Whats up guys? My name is Brad and I am a tattoo artist from Baltimore, Maryland. I just picked up a 2004 500f for $700    It has 9000 miles on it and the body is in PERFECT shape. The only issue is it sat for a season and the carbs are gunked up. SOOOOO...I have read a LOT of the posts on carbs here. It will be my first carb job so I am sure I will have a few questions so bare with me   

Welcome to the club.

Pics or it didn't happen!

Welcome!!!

Welcome!

Back to the carbs- if they are gunked up, pretty good chance the tank and petcock are too. Oh, plan on a new battery and possibly tires.

The tires and battery are fine...it starts right up every time (choked) of coarse. The problem is that even after it warms up, as soon as you go to give it any throttle it dies. You can get around it once and awhile by leaving the choke up a bit, but it boggs down real bad at low rpms, then as it powers through it seems fine. Now that I think about it, the carb may just need adjusted, but I am going to tear it apart and clean it anyway Along with the other things you mentioned).

Welcome to the forum.  I'm in DC so I'm sure I'll see you on one of the rides this year.  There are several GSTwiners in Baltimore and they are great ride buddies.

-Porkchop

Thats awesome Porkchop...that was gonna be one of my next questions 

If those are the original tires, they may be fine on the outside walls, but look in between the grooves for dry rot. 

Welcome to the club! Nice find on the GS. Gas in MD stinks because of all the ethanol. Go to walmart and look in the boating/ camping section and grab yourself a couple of bottles of startron. The stuff is incredible, and may save you some MPG. It will most likely be able to clean up your problem without pulling the carbs.

Redhawk...thats a good idea! I may give it a try and see if it saves me a few headaches

There's quite a few of us from Baltimore.

But few are as friendly and outgoing as ver4   

-Jessie

Quote from: BaltimoreGS on April 07, 2011, 08:20:45 PM
But few are as friendly and outgoing as ver4   

-Jessie

Is he so friendly because he has a vibrating seat?

-Porkchop

Quote from: Porkchop on April 08, 2011, 01:00:37 PM

Quote from: BaltimoreGS on April 07, 2011, 08:20:45 PM
But few are as friendly and outgoing as ver4   

-Jessie

Is he so friendly because he has a vibrating seat?

-Porkchop

It's made him love his GS as much as we do 
Welcome, Brad!
Porkchop- still waiting to see your new bike in person!  We need to arrange another ride-to-eat.

Sounds good to me.  I'll look at the calendar and set something up.

-Porkchop

What can I say?  I'm very.....helpful. 

Thanks for the help guys. Everything is running a LOT better. But I am still really sluggish starting from a dead stop. I am going to go ahead do the carb clean next. I just spoke with Buddha and I am getting a jet kit from him since I am already going to have the carbs apart.
As soon as I get this thing 100% I am gonna have to meet up with some of you for a ride. The weather is starting to get pretty damn nice!!!

So any updates on your bike?  Did you get the jet kit put in?