noob here.... having what sounds like dirty jets problem on my 08  (bike sat for a minute).... stalling, rough idle, etc..... wondering if a normal joe like myself can do a simple cleaning of them without taking the carbs off or maybe a step by step instructions thread I missed here....thanks !!!

how long was it sitting? You could throw seafoam in it and see if that works.  You could leave the bike in full choke till it hits around 6000 rpm then slowly close choke and when it starts sputtering open the choke just a little and let it burn out what it needs to.

Or a mix of very hot water and seafoam - like a 3 part water 1 part seafoam to start with, my wofe wont let me microwave seafoam, so I have to do hot water + seafoam.
If you can heat it, just heat the seafoam water mix, but make sure your floats are not sticking open. If they are it will get in the motor. Not much problem, just take out the sparkplugs and crank it and then spray it with wd40 3-4 times and crank it out.

The temperature helps a lot to crank up caked up gasoline which seems to go bad awful fast.

Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on October 18, 2011, 09:29:29 AM
Or a mix of very hot water and seafoam - like a 3 part water 1 part seafoam to start with, my wofe wont let me microwave seafoam, so I have to do hot water + seafoam.
If you can heat it, just heat the seafoam water mix, but make sure your floats are not sticking open. If they are it will get in the motor. Not much problem, just take out the sparkplugs and crank it and then spray it with wd40 3-4 times and crank it out.

The temperature helps a lot to crank up caked up gasoline which seems to go bad awful fast.

Cool.
Buddha.

Thought he wanted easy?  I had no idea you could mix hot water and seafoam Buddha.  Does it act like a super hot carb degreaser?

I dont like alkaline cleaners, they can eat up the shiny coating on the carb. We are using as little of it as we can and doing the work with water and temperature. I dunno, I actually dont like the lazy method of cleaning it at all. Open and clean with toothbrush and wd40 is my way. I guess having done 1000 carbs that way I am reluctant to use stuff I am not 1000% certain of. I'd look pretty stupid if you send me a shiny aluminum carb to clean and rejet and I return a dull grey carb back to you wont I. WD40 and elbow grease ...
Likely seafoam wont affect it in the 1 use you are doing now ... but of course if they told us WTF is in it we can be 100% certain ... else I'd stay away from it. Besides I am pretty suspicious of somehting you put in gas, oil and the radiator ... WTF ... make up your mind.
Cool.
Buddha.

On a bike that new you can USUALLY get away with removing the carbs, pulling the float bowls, removing and cleaning the jets and bowls and reassembling.  Since you will have the carbs off remove the plugs covering the idle mixture screws and set them for best idle.  If you go that far consider shimming the needles. It doesn't take much to get the pilot jets dirty and while running cleaner thru the tank fuel may help, I have never seen a fuel additive get a pilot jet truly clean.  I don't even clean and reuse them anymore - I just find a place with low prices and buy new ones. 

thanks everyone for the info!! bike sat for 10 months with a dead battery before I bought her..... she is brand new with only 230 miles on her.....done the choke thing... still an issue. sounds like I have to take the carbs off for a good cleaning.....

Quote from: nrek619 on October 19, 2011, 08:35:09 AM
thanks everyone for the info!! bike sat for 10 months with a dead battery before I bought her..... she is brand new with only 230 miles on her.....done the choke thing... still an issue. sounds like I have to take the carbs off for a good cleaning.....

10 months huh? Yeah, drain the tank, take the carbs off and give them some loving, the beast will come back to life.  Oh and make sure you check the tires for dry rot (cracks) and you will probably have to lub the chain.  Stay away from a penetrant spray like corrosion x for your chain. I put that stuff on my chain and it ended up getting on my tires and dry rotting them. 

10 months is nothing, it can just be drained and refilled wiht fresh gas and cough and sputter it may but will straighten out pretty quick. You do need new gas in the tank though. Maybe run tha tthrough the carbs 1-2 times and drain it out in case you got some old gas stuck to em.
Cool.
Buddha.

new gas and a good chain cleaning.... cool!! will give it a go tomorrow and let post the results k!! thanks again!! ! tires are good and would I need to change the oil and filter.....?

Yeah, dont get me wrong, 10 months is a long time but the gas is bad so you need good gas.  If it still wont clean itself out then you will have to clean the carbs. Drain the tank by removing the rear gas line on the petcock (at least i think its the rear one) and let it drain into a container then fill up the tank with good clean gas and let it run through.  It may save you a hour or two but most likely wont.  If you have to clean the carbs dont worry about it to much, it is good experience and there are lots of tutorials here to help you on your way. 

As stated before, drain the fuel, remove the carbs, clean them really well (overnight carb dip is the prefferred method, followed by a dose of canned carb cleaner, then blow out all orifices with compressed air), re-assemble and go

looks like just the fuel drain and new fuel in the tank work!! think a oil change also would be recommended....?

When in doubt, change it.

Seriously though, most people change their oil before or after the riding season anyway. Besides, that low mileage motor is still breaking in, and there will be little metal shavings chilling in the oil and filter.

she's still running a little rough but rideable.  sounds like maybe it's misfiring ....? and a good carb cleaning is in order. took her out for a few runs around the block. will change the oil next week. I am still new to riding. just barely got my license. also the previous  owner had a low mph drop on it and I just noticed that the front wheel looks  like it is unaligned.... the handle bar looks like its off a bit....? how to fix...?  I guess you call it that. thanks for all the help here....this forum rocks!!!!

If the handlebars are bent at all, I recommend replacing it. Some people try to straighten it out, but the structural integrity is compromised already. 

As far as the wheel being crooked....... that could be a couple different things with just as many solutions. I'll let somebody else chime in on that one - or do a couple searches on here since there's been a few people with the same problem.