In-line fuel filter

[jambo]

The choke cable has a Y-piece splitter before the carbs. It's not unknown for one of the plungers to stick, with the cable operating the other normally. Worth taking the choke cables off, oiling them up and re-installing.

If it got wet the other possibility except the front plug being wet (a reasonable amount of silicone grease should sort that) is that there's water in the fuel:

Check that the drain hole in the rim of the fuel filler hole is draining and not blocked by spraying WD40 or similar, it should appear from a pipe by the exhaust pipe / rear shock. If it's blocked you'll need to check the drain hose for kinks & blockages. If it remains blocked for long periods it can rust through the pipe to the main tank, in this case the tank may have had it.
Drain the float bowls on the carbs noting if any water comes out with the fuel.

HTH

Jambo

[Biker Biggles]

Wet wet wet.
From what you say it sounds like this is your problem.

[northwind]

Yep, I agree with that, wet front plug can wreak total chaos. Or it could be a badly stuck choke- front one probably, it gets most of the moisture and also, if the Y-splitter breaks (which it always does) it can get stuck outside of its recess which basically pulls the choke half open all the time till it's relocated.

Just having a look at all your suggestions and found the nice person who owned the bike before me used a sawn off shank of a bolt to block the drain pipe coming from the fuel tank. I pulled out the bit of bolt to find....... yep rust coloured fuel pouring out of the hose. Oh joy...........

Dont know if this would help but I had a Suzuki Bandit (4 cylinder yes I know) but I put two of the HT leads on the wrong way around it still ran but only on 2 1/2 cylinders. Could this by any chance be the problem.
LOL not sure being the newbie to all things SV