Motorcycle Repair: startup problems, startup problems, dry rot

Question
Hey chris,

i just bought this 1996 Honda CBRF3 that has been sitting for about 6 months to a year. I cleaned the spark plugs, which looked pretty knew and cleaned the carburetor, but when i tried to start it( I jumped it since the battery was dead) it just turned over and gave a sputter every once in a while. the highest the idle reached was 0.5. What could be the problem(s)here and what should i do without spending more than the worth of the bike?

Answer
Hi Anthony.
 The bike sat for a year, so here's what you have;

The bike sat and all the fuel that was left in it has turned to varnish.  Drain and reseal the tank (this will seal out further contamination), clean out the carbs again and check the entire electrical system for reasonably occurring shorts and dirty/corroded connections.

 In addition to that, you will want to do a full maintainence on the engine.  Replace the oil and filters, do the valve gap and timing and check the tires for any signs of dry-rot.  If they are cracked anywhere, replace them.   You safety is on the line with that.

 You may also want to test the coils to make sure that they are within specs.  They probably are, but it is worth looking at.

Good luck.
FALCON