Ashy plugs? Do you mean black carbon on the tips? Or white
Chalky looking plugs? Well I think a good carb cleaning is
In order, then check for intake leaks.

 

If the bike has been standing for a while, as mine had when I bought it., its worth trying this.

Drain the tank remove it from bike swill it out with clean fresh fuel.
Remove fuel tap and clean the mesh filter.
Remove the float bowl from the carb and clean out.
If some one has added another filter remove it and throw away.

My bike had been standing for a long time when I bought it, I was amazed at the amount of muck/rust that was in the tank and had blocked the mesh filter in the tank.

 

By ashy I mean whitish and chalky like it is lean. I never thought about the mesh filter on the petcock. DAmn I widh i had not just filled it up. I will ride some and get the tank drawn down and then do like you say and clean the filter and have the carb gone through.

Thanks
Phil

 

if its running lean i wouldn't ride it till its sorted. a lean running engine will do damage. as said before check for an air leak.

 

Here are my new plugs after 80 miles. Look lean to me, better clean filter mesh in tank and check for intake leaks eh?

 

A hint of an intake leak is an erratic idle speed and coughing thru the intake...Lots of other good advice already.

 

No erratic idle it idles like a champ

 

Screw the mixture screw out a turn and then see where you are,and I don't mean at the shops or the service station.

 

I dont mean to sound like such a newb but where is the mixture screw. I do have a manual so I can find it there but what will it be called, like the mid range screw or something like that.

Thanks for all your help
Phil

 

It is called the idle mixture air screw in the manual, and has a plug over it that has to be drilled out. Does it have stock pipes, or aftermarket? When I got mine it was surging between 48 and 52 mph. Also would miss and pop some on decel. I removed the 42 pilot jet and installed a 45. That fixed my problem, and it runs great with 50 mpg. I do have drag pipes and a K&N air filter.