Need to know what stock is

[wymple]

1981 GS850G--When I got my bike, it was surging. I enrichened the mid-range. There was a thick fiber washer above the c-clip on the needles, and a thin metal washer below the c-clip. I inverted them, a radical change, and the bike ran really great. Then I found my airbox rubbers not up to par, so all I really did was band-aid a problem. I now have new airbox rubbers and it's all good. I put the needles back to where I originally found them, and it starts and idles great, high revs are great, but it feels soft in the middle, not snappy at all. I've been searching, without result, for pics or info on how these needles are setup stock. Everything is stock, so the carbs most likely should be, at least as a starting point. I cannot tell if my midrange is a bit too rich, or a bit too lean. I have no stumbling, misfires, or popping going on, just doggy in the middle. Anybody have 1st hand knowledge of how the needles are from the factory?

[Nessism]

Plastic washer above the clip.

[wymple]

OK, I measured the shim under the clip, and got .040. Earlier I had put the plastic washer (.112) under the clip and it ran pretty good, but I suspected it was overkill with everything sealed up good. So I doubled the .040 to .080 with another washer. I did not like the amount of vertical play in the needles with the plastic washer, so I replaced it with a .040 washer as well. This seems to me like radical changes, but the bike is perfect right off idle, good snappy midrange, pulls like a beast on top. Absolutely no surging or bogging anywhere. The carbs were gone thru last year before I got it, I'm wondering if maybe it has non stock mains in it. I did notice, however, that my best idle is with the adjusting screws out only 1-1/4 turns. The way it runs, I am calling it good enough.

[Nessism]

Washers under the clip do nothing. The thickness of the spacer above the clip determine the needle height.

Carb rebuild tutorial linked in my signature. Details like this are explained therein.

[wymple]

Ok, then I enrichened it either way, because I lessened the spacer above the clip. Regardless, it runs wonderfully now, so I am happy. I'm too used to pull slide needles, I guess.