Running on one?

Yes it was sand and stuff, not sure how it got past the rubber seal on the plug, but it seems to have.

Anyway having done all of that it still runs badly. I guess I am going to have to take the carbs off and split them.

The fuel is new, I take the point about RON 99 RON 95 I have tweaked the engine with a 4 deg advance woodruff key last year. Perhaps its that?

Bike usually runs fine on 95 or 99.

Snow stopped further investigations.

[punyXpress]

Is it running on two?
Spit on the front pipe & see if it is hot.
If so try same on rear pipe.
This will establish both are firing - without tools.

Yes - it is running on two, just badly. Backfiring and spluttering, no power off the mark, but still gets to a tonne if pushed. (well 85 after all the private road is only so long.)

Not sure what it is really. It could be rubbish in the carbs still.

Ahha. Since I cleaned the front plug of sand dust and general road crap the bike now idles fine. I can blip the throttle with the idle speed up and it does not stall. Sounds good and even.

Its odd but the front plug rubber seal looks really solid, I guess the road crap gets round that somehow.

I'll do a search on here, but short of gluing it in, is there an after market plug cap that stops that from happening?

[yorkie_chris]

Silicon grease is the easiest option.