could changing needle height possibly help?

Bump!

I have a 2001 K1 and have had the same issue since buying the bike over three years ago. This unfulfilled desire for something so basic and simple as a strong, smooth idle is growing increasingly frustrating.

Quote from: kylegod on August 04, 2010, 03:43:04 AM
on the fender under the seat it says 91 minimum.

I thought the same thing, but check the units, it's not 91 octane, it's 91 RON

According to wikipedia, 91 RON is about equal to 87 "octane" rating in the U.S.

Quote
In most countries, including all of those of Australia and Europe the "headline" octane rating shown on the pump is the RON, but in Canada, the United States and some other countries, like Brazil[4], the headline number is the average of the RON and the MON, called the Anti-Knock Index (AKI, and often written on pumps as (R+M)/2).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

Also, either way, going one up on the pilots is a good idea.  But you should still be able to get an idle without them.  Have you checked your mixture screws?  Or possibly your carbs are way out of sync.

hey sorry to break in like this but im having the same problem with mine. i cleaned my carbs about a month ago and now need to give it choke while starting when before i didnt. just wondering how to sync the carbs?

Quote from: importslife on August 20, 2010, 04:48:50 AM
hey sorry to break in like this but im having the same problem with mine. i cleaned my carbs about a month ago and now need to give it choke while starting when before i didnt. just wondering how to sync the carbs?

generally you should always have to use choke to start. even if your bike CAN start without choke, it's most likely idling below 1200. when the idle is too low, it's not pumping enough oil up into the head and you lose protection in the top for a while. if it's idling above 1200 at a cold start, it should definitely be much higher after it's completely warmed up.

as for the original poster: have you checked for a vacuum leak? possibly the boots around the intake and carbs. possibly the lines themselves. hanging idle tends to be from vacuum leaks or valves from what i can tell, especially if it's pretty easy to predict how to make it happen. just for fun i'd check the valve clearances too. doesnt take much just to check them.

Quote from: importslife on August 20, 2010, 04:48:50 AM
hey sorry to break in like this but im having the same problem with mine. i cleaned my carbs about a month ago and now need to give it choke while starting when before i didnt. just wondering how to sync the carbs?

If you take them off, you can usually get them pretty close by eye.  You can build a carb sync tool out of aquarium hose and colored water or oil for ~$10.  Check the wiki and search the forums, should be plenty of info.