choke adds more fuel into the air/fuel mixture.  More fuel means less air in the mixture.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't that mean the bike is running rich?  Too much fuel, not enough air in the mix while the choke is on?

I will look in my Clymer Manual in the morning.  I need sleep.

the choke doesnt add straight gas, it allows a small amount of very rich air/fuel mix to enter. if your choke's fuel passageways are plugged it would allow just air to enter, leaning out the mix even more creating the symptoms you described. try cleaning out ever hole/port in the carbs.

Quote from: black and silver twin on April 29, 2010, 11:10:01 PM
the choke doesnt add straight gas, it allows a small amount of very rich air/fuel mix to enter. if your choke's fuel passageways are plugged it would allow just air to enter, leaning out the mix even more creating the symptoms you described. try cleaning out ever hole/port in the carbs.

Yup. time for a carb service. theyre quite easy imho

A very dirty air cleaner element can do that.  Mine wouldn't start with the choke on a couple winters ago so i had to start w/o choke and quickly give it some choke to keep it running once it started firing.  Had new element I was waiting for spring to put in so I put it in and all was well after that.  Dirty element causes it to suck more gas in with less air flowing in.

Guess I'll just have to give it a blind cleaning and see if it helps. I just cleaned out my filter and re-lubed it with the proper K&N stuff, and my carbs have been cleaned a number of times over the past weeks when I was trying to get the bike running, but maybe when I tried to clean them I knocked some gunk loose and it just wedged itself in a worse spot. I'll play with it better later. It's supposed to rain on Saturday and Sunday, so maybe I'll pull it apart again one of those days. I know my cable definitely slides smoothly.

I'll have to look around online and see if I can find any good pictures and descriptions of how a choke works. I know the small carbs I've played with that belong to my wife's mopeds all basically just move a plate infront of the mouth of the carb with a smaller hole on it, so I guess it just restricts the airflow and forces it to suck in more fuel that way.