So I just picked up a 97 gs500 for a few hundred bucks.  It is not running at the moment. I haven't checked spark or fuel yet. Looks like the PO may have recently tried some carb work.  Brand new fuel lines and hose clamps.  Too many if you ask me. That needs to be simplified. 
I'll snap some pics and keep updated on progress

I owned a GS500 back in 2000 as my very first street bike.   I never needed to work on it back them because it was new.  This bike will be my fiancé bike once it's running.  As a bonus I has brand new Avon Road Rider tires.

  sub'd'd'd,..it's a race!

Float needles were stuck shut.  I pulled them and cleaned them up.  Scraped the edges with 400 grit paper.   Put it back together and filled the carbs with sea foam.   I'll put it together tomorrow and put a new fuel line with an inline filter on it and see how it goes.

She's ALIVE!!!!!    Idle doesn't want to sit still.   And hangs up a little.   I'm gonna run a tank of cleaner through the carbs before I start tweaking.     

So today I ordered everything I should need to completely redo the carbs.   2 KandL rebuild kits.  2 new diaphragms and. Two 40 pilots and two 125 mains.    Might not have needed all of it butigjt as well change it all if I have it apart. 
PO also had what looks like the Uni drop in filter with two stage foam and a metal end cap.  All I need now to unlock full potential is a slip on or full system.   Maybe if I get one off of a wrecked bike.  No way I  am buying new exhaust for it.

Quote from: Picowatt on November 13, 2013, 06:41:34 PM
She's ALIVE!!!!!    Idle doesn't want to sit still.   And hangs up a little.   I'm gonna run a tank of cleaner through the carbs before I start tweaking.   

400 grit hmmmmm..... not good!!! Throttle body cleaner and regular old news paper is all you need. Also check routing of throttle cable. It should be routed over center brace for frame, if it's under brace it ends up being on too much of an angle at carbs. This also will make idle hover.

ive always had issues with seafoam on a gs. had better luck dunking carbs for 24 hours. with aforementioned rebuild kits.