Motorcycle Repair: Bike not starting and engine not steady, suzuki dr200, motorcycle technician

Question
Hi Falcon

Cool name!  My name is Isabelle ( a little bit more boring).  I just got my second bike, I am the 3rd owner.  It is a Suzuki DR200 SE with just over 600 miles.  Year is 2000.  The bike has been seating still quite a lot as the 2 previous owners did not ride much (obviously! :) )
I got the bike just two weeks ago.  I have had problem starting the bike.  The few first time it did start really fine, and then, it did not.  Also, the engine runs sometime high and then low, so it is not steady.  I replaced the battery and that did not solved the problem.  A good friend of mine that ownes 17 bikes checked it out and said the start plug and the air filter are clean and in good working condition.  Do you have any idea what can cause these problem, first problem being that the bike does not start (it will when jump started) and why is the engine not running steady , even after being jumped start.  (sorry, English is not my first language, so I do not have all the words needed to describe the situation.)  Could it be the carburator?  Could it be that the engine, because of sitting too long got some debri in it?  I just ordered the repair manual and will bring it, with the bike, to a friend who is a motorcycle technician and I wanted to have your idea and suggestions.
Thank you so much for your help.  I cannot wait to ride.  
thank you again
let me know if you need any more detail that could help you answer the question
Isabelle
Venice, CA

Answer
Hi Isabelle.
 Thank you for the compliment on my road name.  Eventually, when you hang out with enough riders, especially the "old-timers" who've been riding for 20 or more years, you'll end up with a cool road name too.  Give it time.

Now, on to your problem.  From what you have described to me, this bike most likely has a problem in the carbs.  I get questions like this all the time with bikes that spent most of their lives sitting, rather than out in the wind, which is where they're meant to be.

What happens when a bike sits without being stored properly, is that the fuel begins to evaporate, leaving a residue behind that we call "varnish" (because that's what it looks like).  That varnish gumms up the works, making moving parts stick inside that carbs as well as disrupting proper fuel flow.  It can cause anything from not starting, to just running badly.  It also robs you of riding time and fuel mileage.
 This is why, when someone asks about storing a bike, I tell them to drain the fuel out of the tank and run the engine till all of the fuel is out of the rest of the system. Nothing to evaporate and gum up the works.

Now this does not mean that you can't leave fuel in the bike if it's just a few (1 - 4) weeks.  You can, but if you plan on storing it, for the winter, as an example, then do as I just instructed.

Pull those carbs and get them properly cleaned, then make sure that they are synchronized as well.

If that doesn't fix it, then start checking the ignition system for shorts, bad connections and arcing.

You'll be on the road in no time, I am sure.
Good luck.
FALCON