You're "supposed" to turn the petcock off when you park it... it keeps fuel from slipping down into and overfilling the bowl. Just for grins, shut it off over night, then turn it back on in the morning and see what happens.

 

When I had my F3, I also always turned the petcock off when I parked it overnight. Like already said, it prevents gas from overflowing your carbs when its parked.

If your bike was designed to run on 87 octane, run it on 87 octane. Higher octane isharder to igniteand will actually be harder to start. there is no benifit on running higher octane than your bike is designed for.

My guess is plugs are fouled. they are a bugger once they foul. Sometimes a replacement is all that will work.they arent champion plugs are they?

Bikes of that year are just hard to start cold. Anytime the temp drops below 50 degs, you should use your choke before a starting attempt. Also, a weak battery will not allow the bike to start properly. The bike needs to spin over fast and when its cold, a weak battery will not allow the bike to spin over fast.

 

Thanks for the info, thats exactly the info i needed from you guys. I a got a new battery when i changed the carbs 500 miles ago. I have noticed that when the battery isnt almost perfect it sucks to start.
So for now i will try
1. turning the petcock off at night. ( most likely not the problem but its doesnt hurt)
2. Choke on all the way.
3. Ill check the plugs and you usually know they are plugged if the ends are all sorts of brown right)?
4. I haven't filled with 87 and will not in the future.

K, so for today i tried to start the bike at 1 o clock, wouldnt go, but it will come close and slightly cough. Then had to go somewhere and started it at 6:00 and starts first try with no choke at all, ( it totally boggles me that it starts so easy first try, it wont idle by itself, but will stay if it give it gas.). So when it comes time to leave at 9 it is colder, around 45 50 degrees outside instead of 50 - 60 degrees and the bike does the same thing. It will kinda cough with or without choke, and AS SOON as i turned on the choke i could smell gas. )

K something comes to mind that i tried extremely freakin hard to forget and push out of mind. So This problem was still happening before the incident of a buddy tipping my bike over at like 10 mph. When the bike tipped some gas was left on the pavement ( like 2-3 ounces) and was not dripping after and i rode it a half hour later. so Question, is it possibly normal that when layed down gas come outs of the carbs or somewhere and that something isnt damaged or broken? Thanks for all the info.

 

When you got the new battery 500 miles ago, did you charge it before using it? New batteries require charging for the first time before use or you can sersiously degrade it's performance. I'm not sure about the idle screw. My bike idles perfect at 1400 when warm, but when I start it, regardless of cold or hot, I have to blip the throttle. It start instantly and without hesitation. If i don't blip the throttle it cranks fast and starts up, but dies a second or two aftter I release the throttle. If the choke it on, same deal. Once it starts, I have to hold throttle on, maybe 10 seconds, then I release it. The bike idles slightly higher than normally and slowly increases idles as it warms up. If i don't touch it once started and idle is on it will eventually get up to 3000+ idle.