2002 Surging and Low Idle after Rev

[Absolutnati]

After my bike is fully warmed up, it has issues surging, mainly in 1st and 2nd gear cruising around 4K-8K RPM (25% throttle). If I open it up above 50%, it accelerates fine, except for 1st gear. That usually stays surging above 8K. Low speeds are difficult, especially off the line. If I'm at a light and give it a good rev, the idle drops below 1K RPM for a couple of seconds, then goes back to normal. The idle always kind of moves up and down by about 100 RPM's. I installed new NGK CR10EK pre-gapped spark plugs, new Mobil1 4T Racing oil and STP oil filter, new OEM fuel filter, and 2 back to back 4oz. Seafoam treatments in the gas tank, so I doubt they are the problem. Should I bite the bullet for a carb cleaning and sync? Or is there something else I should try out or worry about? The bike did die out once while riding twisties one night in second gear around 8K RPM's. It started surging real bad, then finally quit during midturn. Kind of scary! The only mod done is a Yoshi TRS slip-on pipe.

[Deimos]

How many miles are on the bike?

Yes, id start with a sync and see if that helps.

And im assuming the air filter is ok?

[Absolutnati]

Originally Posted by Deimos

How many miles are on the bike?

Yes, id start with a sync and see if that helps.

And im assuming the air filter is ok?

About 5500 miles. Sync eh? I'd hate to pay for a sync, then find out I need the carbs cleaned afterwards (double pay). Air filter looked decent to me, but I'm not too sure what a "dirty" filter, or one that needs to be replaced, looks like. Last night I was riding and it was fine accelerating hard. It was surging when I would slowly accel or keep the revs at 8K RPM. It also seemed like it was working harder than it should to keep the RPM's above that. Almost like it was overworking. Could that be a result of carbs that need to be sync'd?

[Deimos]

It is an 02 with only 5500 miles on it?

if so it has probably been stored every winter and i bet someone didn't drain the carbs when it was sitting and i bet there is some gel in your carbs.

[Absolutnati]

I was thinking that as well.

[Deimos]

even so if you clean the carbs you will pretty much need to sync them after you put them back together...

[Absolutnati]

Right, that's why I was thinking about just going ahead with the carb cleaning unless it could be a totally different problem, such as a coil or a vacuum seal somewhere. I think I'm pretty sure it has to do with the carbs though.

[Absolutnati]

Well, took it in and the pilot jet was dirty. They cleaned and synced the carbs, along with richening the mixture and tuning on a dyno. It runs a hell of a lot better! The only thing I notice now is that the bike gets hotter quicker when in stop and go traffic. They left the rubber mat (heat shield) off. They said they do that on everyone's bike. That might be the reason.