Well crap, when it rains it pours...or snows.

[John Schmidt]

No snow yet thank goodness. The issue apparently is the carbs on the old bike, I might end up pulling them for the fourth time. I've ordered another kit from RedEye and tossing around the idea of simply doing them all over again from the beginning...a complete teardown & cooking them in my sonic bath as before. The bike was running good but after sitting for a couple weeks while working on other stuff, I now have at least one and possibly two carbs acting up. Running it until it's warmed up good and using additives hasn't cleared it up. Plus, now it won't start without using the choke...which it never needed in the past. Wish I knew someone that would simply swap this set with a known good set, this is getting old...like me, I don't buy green bananas anymore. 

[Jess from VA]

Wasn't there a guy on here while back offering to do carb rebuilds with swaps, rebuilts for your cores, plus money (not Attic Rat)?

To me, the fact you would need choke after a complete rebuild should not necessarily mean anything.  Mine (and many) have always needed choke on start.  (And FL is warmer than most places)

[scooperhsd]

No snow yet thank goodness. The issue apparently is the carbs on the old bike, I might end up pulling them for the fourth time. I've ordered another kit from RedEye and tossing around the idea of simply doing them all over again from the beginning...a complete teardown & cooking them in my sonic bath as before. The bike was running good but after sitting for a couple weeks while working on other stuff, I now have at least one and possibly two carbs acting up. Running it until it's warmed up good and using additives hasn't cleared it up. Plus, now it won't start without using the choke...which it never needed in the past. Wish I knew someone that would simply swap this set with a known good set, this is getting old...like me, I don't buy green bananas anymore. 

You lived in FL before, if I recall correctly. I doubt you EVER needed to use the choke ( or as it's known on a Valkyrie - the fuel enrichener).

regardless, your idea of better cleaning of the carbs is a good one. Then, try to avoid alcohol added gas, and try to burn the fuel in the carbs by closing the fuel valve on the tank.

[98valk]

Stabil 360 must be used with today's gasoline always and the ethanol is not the problem. my valk has sat for months and always starts up and runs fine with the stabil.
  the problem is they are refining low grade third world gasoline and using ethanol to boost it up so vehicles will run.

they make money with the refining and then federal tax dollars which support the corn ethanol covers for them. they all make money while stealing from the fine Americans.

[John Schmidt]

Yes, I lived in Florida for 53 yrs. and seldom had to use the choke. I've been in the Green Bay area a little over 2 yrs. now( ) and still have not had to use the choke until recently with the current problems. What doesn't make sense to me is it ran fine a week ago so I'm wondering what has happened. It won't even idle without the choke which is the blue ribbon indicator of plugged up slow jets. I'm tempted to try something from years ago; pull the plugs and the airbox(still haven't installed the tank 'just in case') and pour some Seafoam directly into the top of the carbs and let it sit for a couple days. Any thoughts about that, it worked on an old beater car some years back...got it to run good enough to be sold. One of those deals where you guarantee it to the curb. 

[cookiedough]

I have always used the full choke upon startup if more than 1 day ago, but always as most have flip choke off all the way up after a few minutes of idling warming up engine.  If that is not your case, something is wrong.  My 98 valk tourer requires a ton less choke way less warmup time to keep idling smoothly upon startup and idles down nicer quicker than my 2001 Valk I/S.    Unless tach off as well,  my 98 valk is well under 900 rpms at idle like 700-800 runs fine at idle that low vs. my 2001 Valk I/S anything under 900 rpms at idle warmed up or not does not like it has died on me too low of an idle a few times, mostly when still not fully warmed up though, more cold blooded for sure than my 98 valk tourer with double the mileage 81 vs. 42K miles.

[Willow]

You lived in FL before, if I recall correctly. I doubt you EVER needed to use the choke ( or as it's known on a Valkyrie - the fuel enrichener).
...

I live in Kansas, have three Valkyries (four counting my wife's), and ride year round.  I almost never use the enricher.

[scooperhsd]

Mostly just for starting in cooler weather, or if it has issues keeping running until warmed up.

[John Schmidt]

Today I pulled the carbs for the fourth time, hope it's the last. I've always used one version of Krud Kutter and never had a problem with getting all the carb bodies clean along with all the passages internally. This time...and it will be the last...I used a strong solution of Dawn and have had nothing but problems for the first time when rebuilding carbs. Never again. I'm halfway through cooking them in the sonic cleaner using the Kutter cleaner full strength, I really hope this is the last time they have to come out. This is the stuff I normally use, very effective. One gallon fills my sonic cleaner enough to cover two carb bodies at a time.