[Mjj]

My 2009 has not been operating well this season. I did the normal maintenance cycle in the spring (oil, filters, gas, adjustments, lube cables, ect). All seemed fine. Did install a new battery as the old battery was the original and it was just time.

A month or so back I started to notice that starting was becoming more of an issue. Needed more choke and with the choke engaged, it did not rev quite as high as normal.

One trip (20 miles total), the engine literally quit running while I was cranking down a street in 2nd or third gear. It was as if I had hit the kill switch. I pulled over and restarting was a real problem. Needed to go full choke on a warmed up engine. Kind of spooked me. At stops, I would engage the choke to keep the idle at 1500 otherwise it would die. This happened only that one time.

After that event, it just seems to run slightly rough. It has never died again, but remains harder to start. Also when idling I am noticing what sounds like small secondary backfires. Very subtle.

Finally the last odd thing is it experiences significant backfires on starting now. Not every time, but in past years I would say it would backfire a couple times a season. Now it has backfired a half dozen times. It is no longer a surprise.

I tried searching the forums as I recall reading something like this a while back. No joy.

BTW the engine is completely stock, no jetting. Factory exhaust. No air box mods. I use the bike as a "urban scooter" and so it goes on a half dozen short trips to the store or wherever every week. The odometer shows about 11K miles. I had the shop do a valve adjust and carb sync at 9000 miles or so. If I put on 1000 miles a season, that is about it. I take it out on occasional highway trips...because that is a lot of fun. Otherwise it lives tucked in the garage keeping company with the bicycles and lawn mower. Tough life.

I'm thinking it might be time to do a complete clean on the carbs. What do you think? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks.