I still think it's the carbs. I had this exact problem earlier this year, and was SURE it wasn't the carbs. LOL
I had cleaned them and disassembled them4 times, using several cans of carb cleaner. She still ran rough at idle, very lean, and i could pull plugs (forget which ones) and it made no difference. Plugs were getting spark. If it's not a spark problem, it's either an air problem or a fuel problem...

Then i looked closer at the needle jets (idle jet/slow jet). They are SO small, on today's fuel if you let your bike sit for a period of time they can gum up quite quickly. They don't have to close up, just block the flow of fuel enough to throw off the idle mixture. That's why she runs better with the choke on - richer mixture, although with partially clogged needle jets it's no longer rich, it's enough to run sort of "normally". Turn off the choke and there's not enough fuel: She runs like you describe.

Believe me, i was SURE those jets were clear. I ended up "flossing" them with a thin piece of copper wire to clean them out.

Then it happened to me AGAIN last week after not running her for 2 1/2 weeks (rain here in the northeast) although not nearly as bad. Fortunately after running for several minutes and revving a bit/cycling through the jets she seems to have cleaned herself out.

Just my .02

 

Could be a faulty plug try swapping it around.

 

Does it run on four when you rev it?
Mine did exactly that,it was a sticky exhaust valve!!

 

Ok amacadams I will try flossing my idol jets and hope for the best....

It will run on all fours if I rev it...so looks like according to swanee I better check my exhaust valves as well...
CDI last thing I want to replace and it tests fine, but if the hamster says check it out, guess I better lol
Thanks for the input gang, you all have been a great help, will let you know the next chapter of the 1000f saga....hopefully I fix it soon cuz my riding season coming to a close fast! (Maine winters start early some years!)

 

CDI is easy and cheap to rule out - pick one up on ebay for £40 like me and its a simple plug in - if it doesnt fix it - pop it back on ebay and you'll prob get your money(ish) back - wish I had done it sooner rather than cleaning my carbs out 3 times / buying new plugs / coils and HT leads

 

do a carb sink or swap the plugs

 

Pull the plug and check it.

1. Plug dry? No fuel, or at least, none at idle. Here we go with carbs again.

If it's wet there's no fire. Then, since it's easy to check for spark:

2. Hookthe plugto the plug wire, ground the plug either by holding it to the engine or using a jumper lead to ground to the engine, and crank.

No spark or very weak spark? It's the plug,the wire, the coil or . . . the CDI

a. Try another plug. Spark? You've found the problem.
No spark? Check thewire. Swap the #1 and#4 wires at the coil and try again.

No spark? Replace theplug wire.
Spark?Bad coil or CDI. Swap coils and see if the problem disappears.

Disappears? Bad coil.
Remains? Bad CDI (or wiring from CDI to coil)

3. If the plug is wet and has spark then:

a. Check compression.

Compression good? Then you know you havespark, fuel and compression. We're back tothe CDI,or wiring.
.

Edited to add: Cylinders 1 & 4 are paired as are cylinders 2 & 3. Eachpair fires together. Thus, if you wanted to speed things up you could first swap wires 1 & 4 at the coil before pulling plugs and see if the bike now dies when you pull the #1 plug. If so the problem is following the wire / coil, exonerating the #4 spark plug, carburationand compression and possibly the CDI. If it still dies when #4 is pulled then you need to check the plug, compression, etc.

Further edit: Since this problem seems to center around electrical problems itwould be a good idea to check all electrical connections, starting with grounds. Get some contact cleaner, disconnect every connection you can find, give each a squirt and reconnect them. Of course, you would disconnect one, clean it, and reconnect before disconnectinganother. Don't usethe contact cleanerfrom an auto parts store, most of them are instantdeath to certain kinds of plastic. Ilike DeOxit, which I order from Parts Express, but Radio Shack and similar stores should carry plastic-friendly cleaners.

 

Top Post ! love your work

 

Thanks for the kind words Mr.Hamster.

DRam

 

hey gang i have good spark, cdi tests ok, compression test good,ordered new pilot jets, (40,s) and still is running really lean, studders and skips when i hit throttle,like its starving for fuel. did discover that i sucked in a piece foam for the carb air cleaner element, but carbs are now cleaned twice and still not any better, so more help or suggestions would be apppreciated