[Rajah]

Hello my most helpful friends:  Trying to get Rajah (since my name is Roger, Rajah seemed like a good name for the Bike) up and running.  The bike is a 2003 classic Bullet 500 ES, no engine mods (yet).  Bike sat for about 2 years while I was recuperating from a serious ow-wee.  To get it ready to run, I drained the old gas, took the carb apart and cleaned out all nooks and crannies I could find, and carefully reassembled, using the Mikuni manual, and the Hitchcock Mikarb instructions.  Set the pilot screw at 1.5 turns out, big old air screw out about 2.5 turns.  New battery, nice strong blue spark at the new NGK B8ES plug, fires right up and sounds good.  Until I pull the choke lever up after letting it run for 30 seconds or so in the down position, and it is just like shutting off the gas supply.  I have lurked through about 42 pages of posts (and learned a lot, many thanks) but did not see any that addressed this.  I would be most greatful for any ideas.  Bike ain't meant to sit in th ga-rage!  Especially now that I can walk on my hind legs again.

[GreenMachine]

Sounds like pilot jet plugged up..take off the fuel bowel  of the carb and take out the pilot and since u there take out the main jet too...clean them and put them back in and see what that does for you...of course its running with the enrich-er on but after a 10-20 seconds u should be able to shut it off and idle the bike ..keep in mind u might have to give it a little throttle to warm it up...

[baird4444]

you might also check that rubber mount for splits and cracks causing it to
suck air to make you way lean. The only way it will run is to have the
enricher on which is pumping more gas...    when running you can spray
it with wd-40. if it is leaking and sucks some in the motor will rev.
                    - Mike

[Rajah]

Thanks, guys.  I have had the carb off twice now, cleaned out the main and pilot and everything else I could think to do - float is within spec.  I visually inspected the rubber for cracks, but I will try spraying some WD around there while she is running to see if the engine picks up and smokes more out of the exhaust.

[Vince]

     Most people don't clean the carb nearly as well as they think. The pilot jet must be removed to be properly cleaned, and the passage in the carb must be cleaned as well-with the pilot screw removed also.
     You do not have a pilot screw and a big old air screw. You have a pilot (air screw) to meter air at idle. The big screw in the center of the slide is to adjust idle speed. There is no standard setting. You adjust the idle speed with it after the bike is thoroughly warm.
     As you take off the choke you must roll on the throttle or the engine will die.
     Check your plug. Replace it if it is black or wet or sooty, or any combination of these factors.

[Cappy]

My o6 iron barrel did the same thing when I got it.  It was running much too lean.  Once I rejetted and cleaned the carb, it was much better.  I also cleaned the choke system.  Somehow, your too lean.