Motorcycle Repair: carb, suzuki gs550, mixture ratio


Question
well i am sill working on this suzuki gs550 1983 i cleaned the carbs fixed the choke and it still does not work right
it starts and runs great on choke but give it gas or take the choke off it dies

Answer
Jason,
Sounds like you are running too lean.  I'm not sure what you are refering to when you fixed the choke, was it broken, how so?  Assuming the choke is operating properly you could have a few causes to the carb not putting out enough fuel.
1)  Fuel line blockage
2)  Needle valve stuck shut
3)  Floats improperly set
4)  Main jet damaged, clogged or set to the wrong grove
5)  Improper fuel to air mixture ratio, set screw (usually 1 and 1/2 turns out from seated)

Any of these suggestions can cause what you are describing,
Here's some basic info I've given others on cleaning and setting carbs.

Disassemble, clean all jets and orifaces with solvent and COMPRESSED AIR ONLY, use NO wire or picks to clean holes/airways. Rebuild carbs with new gaskets and make sure your floats are set correctly. . Do not overlook the float level, be very sure you are not starving for fuel or allowing too much to enter (there is a hieght setting for these in the manual). Inspect the needle valve for smooth operaration and any wear and debris. In relation make sure fuel flow is unobstructed and use a good in-line fuel filter from the tank to the carb. Even tiny particles in the fuel can get logged in critical areas and cause havoc.  

Hope this helps, Mike