as for actually cleaning the carbs, if they're bad enough that riding it a while doesn't solve your problem take them out and clean themproperly, running chemicals or oddball ideas like jet fuel to clean them isn't the best idea

I'm no chemestry major but here is the way i understand it:
Our bikes have low compression and are optimized for 89-93 octane. Jet fuel is around 110 octane. Octane= resistance to burn. So your puttin gas in your bike that won't burn completely in order to clean it out. Sorry I'm just not seeing the logic...


this is a little off the original topic but just to respond to some other posts in this thread...

using jet fuel or avgas in a sportbike for any reason is a retarded idea, even just for winter storage. sorry but its true
fill the tank up with pump gas, and either put in some stabil or hell just drain the gas before you ride it again if you think the gas sitting for that long is just going to destroy your bike (its not, btw)
I would worry if it sat for more than a year, but just over winter there shouldn't be any problems


and dude who the hell told you that? That information might apply to stupidly high octane gas or whatever the squids are running these days and calling "race gas" but actual race gas, such as VP U4 or MR9 (I love that **** lol) is around 89 and 93 octane (respectively) and will give you a few HP on a bone stock bike and a few more if its mapped. I think my new SV gained about 5 or so HP using MR9 without being mapped (doesn't have a PC3 yet).

The reason that high octane fuels don't do crap without a "built" engine is because you need high compression to combust the fuel efficiently, something sportbikes don't have. Actual race gas is oxygenated and very very CLEAN, which is why its so EXPENSIVE. You don't have all those filler chemicals to dilute the fuel but you do get the oxygen and some other additives that improve the combustion. Great stuff but its usually very corrosive. I've seen race gas eat through leathers (I imagine that kinda hurt lol)

 

i will just take them out and carb clean like a hooker on ho down weekend... it's not like i don't have time before riding season, this 20 degree **** you will not catch me in...thanks for the info to everyone, i'll get to work on her this weekend