Solution: Popping on decel, hesitation on throttle up, poor idle.

Saw someone posted they'd like to see more solutions when people are asking for help. I totally agree.
I've been fighting a problem for quite some time with hard starting when cold, poor idle, poor throttle response (like when you slow up entering a curve and then lightly roll on the throttle, I'd get a hesitation). So, I tried rebulding the carbs. It helped but did not solve my problem. I mean I replaced everything: New vacuum hoses on air cutoff valves (one was cracked), all new rubber seals, new springs and o rings on pilot screws, new float valves, new floats, new vacuum port seals. I rebuilt the Petcock and replaced the vacuum hose. It needed it, but did not fix my problem. My bike is de-smogged. I did extensive checking for vacuum leaks. Nothing was fixing my problem. I synced the carbs after the rebuild using my Digi-Sync. Adjusted the pilot screws as well. All these things improved the performance but did not solve the issue.

I conferred with BigBF and he suggested that I check my timing belts for proper tension and adjust my valves. I had replaced my timing belts a year ago and tensioned them then. They must have slacked a little while getting "broken in". They were loose so I re-tensioned them. Then I adjusted the valves. They were slightly off.

Bottom line: Probably the loose tension on the new timing belts and the valve adjustment, along with the small leak in one of the air cutoff valves. purrs like a kitty-kat now!

It took some time to get it all together and I think it was a tough problem because no "one thing" was a smoking gun. I must've had the airbox off at least 5 times in this process. I'm ready for Inzane now! Wooo-Hooo!
Thanks Bill Ferguson!