Motorcycle Repair: banshee carbs?, yamaha banshee 350, carbs ive

Question
Ok, I have a 2001 Yamaha Banshee 350 twin. ok first day I got the bike it ran great, however I noticed a slight low end bog and I had to hold the throttle open some to restart it. It got rode alot that day and always started. The next morning when it had to be started cold it would'nt go....pulled the plugs and they were dry, sprayed fuel in the carbs and nothing, then i held it half throttle with the sprayed fuel in the carbs and it slowly started, a little more every kick until it was running. It ran good while it was runnin just like it had the previous day. The next time I went to start it cold the spraying fuel did not work so...off came the carbs, they were filthy, cleaned them real good, put them back on and it would not start by kicking, pop started it, it started and ran but now the revving and idle is way off. it wont stay running without help and when you hit the gas it and as though it sticks....it will revv real high for 2 or 3 seconds with your thumb off the throttle.(this is nothing to do with cable etc. I don't believe).....oh and it resarted again by kicking but you have to hold the gas like it was before......wow frustrating...any help would be much appreciated"

Answer
Hi Jeff,

This could be a number of things due to the fact Banschee's are super temprimental machines. 1st i would start with a compression check. If thats all good then go back to the carbs. When a bike (2 stroke) starts by push/pull/pop starting, but not by kicking it, tells me low compression.

The carbs ive found you can start at a base needle setting of 2.5 turns out, but youll have to listen to the motor when it is running, to tell what makes it run best. Ive found tuning Banschees better off by ear than by what any book can tell you. It cant hear what you do. Also, start with a fresh tank of gas, new plugs as well..

Hope this helps!

~Mark