Motorcycle Repair: motorcycle dies at idle, kawasaki ninja, gasoline fumes

Question
1993 Kawasaki Ninja ZX600C - 5000 miles

I bought this bike over the summer.  It seemed to run good although there is some knocking-like noise coming from the engine.  Little oil leak.  My problem started a few weeks ago.  I was driving on the interstate and the bike just died.  I pulled over and trailered it home.  I waited about a week and decided to take a quick look.  The bolt had fallen out of the ground battery post. When I put a new one in it was really hard to start the bike, though I got it going.

Since then, it has been hard to start and it runs somewhat rough.  It hesitates when I really open the throttle.  

Also, it starts up ok.  I need to use the choke, but it will start up.  After a little while of riding it, it will stall if I come to a stop and it idles.  This also happens if I get on it and open the throttle, (it doesnt stall right there, but it dies when I come to an idle just after that.  If I drive really easy on it, it will run for about 5 min before stalling.  

I think this might be due to a few things.

1) the carbs may have become clogged when I let it sit for a week as I always forget to turn off the gas (How important is this by the way).

2) I painted the bike when I first bought it.  There was some around the gas fill hole.  Over the past couple months, I noticed the gasoline fumes were king of eating away at the paint, and some was falling into the gas tank during my last fill-up.  Maybe this clogged the carbs.

3)There is a little rust in the gas tank, maybe this is clogging the carbs.  Just a little, not big chunks.

I took the carbs off to get cleaned.  I was wondering if you had any advice on anything else I should change.

Thank You

Answer
First and formost it is critical that u shut off your gas when not using bike.  If u don't gas will continue 2 flow through the carbs and into cylinder.  The gas will then flow by the pistons into your oil causing it to become thin which will then cause your oil to blow-by the piston and foul your plugs...immediatly change your oil and filter!  ALWAYS TURN OFF GAS!

Now for the rest.  Your carbs r dirty and need thoroughly cleaned, but DO NOT seperate them from one another!  After this cleaning and b4 u run gas through them install a fuel filter between tank and carbs or u'll b doing this again really soon!  

Clean tank, coat it with tank conditioner and stop lettin the paint into the tank!

Good luck!